Here are some events scheduled in Meridian and Lauderdale County for this last official weekend of summer:



Singers



"Voices of Yesteryear," the program on display on the Temple Theater marquee in downtown Meridian, will be held this evening beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The show will feature music from Charles "Bo" Grant and The Platters, The Intruders, Otis Clay, Steel Bill Payton, Escavion White and Mark Shaw.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

Call the Temple box office at (601) 693-5353.



Crafts



The 6th Annual Gourd Festival will be held Saturday at the farm of Ray and Jerry Davis, 11132 Byrd Doerner Road in Collinsville.

Craft classes and more than 20 gourd craft booths will be set up from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Door prizes will be presented and there will be a chance to win a huge penguin gourd measuring 2 feet by 2 and a half feet with horse scenes painted on it.





There is no admission fee for the festival. Fees are charged for classes.

Food also will be available to purchase.

For more information call (601) 737-5333.



Symphony



Also on Saturday the Meridian Symphony Orchestra kicks off its 2009-2010 season with "Air," part one of the season series "Brave the Elements," presented at the MSU Riley Center.

"Brave the Elements" is by MSO's Composer-in-Residence Carey Smith, music instructor at Meridian Community College.

Also on the pr Here are some events scheduled in Meridian and Lauderdale County for this last official weekend of summer:



Singers



"Voices of Yesteryear," the program on display on the Temple Theater marquee in downtown Meridian, will be held this evening beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The show will feature music from Charles "Bo" Grant and The Platters, The Intruders, Otis Clay, Steel Bill Payton, Escavion White and Mark Shaw.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

Call the Temple box office at (601) 693-5353.



Crafts



The 6th Annual Gourd Festival will be held Saturday at the farm of Ray and Jerry Davis, 11132 Byrd Doerner Road in Collinsville.

Craft classes and more than 20 gourd craft booths will be set up from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Door prizes will be presented and there will be a chance to win a huge penguin gourd measuring 2 feet by 2 and a half feet with horse scenes painted on it.





There is no admission fee for the festival. Fees are charged for classes.

Food also will be available to purchase.

For more information call (601) 737-5333.



Symphony



Also on Saturday the Meridian Symphony Orchestra kicks off its 2009-2010 season with "Air," part one of the season series "Brave the Elements," presented at the MSU Riley Center.

"Brave the Elements" is by MSO's Composer-in-Residence Carey Smith, music instructor at Meridian Community College.

Also on the program is Mozart's "Bassoon Concerto" and Strauss' "Don Quixote, Op. 35."

The featured artist for Saturday's concert is bassoonist Jon Wenberg who has performed with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. a pre-concert lecture will be held in the theater at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30-$35 ($10 for children and students), available at the MSU Riley Center box office. Call (601) 696-2200.



Songwriters



The Nashville Songwriters Show, held the third Saturday of each month, will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Temple Theater.

This weekend's performers include Casey Beathard. Jimmy Melton and Kendell Marvell.

Beathard's songs include "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo," "Beer Man," "Drinkin' Bone," "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems," and "Right Where I Need to Be."

Marvel has written for Gary Allan, Trace Adkins, Josh Taylor, Travis Tritt, Blake Shelton, Lee Ann Womack, Joe Diffie and others.

Melton has written songs for Hank Williams Jr., Mark Chestnutt, Trace Adkins, Kenny Rogers, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Gene Watson and many more coutry music stars.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the door.ogram is Mozart's "Bassoon Concerto" and Strauss' "Don Quixote, Op. 35."

The featured artist for Saturday's concert is bassoonist Jon Wenberg who has performed with the Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony and San Francisco Symphony Orchestras.

The concert begins at 7 p.m. a pre-concert lecture will be held in the theater at 6 p.m. Tickets are $30-$35 ($10 for children and students), available at the MSU Riley Center box office. Call (601) 696-2200.



Songwriters



The Nashville Songwriters Show, held the third Saturday of each month, will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Temple Theater.

This weekend's performers include Casey Beathard. Jimmy Melton and Kendell Marvell.

Beathard's songs include "Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo," "Beer Man," "Drinkin' Bone," "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems," and "Right Where I Need to Be."

Marvel has written for Gary Allan, Trace Adkins, Josh Taylor, Travis Tritt, Blake Shelton, Lee Ann Womack, Joe Diffie and others.

Melton has written songs for Hank Williams Jr., Mark Chestnutt, Trace Adkins, Kenny Rogers, Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Gene Watson and many more coutry music stars.

Tickets are $10 and are available at the door.