Bill Graham / The Meridian Star A’Kerria Jordan, De’jon Miller and A’Kaylah Triplett create bubbles during the Dr. Seuss birthday celebration in Meridian Saturday. 

Kids young and old gathered in The Mississippi Arts + Entertainment Experience courtyard in Meridian to say “Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss” Saturday morning.

Families enjoyed a sunny day with a variety of events hosted by The Mississippi Children’s Museum-Meridian.

“We had over a 1000 people come last year,” said Elizabeth Wilson, the museum’s executive director. “We expect to exceed that number this year.”

The event offered stations for creating masks and picture frames, face painting by Junior Auxiliary volunteers, a Symphony Doo Dah hands-on experience, and a table for exploring the science of Bartholomew’s Oobleck with real scientists from Algix. MCM friends from Jean’s topped off the activities with a tasty buffet of green eggs and ham.

Bob Purvis, a minister from Clarke County, put his graphic design degree to work sketching little participants and their favorite Dr. Seuss characters. With his detailed costume and corncob pipe, Purvis explained that Dr. Seuss was advised by his doctors to stop smoking early on in his life.

“Seuss ran with the idea and adorned his corn-cob pipe with a colorful radish,” said Purvis, who was joined by his wife, Carra Purvis, the new executive director of the Meridian Symphony Association, for the day’s activities.

Across the courtyard, celebrity readers drew huge crowds as children gathered to listen to Judge Veldore Young-Graham; Stage 2 actor Luke Thomas and attorney Dustin Markham. Four-year-old Cam Chapman darted around, stopping for a moment to say that Young-Graham’s animated reading of “Green Eggs and Ham” was his favorite.

“I like the bubbles best,” exclaimed Parker Boutwell, picking up a gigantic loop in the “Big B, Little B, What Begins with B exhibit. The 4-year-old came from Hattiesburg with his grandmother, Lydia Boutwell for the event .

Cameron Davis, a freshman at Lamar High School and Miss Deep South’s Outstanding Teen was also on hand, showcasing her platform, “Building Teens through Volunteering.”

“This is a great day for a great event,” Davis said. “I love giving of my time for such a worthwhile event.”

Lou Ann Lamar, MCM-Meridian’s Outreach Chair, credited the many helpers on hand making sure the day went well.

“We could not have put together this event without the countless volunteers,” Lamar said. “They have been here since 7:30 this morning making this happen.”