The Biloxi High School Indian Marching Band and Color Guard will be representing Biloxi and Mississippi Thursday when the 6abc Dunkin Doughnuts Thanksgiving Day Parade rolls in Philadelphia, Pa.
The band, which left Biloxi Tuesday for the 21-hour bus ride, will be marching in what is billed as the country’s oldest Thanksgiving parade, dating back 93 years. This year, in addition to the Indian marching band, the parade will unveil a half-dozen floats designed by New Orleans Mardi Gras fixture Kern Studios.
The Indians performance will be part of the band’s whirlwind tour that includes stops at several high-profile New York sites.
To learn more about the band’s trip and how you can watch the parade,
click here.
Police Chief John Miller: Be patient and be vigilant
Biloxi Police Chief John Miller said he expects heavy traffic and busy stores this weekend, and he asks motorists and shoppers caught up in the holiday juggernaut to keep a few things in mind. His suggestions:
“Be patient. Traffic is going to be heavy. Give yourself plenty of time. Don’t let yourself get frustrated. Expect traffic delays, particularly in west Biloxi. We’re going to do everything we can do to keep traffic moving safely, but when you have so much traffic, it’s going to be slow moving.
“Be vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings. When putting items in your car, put them in the trunk. Don’t put them in open view inside the car. You may encounter people in parking lots outside businesses trying to sell you things. Most of that stuff, if not all, will be knockoffs. Don’t be taken in by that. Report such encounters to the police.
“Don’t load yourself down by trying to carry too much when shopping. Make more than one trip to your car. What happens is that people try to carry too many bags and it’s hard to keep up with all of them. The less you carry, the more aware you will be of what you are carrying.”
Weekend preview: Rosco Bandana, other shows highlight Beauvoir fare
Beauvoir, the site of the season-long Christmas at Beauvoir celebration, will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but a host of entertainment is planned for the weekend, including a Sunday evening performance by the group Rosco Bandana.
The events at the national landmark in west Biloxi are one of the myriad offerings this holiday weekend. Other attractions include the Gulf Coast Symphony’s Peppermint Pops at the Saenger, and weekend casino resort shows by Ray Stevens, Ronnie Milsap and Everclear. To see the weekend lineup, click here.
Christmas at Beauvoir, which is open from 5 to 9 Friday through Sunday evenings this weekend, features carolers, period-garbed storytellers, crafts, Father Claus, lighted paths, tours of the Davis house with period decorations, and, of course, 100 lighted oak trees throughout the property. Admission is $20, with discounts for seniors, military and children.
In addition, a trackless train takes children through the historic 52-acre Beauvoir site each evening from 6 to 9.
The schedule for this weekend:
Friday
5 p.m. — David Knowles on the 1830’s Knaub piano
6 p.m. — Kate Rushton, John Westley and Friends Carol
7 to 9 p.m. — Della Memorial Band
Saturday
5 p.m. — Carol Mahler and students play the house piano, spoons and banjo
6 to 9 p.m. — Magic Carpet Baggers All Stars, featuring Brooks Hubbert and George Mason
Book signings by authors Alan and Joan Santa Cruz, and Jane Shambra.
Sunday
5 p.m. — Deborah Atkinson on the house piano
5:30 p.m. — Eddie McDaniel
7 to 9 p.m. — Rosco Bandana
Natatorium to close for maintenance; Snyder to expand hours
The Biloxi Natatorium, the city’s indoor swmimming pool, will close Friday, Nov. 30 and remain closed through Monday, Jan. 7 while workers perform general maintenance at the facility.
Repairs will include repainting of the lobby, dressing rooms, showers and restrooms.
While the Natatorium is closed, hours for the indoor pool at the Donal M. Snyder Community Center will be extended during this time. The Snyder pool will be open for adults (18 years and older) weekdays from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. It will open for recreation swimmers (17 and younger) Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. All pool passes are valid for both facilities.
The Snyder center is at 2520 Pass Road.
Parks and Recreation Director Sherry Bell said the Natatorium will also be closed in March for repairs to expansion joints on the floor of the pool.
Said Bell: “We would have preferred to do all of the work at once, but the pool repair company is so backed up, March is the earliest we could get the work done. We’ll only close for a week or two in March, and we’ll expand the hours at the Snyder pool during that time.”
News and notes
Traffic watch: Biloxi Police expect traffic to snarl on Eisenhower Drive at Petit Bois Friday and Saturday because of Edgewater Mall traffic and Isaac-downed traffic signals. Motorists should consider alternate routes, which will also experience incereased traffic. Police will direct traffic at busy intersections, as available.
No webcast: The City Desk webcast, typically recorded each Thursday, is on hiatus this week. To listen to previous programs, click here.
Road work: To see the status of major road improvement projects throughout the city, click here.
Municipal holidays: Non-emergency municipal offices will be closed in Biloxi on Thursday and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving.
