McComb’s first New Year’s Eve celebration in recent memory will be held at the Bo Diddley Pavilion on Railroad Boulevard beginning at 10 p.m. Saturday and continuing into 2023.
There’s more to it than fireworks, Mayor Quordiniah Lockley said.
“The reason I took on this project was two years ago, citizens came to me and said, ‘Why is that the City of McComb does not do anything for New Year’s?’ ” Lockley said.
He looked back through 50 years of archives and could not find a time when the city sponsored a New Year’s Eve celebration.
Lockley said he wanted to have one last year and contacted a pyrotechnics company for a fireworks display, but was too late organizing it. The mayor said he reserved fireworks in September for this year’s free city event, which is being paid with motel tax revenues that are used for recreation and tourism.
He enlisted McComb School District Fine Arts Coordinator Clinnesha Sibley to serve as emcee, with music by DJ Swayway and Israel Coleman’s band The Dukes performing from 11 to 11:50 p.m. Saturday.
The event will feature a performance by Mimi Joy Dillon of the Trailblazers African and hip-hop dance troupe, and remarks from McComb School District Superintendent Dr. Cederick Ellis, state Rep. Daryl Porter, Jay Wilson and Ward 3 Selectwoman Terri Waterman-Baylor.
“We’re going to have a full two hours of music, dance, speaking,” Lockley said.
Then the fireworks go off at midnight.
“I love the community and I’m really excited about the New Year and everything good that will happen for our community,” Sibley said. “This will be my first time watching fireworks with everyone at the pavilion so I’m really looking forward to that as well. When Mayor Lockley asked me, I obliged because I’m really passionate and excited about the future of McComb and I wanted to be a part of the story of this fresh start.”
Lockley said he did not know of any other place in Southwest Mississippi that’s having a celebration.
In addition to the city’s free celebration, the Pike School of Art-Mississippi is sponsoring a Walk Down Main, with food, drinks and music at 207 Bistro & Blues from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by a performance by Vasti Jackson at the Palace Theater from 9 to midnight, with guests receiving party favors and a glass of champagne to toast the new year. Tickets are $20.
Lockley said there will be 12 vendors on hand at the city’s celebration, including three selling food. The city also has suspended its open container law to allow the sale of beer and light wine at the event.
He said he will begin planning for the 2024 celebration in soon enough to make sure there is an opportunity to book local bands.
“I think we have enough talent here inside the city or within Pike County to make our event successful,” he said.
Lockley said the celebration will have something for everyone.
“This is a family-friendly event,” he said. “We want the children to come out and enjoy the fireworks. We want the adults to come out and enjoy the fireworks. Let us make this one of our annual events that happens in downtown McComb, Mississippi. What better place? You don’t have to travel anywhere. It’s right here in your own backyard.”
