There are several event in Biloxi this weekend- Here are the details from the city:
Biloxi has a tripleheader of events Saturday: a unity march, a Juneteenth observance and a wade-in memorial, and city leaders are encouraging the public to gather safely. Two of the events are longstanding annual city observances, Juneteenth, which takes place at Beck Park, 671 Division St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the wade-in memorial, which takes place at 5:30 p.m. at Lighthouse Park, west of the Biloxi Visitors Center, and will be followed by a teen walk to the beach.
Juneteenth marks the date -- June 19, 1865 -- when a Union army general in Galveston, Texas proclaimed all slaves in Texas were free, two-and-a-half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. The wade-in observance commemorates the events that led to the desegregation of Biloxi beaches in the 1960s.
The unity march and prayer, designed to draw attention to the need nationwide to improve race relations, will begin at the Biloxi Town Green, travel Main Street to Howard, Howard to Lameuse, and end at City Hall, 140 Lameuse St. Marchers are expected to begin gathering on the Town Green at 8 a.m. for the 9 a.m. event.
The city, meantime, is asking participants to remember social distancing guidelines and to wear a facemask.
"We want these events to be successful and for everyone to remember we're in a pandemic. Heed the advice: Wear a mask," said Councilmember Felix Gines, who represents Ward 2, where the events will be conducted. Gines announced that the city had supplied masks to organizers of all three events and masks are available now at the Biloxi Visitors Center.
Added Mayor Andrew "FoFo" Gilich: "Let's make it a great weekend, safely."