WESSON — This weekend is a time for celebration as residentscommemorate the 14th Annual Founders Day Festival.

“We’ve got a full day planned for Saturday. We try to havesomething for everybody,” said event chairman Scott King. “I thinkwe’ll have a pretty good turnout.”

The festival, sponsored by the Wesson Chamber of Commerce,begins at 7 p.m. Friday with a gospel music concert, featuringPilgrim’s Rest Quartet and Gloryland, on Spring Street. In case ofrain, the concert will be held at Wesson Baptist Church on Highway51.

Events celebrating Col. Madison Wesson founding the town in 1864continue Saturday morning with a 5K Run and 1-Mile Fun Walk at 7a.m. to raise money for the restoration of the old WessonSchool.

“We’re expecting anywhere from 250-300 runners,” said JoyWesbrooks, chamber of commerce secretary.

The Wesson Chamber of Commerce Race for Restoration, which willbe directed by Mississippi Track Club, starts at the Copiah-LincolnCommunity College stadium.

“It will wind through Wesson, go by the old school and end up onHighway 51, with the finish line in the middle of the festival,”said King.

Registration for the race will begin at 6:30 a.m., and will cost$15 per person for the 5K run and $8 per person for the funwalk.

The arts and crafts show, which attracts vendors from otherstates, will begin around 8 a.m. on the Main Street part of Highway51. It features a wide variety of food, antiques, jewelry and othercrafts.

“We figure we’ll have about 120 booths. We’ve got people comingfrom Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and of course, Mississippi,” saidKing. “We’ve got some pretty good booths this year.”

The quilt exhibit at Trustmark Bank and Copiah Bank willcontinue Friday and will still be visible through the windowSaturday. Also, an art exhibit has been set up at Wesson PublicLibrary. A book signing by Ruth Tyson Slay will be held Saturdayuntil noon when the library closes.

A parade will be held at 11 a.m., and local entertainment on theSpring Street stage will begin shortly afterward.

Other activities include the crowning of this year’s FoundersDay Queen and a hospitality tent with door prizes given away after5 p.m. to those present.

The family-oriented event will also feature children’s games infront of town hall at 3 p.m. Some of the games include a turtlerace, egg toss and watermelon seed spitting contest.

The weekend’s activities will conclude with the annual streetdance at 8 p.m., featuring Ghostown, a country western musicgroup.