The Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon returns for its third year this weekend and while participants and spectators make their preparations, they should also keep an eye on the weather.
Event activities began this morning with the opening of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon Expo at the Mississippi Coast Convention Center. The athletic activities begin on Saturday and that is when the rain chances are high.
The National Weather Service is predicting a 70 to 100 percent chance of showers and possible thunderstorms throughout the day on Saturday with southwest winds of 10 to 15 mph. Rain chances lessen, however, on Sunday, to 20 percent.
The athletic activities taking place throughout the weekend are the 5K, and kids marathon that begin and end at the Point Cadet Plaza Saturday morning and the beer run on the Harrah’s Great Lawn and around The Blind Tiger beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Then on Sunday is the half and full marathons. The full marathon’s route will run from Henderson Point in Pass Christian to the MGM Park in Biloxi and the half will go from Jones Park in Gulfport to the MGM Park in Biloxi.
As for the traffic plan, on Saturday, Biloxi Police will be in the area of Point Cadet, Howard Avenue and Martin Luther King Boulevard providing traffic control from 7 a.m. until the last runner completes the course. On Sunday, traffic cones will be placed along U.S. 90 and I-110 beginning at 3:30 a.m. Also, at 3:30 a.m., Caillavet Street between U.S. 90 and Howard Avenue will be closed to traffic to allow marathon shuttles to travel. Then at 6:45 a.m., Biloxi Police will close I-110 southbound at Division Street and the I-110 northbound west of Caillavet. Roads will re-open after the last runner completes the course and crews pick up the traffic cones.
Elsewhere this weekend: First Friday takes place in downtown Biloxi, children ages five and younger can “Come Learn with Santa” at the Lopez School, the annual International Christmas Festival & Pastry Sale takes place at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, and Alex North, along with other artists, will be at the Biloxi Visitors Center. Over at the casinos, Jeffrey Osborne will be at the IP, Christmas with Aaron Neville will be at the Beau Rivage and The Righteous Brothers will perform at the Hard Rock.
Visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon website
See the latest weather forecast
See the Christmas event lineup
See the Biloxi Community Calendar
News & notes: Podcast, cameras, Kettle drive, City council
City Desk: This week’s edition of the City Desk podcast, recorded Thursday morning at Biloxi City Hall, focuses on the new pedestrian crosswalk and the West Biloxi Boardwalk. To listen to the podcast, click here. To see a 31-second, time-lapse video of the installation of the crosswalk, click here.
Cameras at the causeway: Nearly a dozen surveillance cameras are being installed at the Popp’s Ferry Causeway Park to help reduce the likelihood of graffiti and mischief at the new $4.2 million-dollar park. To see images of the work, click here.
Kettle Drive: The Biloxi Police Department will be ringing the bell on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Walmart Super Center, 2681 CT Switzer Sr. Dr., as part of the coastwide Salvation Army Red Kettle Drive. Biloxi police and other law enforcement agencies will be competing to see which agency brings in the most donations.
Council meeting: The Biloxi City Council will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 1:30 p.m. at Biloxi City Hall. To see the complete agenda, click here.