Hanging back stage does indeed sound mysterious. I don’t know about you, but I will hang anytime, however when in a back stage, wowzer!

    If you like stuff like that, you are in luck. January 20—21, Meridian will host the Regional Event Planners Conference i.e. Back Stage Pass at the MSU Riley Center located in historic downtown Meridian. This particular two-day conference is the brain child of the Mississippi Main Street Association, Mississippi Arts Commission and Visit Mississippi.  

    Included with the Meridian team, who has worked for months to put this phenomenal opportunity together, is Lauderdale County Tourism, Meridian Main Street, City of Meridian Cultural Affairs Department and MSU Riley Center.  What a crew!

     Now what does this mean? It means more than 200 professional event-planners will walk the streets of Meridian. Yeah! Plus exhibitors – some are Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Webz Advertising, Dime Entertainment Magazine, Stagelite Sound LLC, Mississippi Heritage Trust and others – maybe even a few surprises. I like surprises.

    I attended last year’s Back Stage Pass in Hattiesburg and it was very nice. But hey, the 2016 event is in Meridian – need I say more?

    Jeannie Zieren, Mississippi Main Street Association director of training wrote, “Back Stage Pass focuses on planning festivals and special events that reveal your town’s authentic character through the sharing of ideas and life experiences with other event planners throughout the region.”

    Now characters we have in Meridian and our Queen City is authentic, for sure. Yeah! I really don’t think these out-of-towners are aware, and certainly not prepared for our city and our residents. We are precious and unique. There, I said it.

    Meridianites are more than sweet tea and molasses cookies. Did you hear me?  If we had a mountain, why we would be on the tip-top pinnacle – but we do have awesome valleys and ridges, oh, and lemon almond pie at Weidmanns!

     Our history is prestigious and unforgettable as well. Remember the Key brothers, Al and Fred, known as the Flying Keys? These two set a world record – flight endurance with twenty-seven days in the air. This was in 1935 – told you our historical happenings are unforgettable.

    Meridianites, I have a question. Who said, “Meridian no longer exists?” Of course, it was General Sherman during the Civil War, that scoundrel. It was after the burning of Meridian in February, 1864. But he was wrong. We do exist, and we’re still pretty mad about Sherman’s mouthy-self.

     And maybe the most famous Meridian historical event was the burial of Kelly Mitchell (Feb 1915), Queen of the Romani Gypsies of North America.  Once she was interred in Meridian’s historic Rose Hill Cemetery, several of her family members, which included her husband, King Emil, were buried there as well, making Meridian one of the largest Romani burial places in the world. Rose Hill Company of Storytellers will commemorate her burial, Saturday, February 6, 10 am, in the cemetery.

     Not sure if the Back Stage Pass attendees know how lucky they are, but during their stay in Meridian, the Rose Hill Company of Players will be all geared up in costume and tell a few of Meridian’s amazing historical stories. That’s right if you see the Gypsy King and Queen on the street next week it won’t be a ghost, rather Jamela and Chad Johnson, who play the parts for the annual Rose Hill Cemetery Costumed Tour held each last Saturday in September.

     Because eating is as important as our history, I am excited to recommend Meridian eateries to the Back Stage Pass attendees – Weidmann’s Restaurant (the oldest restaurant in the state), Harvest Grill on 8th Street and Aie’s Taste of Tai located on Front Street in downtown Meridian, are just a few. Plus, of course, tons of others located near I-20.

     So Meridianites, offer a welcoming hand to our visitors, as you have always done and it’s okay to brag about our city, especially our exciting downtown area. Oh, and take time to register and become a part of one of the most exciting conferences to ever come to Meridian.

    Anne B. McKee is a Meridian/Mississippi historian, author and storyteller. See her website: www.annemckeestoryteller.com.