UPDATE: Because of rain and thunderstorms in the forecast, the Meridian Mardi Gras kickoff party scheduled for Friday, Feb. 9 has been canceled. The  City of Meridian has postponed the Mardi Gras parades scheduled for Saturday until Saturday, Feb. 17

Mardi Gras festivities arrive in Meridian beginning 6 p.m. Friday with a party on the City Hall lawn.

Mitchell Distributing has been working with the city to bring the first Mardi Gras kickoff party to Meridian with the goal of expanding Meridian’s Mardi Gras to “a full weekend of fun activities,” according to the local beverage company.

The party will include Meridian’s first crawfish boil of the year by Dontea’s Seafood and BBQ. Plates will be $15, with all proceeds benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of East Mississippi.

Oxford-based Ebenezer Goodman will provide musical entertainment Friday night. Admission is a $5 donation to the Boys and Girls Club.

“Due to the lower numbers in the professional team category this year, we were advised to postpone the BBQ competition until next year,” said Anna Grace Tanner, communications manager for Mitchell Companies. “We’re hoping to return to the competition next year and make it even bigger and better. However, the party will go on, and we’re looking forward to a fun Mardi Gras weekend in Meridian starting with the kickoff party on Friday night.”

The fun continues at 11 a.m. Saturday on the City Hall lawn with food vendors, live music, kids’ activities and the largest Mardi Gras store in the area.

Sponsored by the City of Meridian, the free, all-day event provides family-friendly activities for all ages.

“We’ve been doing Meridian Mardi Gras for more than 10 years now,” Meridian Community Development Director Laura Carmichael said. “It’s grown to be a popular event. It brings a little taste of New Orleans right here to the Queen City.”

The Krewe of Barkus Parade, sponsored by Animal Medical Supply, begins at noon and will feature pets dressed in purple and green. The Mardi Gras king and queen will lead the Krewe of Midas Parade immediately following the pet parade.

Festive Mardi Gras t-shirts will also be available.

With the weather forecast calling for rain, Carmichael said the city will continue to monitor the situation as the weekend draws near.

The National Weather Service in Jackson is predicting a 60 percent chance of showers on Friday and an 80 percent chance on Saturday. There is a possibility of a thunderstorm after noon on Saturday. A high temperature near 68 is predicted.

“We are still going rain or shine,” Carmichael said. “If it’s severe weather, we will definitely look at that. Right now, we have no plans to cancel the event at all.”