Wesson will celebrate its 143 birthday this weekend with the17th Annual Founders Day Arts & Craft Show.

“It is a fun day in Wesson and we invite everyone to come.” JoyWesbrooks, Wesson Chamber of Commerce publicity director said.

The festivities will begin tonight with a gospel music concertfeaturing “Embrace” and “Gloryland” at 7 p.m. in downtown Wesson.In the event of rain, the concert will be moved to Zion HillBaptist Church on Beauregard Road.

Saturday will be a full day of festivities beginning with theopening of the arts and craft show at 8 a.m. Vendors from Alabama,Mississippi, Tennessee, Louisiana and Texas will make up over 100booths of woodwork, pottery, jewelry, antiques, dogs, T-shirts,hair-bows and food.

Along with arts and crafts the chamber will provide manyactivities to help educate people on the history of Wesson. A videoon the history of the town will be shown from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. atthe City Hall including, “the mills that were here in the 1800s,”Wesbrooks said.

Anyone with interesting stories and facts on Wesson is invitedto stop by the library. Their memories will become a part of thehistorical video archives.

At 10 a.m., 2005 Founders Day Queen Stacey Lowery will pass hercrown to the 2006 winner. A parade will follow at 11 a.m.

Special guests Jordan Nettles, Todd McDaniel, Lori Martin andthe Dixieland Cloggers will perform at various times throughout theday. Ashley Mezzanares, of Brookhaven, will perform at 5 p.m and”Ghosttown,” a band from Brookhaven, will provide the street danceentertainment at 8 p.m.

“We block off Spring Street and adults and children can dance ifthey like,” Wesbrooks said.

Founders Day is sponsored by the Wesson Chamber of Commerce andserves as the chamber’s major fund-raiser for the year. FoundersDay began in 1989 as a way to celebrate the birthday of Wesson andthe success of the day has been based on the dedication of theWesson Chamber of Commerce.

“We have a lot of good workers with the chamber and they haveworked hard to make this a big day.” Wesbrooks said. “It takes alot of people to put this on.”