Here’s what’s on and what’s canceled for Labor Day weekend on the Mississippi Coast
It’s a shorter calendar of events than most Labor Day weekends in South Mississippi, but there are ways to safely have fun this weekend.
Those who want to get out will be greeted with fireworks, arts and seafood.
Most of the Coast attractions are open — operating at reduced-capacity during the coronavirus pandemic — as are the museums, stores and breweries.
Here is a list of what’s happening this weekend, what’s coming up in September and this fall and what is canceled:
Friday, Sept. 4
▪ Fireworks over the water, beginning at 8 p.m. Friday on The Great Lawn at Harrah’s Casino Gulf Coast, U.S. 90, Biloxi. The free show by Pyro Productions is sponsored by Harrah’s and The Blind Tiger to kick off Labor Day Weekend. 10.5 acre site opens at 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 5
▪ Ocean Springs Artwalk, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in downtown Ocean Springs. Watch local painters, potters and mixed media artists in action and shop, eat and drink downtown. Held rain or shine.
▪ St. Clare Seafood Festival is canceled, but there will be a “Drive Thru Take Out Dinner” available from noon-7 p.m. at St. Clare Catholic Church, 236 South Beach Blvd., Waveland. One entree (fried shrimp, fried catfish, pulled pork), two sides and dessert are priced at $10. Boiled shrimp plate is $15. Crab stuffed potatoes are $6. The $1,000 Raffle tickets are $1 each. Silent auction items can be seen on the church Facebook page.
Labor Day Weekend fun
These are some of the attractions that have special hours and events for Labor Day weekend:
▪ Mississippi Aquarium, newly opened on U.S. 90 in Gulfport, is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 365 days a year. See over 100 species of fish and animals, including African penguins.
▪ Schooner’s Landing inside MGM Park in Biloxi has tee times available from 8 a.m. through early afternoon every Thursday through Sunday on the nine-hole course. Starting at 4:15 p.m., groups of up to eight can take the Target Challenge for an hour and hit a bucket of balls from the party deck to targets on the field.
Reservations are required at 228-271-3472 or schapman@biloxishuckers.com. Golfers should bring their own clubs, although a limited number of clubs are available. Concessions can be ordered in advance, including buckets of beer.
▪ Infinity Science Center in Hancock County is open through the weekend and from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Labor Day.
▪ Betsy Ann Riverboat in Biloxi has ecological tours, dinner cruises and live music sunset cruises on the paddleboat over Labor Day Weekend.
▪ Mystery of the Sea sand sculpture is in front of the JCPenney store inside Edgewater Mall on U.S. 90 in Biloxi. Look for hidden objects in the sculpture related to healthcare to honor those heroes. Exhibit is free and will be in place until the end of October.
▪ Biloxi Schooners is offering walk-on sails at 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday at the Schooner Pier Complex, 367 Beach Blvd., Biloxi. Sails are 2 1/2 hours and passengers can bring refreshments aboard.
▪ Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum at 115 E. First St., Biloxi, will be open Labor Day from 9-4:30 pm.
▪ Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport, usually closed on Mondays, will open at 10 a.m. on Labor Day for the kids to explore and play.
▪ Ship Island Excursions — Round trip service to Ship Island is offered daily, along with 4 p.m. dolphin cruises Saturday and Sunday and sunset cocktail cruises at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
▪ Go fish — For only the second time in a decade, Mississippi anglers can fish for red snapper, gray triggerfish and greater amberjack at the same time. Greater Amberjack season is scheduled to close Oct. 31 and Gray Triggerfish on Oct. 26. Red Snapper season opens on a 24-hour basis beginning Sept. 5 until the remaining quota is harvested.
Live entertainment
Some of the Coast casinos and nightspots have limited live entertainment by local and regional performers.
Some headliner entertainment at the casinos and Coast Coliseum tentatively is scheduled for this fall, but most of the concerts were moved to 2021.
Upcoming
▪ Sept. 11 — Biloxi Seafood Festival is canceled this year because of the coronavirus. There will be a shrimp and fish fry to go from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 11 at the Biloxi Lighthouse Park. Preorder food and seafood festival posters at the festival Facebook page.
▪ Sept. 17 — Mississippi Songwriters Festival is canceled. The Hall of Fame Presentation for inductees inductees Jimmy Buffett, Mac McAnally, Tommy Barnes and BB King will continue as a virtual streaming event Sept. 17, with some celebrity cameos to congratulate the new inductees.
▪ Sept. 19 — Paddle in the Bay from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. at Henderson Point Park at the base of the Bay Bridge in Pass Christian. The only fundraiser this year for Rotary Club of Pass Christian, it will feature food, music and a silent auction. Participants can paddle around Mallini Bayou or across the bay in kayaks, canoe, or paddleboards. Participants will solicit sponsors to participate.
▪ Sept. 19 — The $10,000 drawdown for the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum will be virtual this year on the museum’s Facebook page, and only 500 tickets will be sold. Fried shrimp and fish plates will be available to go and there will be a silent auction.
▪ Sept. 25-27 — Harrison County Fair is scheduled, with masks and following other CDC guidelines.
▪ Oct. 4-11 — Cruisin’ The Coast, America’s Longest Block Party, returns this year with masks and social distancing. Cruise Central is at Centennial Plaza in Gulfport and events will be held at cities across South Mississippi.
▪ Nov. 7-8 — Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival is scheduled in downtown Ocean Springs.
▪ Dec. 4-6 — South-Eastern Art Expo at Coast Coliseum in Biloxi. The juried show is geared to provide exposure to artists beyond art fairs and festivals in a safe environment. Booths are available at early-bird pricing and tickets to the event go on sale in November,
Canceled
These September events are canceled:
▪ Destination Waveland fireworks display that was moved from the Fourth of July to Labor Day weekend is canceled for 2020.
▪ Mississippi Gulf Coast Blues & Heritage Festival, Pascagoula
▪ Pirates Day in the Bay that was rescheduled to September is canceled for 2020. It will go back to the regular spring event of May 13-15 in 2020.
▪ Slavic Invitational Golf Tournament, Biloxi
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 5:50 AM.
