There are 40 remaining Saturdays in 2016, including tomorrow. Yet not all Saturdays are created equal. Tomorrow is one of those handful of Saturdays when it is not a matter of finding something to do, but a matter of choosing from among a wide variety of events. Downtown Columbus will be hopping (and, in the case of one event, running) throughout the day.
Even the weather seems to be in a mood to celebrate. Thursday’s storms will give way to a cool but pleasant, sunny Saturday (high of 66 degrees).
Many of the events are built around the 76th Annual Spring Pilgrimage, which has a full slate of offerings for its first Saturday of the 12-day celebration.
Runners will compete in the Pilgrimage half-marathon, which begins at 7 a.m. at the Tennessee Williams Welcome Center on Main Street. A 5K race will begin at 8 a.m. at the same location.
The Pilgrimage will offer three tours of historic homes. The first tour starts at 9 a.m. And the last tour ends at 10 p.m. Homes on those tours include Rosedale, Rosewood Manor, The Stephen D. Lee Home/Museum, Whitehall, Waverley Mansion, Temple Heights and Shadowlawn. Tour/ticket information is available at Convention and Visitors Bureau Office on Third St. South, by phone at 662-329-3533 or on the web at www.visitcolumbus.org.
The annual Artisans Alley, a showcase for local artists/craftsmen, will be held from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on the grounds of the Tennessee Williams Home while a block away on historic Catfish Alley, the annual Catfish in the Alley catfish and cook-off , featuring food and live music, will be held from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, downtown merchants will hold the second day of its two-day Open House from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The Mayor’s Unity Picnic (4 p.m. at the Riverwalk) offers free food, music and fellowship.
Mississippi University for Women celebrates its homecoming this weekend. A full range of events are scheduled from 8 a.m. until roughly 10 p.m. Saturday, including the MUW Convocation ceremony at 1 p.m. at Rent Auditorium. For a full schedule of weekend events, go to: muw.edu.
In Starkville, Saturday marks the mid-way point of the city’s Restaurant Week, which not only raises awareness of the variety of dining opportunities for the city, but also serves as a fund-raiser for three local charities — Backpack Buddies, Vets for Vets and Grassroots Animal Rescue. Meanwhile, on the Mississippi State campus, the 12th-ranked Bulldogs take on 11th-ranked Ole Miss in Game 2 of the key SEC baseball series at Dudy Noble Field. First pitch is at 2 p.m.
That’s just a sampling of possibilities, of course.
Saturday offers, as the saying goes, an “embarrassment of riches.”
We encourage everyone to partake.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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