The City of Meridian is gearing up for a busy year with events, conferences, parades and more on tap for the Queen City.

In a Council of Governments meeting Monday, Lauderdale County Tourism Director Dede Mogollon said 2023 is just getting started and already there is no shortage of events and activities for visitors and residents alike.

“We will see a lot of busy weekends this year,” she said.

In addition to a wide array of festivals and downtown events, Mogollon said the Queen City is set to host multiple conferences including the Knights of Columbus, American College of Physicians, Mississippi Municipal League and, for the first time in 16 years, the Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

Rep. Charles Young, who represents District 82, which includes Meridian, said he is planning to do his part to guide new eyes to the city as well with a Feature Meridian Day.

“Every Wednesday I’m going to feature noted national and international persons with recognition from Meridian,” he said.

Numbers of visitors to downtown Meridian are up, Young said, and, coupled with a full calendar of events and activities, he is forecasting a good year for the city.

“I think that this year is going to be a pretty good year for us over here,” he said.

On the city’s side, Community Development Director Craig Hitt said new industry and buildings were going up as well. Since the current administration took office in September 2021, he said, permits had been issued for 31 new commercial structures and remodeling for two existing commercial structures. The total value of the investment was more than $60 million being put into the Queen City.

On the residential side, Hitt said 18 new homes had gone up in the same time period, representing a value of more than $5 million.

Community Development, along with other city departments, is also involved in the planning and execution of many downtown events, and Hitt echoed Mogollon that the city was shaping up for a busy year.

“Every weekend in 2023 you’ll have an event to go to,” he said. “Sometimes multiple events.”

In addition to the current lineup of activities, Mogollon said Lauderdale County Tourism is working to market the city to bring even more visitors to town. Their efforts, combined with the newly created Meridian Main Street Association, will work to grow Meridian’s reputation as a destination for the arts, culture and education.