Outdoor enthusiasts, avid hunters, fishermen and anyone in between looking to learn a little something about the great outdoors is invited to the Lincoln Civic Center’s annual Lincoln County Wildlife and Outdoor Expo.

On Sept. 9-10, more than 50 vendors will be set up to show the latest and greatest for the new hunting season as well as keep the kids entertained throughout the weekend. The event will run from 5 to 9 p.m. on Sept. 9 and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sept. 10.

There will be a crocodile exhibition, wild hog display and education, Terry Vandeventer the Snake Man and 3-D archery.

Lincoln Civic Center facilities manager Quinn Jordan said the event is expected to be the best yet, with new outdoor-themed booths and representatives from Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.

“This is a great opportunity for fishers and hunters to speak with wildlife officers about new laws in a neutral setting,” Jordan said.

The expo is also a great way to educate adults and children on the importance of wildlife management and safety, Jordan said.

“A lot of the activities are geared toward children,” Jordan said. “But adults can have fun, too. If we don’t educate our youth and young adults about the importance of wildlife management and the outdoors we will lose the generation of hunters. It is our responsibility to take care of what the Lord has given us and we need to educate to do that. It’s a good educational opportunity, as well as entertaining for the kids.”

The event costs $6 for adults, $5 for children 12-7 and is free for children under 6. Once inside, there will be food for sale as well as products from some of the vendors, but all children’s activities will be included in the entry fee.

The event serves as one of the biggest fundraising opportunities for the civic center throughout the year, Jordan said. A silent auction and gun raffle will be going on throughout the event to raise money for several causes, he said.

“First, $3,000 of the money we raise will go toward providing a trip of a lifetime to a handicapped hunter,” Jordan said.

The Lincoln Civic Center takes applications from anyone with a mental or physical disability who is interested in hunting and has never been able to go on a hunting trip, Jordan said.

“If anyone has a candidate in mind, they just submit a history of who they are and their handicap, and about their interest in the outdoors,” he said. “The civic center committee reviews the applications and selects a recipient.”

In addition to providing the hunting trip, Jordan hopes the expo will raise enough money to allow the civic center to remodel the bathrooms and purchase an ATV for the baseball complex.

Jordan said the event is sure to entertain kids and adults alike.

“We’re voted one of the best family-oriented events of this nature in Mississippi,” he said.

Jordan said without the event’s sponsors, they would not be able to bring this event together every year.

Work on the event is still being wrapped up as the civic center continues to search for silent auction items and volunteers. If anyone wants to donate items or time, has questions about the event or would like to submit an application for the disability hunt, call 601-823-9064.