March 1 is Sunday, which means a new month of programming on BTV, the city’s municipal TV channel. That also means that the programs airing throughout February will now be available exclusively on the city’s YouTube channel.
Among the new programs making their debut on Sunday are a behind-the-scenes story on the events to honor Biloxi native and Apollo 13 astronaut Fred Haise in April, a review of Mardi Gras 2020 and Biloxi’s Tet observance, and a preview of Grillin’ on the Green.
Here’s what you need to know about this weekend:
Today and Saturday:
– “Twelfth Night” is a 16-minute program that uses the backdrop of the recent Twelfth Night ceremony to tell the story of Mardi Gras. The program airs daily at 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. in February.
– “City Within a City” is a 20-minute documentary where African-American community leaders – Bishop James Black, Gwendolyn Beck, Rip Daniels, Vernon Jackson, Smiley Lee Albert and Alice May Dickey – tell the challenges facing Biloxi’s minority community in the ’60s. August Taconi originally lensed the program as part of an Ohr-O’Keefe exhibition in 2013, but BTV is premiering a version that has been embellished with photos from the day. See “City Within a City,” throughout Black History Month, at 8:20 a.m. and 8:20 p.m.
– “Edmond Boudreaux: Living History” is a tribute to the well-known local history authority who died in December. Taconi has compiled a series of Boudreaux’s re-enactments from the annual cemetery tour. See the 54-minute program each afternoon at 2:05.
Here’s the special programming that makes its debut Sunday and runs throughout the month of March:
– “Making Space for Fred Haise,” the story of the new landmark honoring the Apollo 13 astronaut and Biloxi native. See it at 7 a.m., 7 p.m. and 12:30 each afternoon.
– Your preview of the Hibernia Marching Society’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Main Street’s Grillin’ on the Green, 7:30 a.m., 7:30 p.m. and 1 each afternoon.
– A look back at Mardi Gras 2020, 7:45 a.m, 7:45 p.m. and 1:15 p.m.
– A visit to the recent Mississippi Gulf Coast Historical and Cultural Expo, 8 a.m., 8 p.m. and 1:30 p.m.
– Biloxi’s Tet celebration, a look at the Vietnamese New Year’s custom, 8:20 a.m., 8:20 p.m. and 2 p.m.
In case you haven’t noticed: Regular viewers of BTV will notice a routine developing on the monthly schedule.
The morning schedule is repeated each evening at corresponding times. What you see at 6 a.m., which is longtime Biloxi performer Ray Fournier singing his original tune “Down in Biloxi,” you also will see at 6 p.m. each day. Same for other programs, such as the monthly infrastructure report and the Biloxi Public Schools program.
The replay of the most recent City Council meetings – a three-hour block of programming – is at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. with an afternoon showing at 3 p.m. each day. As time permits, other public affairs programming fills out the City Council block.
See BTV online now
See the March lineup of programs
News & notes: Weekend preview, podcast and council
Weekend preview: The annual Arbor Day Run/Walk/Roll for Disability Awareness takes place Saturday morning at the Biloxi Town Green and along the downtown streets. Over at the Schooner Pier, one can Discover the Nina and Pinta. At the casinos, The O’Jays will perform at the IP, Fab Four: The Ultimate Tribute will be at the Hard Rock and Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story will showcase at the Beau Rivage. To see the February Community Calendar, click here. To see the March Community Calendar, click here.
City Desk: Biloxi Police Chief John Miller guests on this week’s installment of the City Desk podcast to talk about Mardi Gras and St. Patrick’s Day. To listen, click here.
City council: Biloxi City Council will hold its first meeting of March 2020 Tuesday evening at 6 at Biloxi City Hall. To see the agenda and supporting documents, click here.
