Second Waveland Blowout set for Independence Day weekend

Waveland will once again be the destination for the Independence Day weekend as the city hosts the second Destination Waveland Blowout.

The blowout will be from 5 to 9 p.m. July 2 at Garfield Ladner Pier. It is sponsored by the city and Silver Slipper Casino.

“We had a tremendous turnout last year,” Mayor Mike Smith said. “We think we’ll have a good turnout this years and it’s something that we are really looking forward to.”

Smith said the blowout will have a fireworks show, music and food vendors.

Entertainment will be provided by Category 6, a New Orleans cover band that performs under blacklights.

Last year, the event was sponsored by Discovery Channel’s “Destination America.”

The network sponsored the celebration in response to resident Donna Estopinal’s essay about her city’s resolve to recover from 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. Out of 2,600 entries, Estopinal’s essay won the grand prize, sharing it with a town in California.

According to the Destination Waveland Facebook page, 20,000 people attended the event in 2015.

This story was originally published June 30, 2016 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Second Waveland Blowout set for Independence Day weekend."