Relay for Life 2014 will offer fun and games this year, said one of the event’s organizers, Cindie Chambers. The theme this year is “Game On, Time for a Cure.”

Relay teams will be in Exchange Club Park by 1 p.m. Friday to raise money by selling food and playing games. Admission to the park is free to the public.

Beginning at 7 p.m., there will be children’s rides, with armbands allowing them to ride all evening until 10 p.m. For children 6 and under, armbands are $5, and for children 7 and over, they are $10.

At 6:30 p.m. the Brookhaven High School ROTC Drill Team will open the Relay for Life ceremonies. At 6:40 p.m. the opening prayer will be given by Dr. Randolph Hamilton of Mount Wade Baptist Church.

Then special speakers will be Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing, Brookhaven Police Chief Bobby Bell, retired Col. Ken Powell and state Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven.

The Relay for Life royalty also will be crowned. This year the court is King Jeff Michel, Queen JoAnna Sproles, Prince Zaquavius Arnold and Princess Kaley Wilkerson. The royal court will make the first lap for the event at approximately 7:10 p.m.

The luminary Service is at 10 p.m., Chambers said.

“At 10 the “Hush Angels” go around the park, and the rides stop, all activity is paused, and the luminaries go out,” she said. “It is a very special service.”

Chambers said this year’s sponsors are bringing a lot to the event.

“We are excited about our sponsors this year,” she said. Farm Bureau is providing a fish dinner for survivors, Central Baptist Church is serving barbecue chicken plates for $8 beginning at 11 a.m. The church will deliver for orders of more than five in the city limits.

They will begin serving survivors at 5:30 p.m. in the park. Those interested in being part of the dinner should call Margaret Glass, county chair for Relay for Life at 601-823-5310, or Lanell King at 601-823-5312.

Chambers said the event will be a great outing for families.

“It’s kind of like a big family picnic,” she said. “People should bring their lawn chairs.”

Chambers said teams can sign up until the day of the event to participate. This year’s teams are making a difference and may be able to reach their goal of $60,000.

“It looks like it will be very close,” she said. “We really need the community’s support by buying the purple ribbons, luminaries – the bags that float with candles in them, luminaries that line the track and people can just donate.”

Live entertainment including musical groups like The Beesons, Young Christian Travelers and Dixie Land Cloggers will start entertaining at 6 p.m., and Chambers said there will be performers on stage until 1 a.m.