The folks at the Lincoln Civic Center are gearing up once again for the annual Wildlife Expo.

On Sept. 11 and 12, vendors from all over will be set up to show the latest and greatest for the new hunting season, as well as keep the kids entertained throughout the weekend.

There will be an alligator demonstration and exhibition, wild hog display and education, Terry Vandeventer the snake man, 3-D archery and a laser hunting game. The Sullivan-Ford Silent Auction will be going on throughout the event and will benefit Woods, Wheels, & Water Outdoors. The money will sponsor a handicapped person on the hunt of a lifetime.

“To me the silent auction and hunt maybe the most important part of why we do the Wildlife Expo each year, so we can give someone some hope or fulfill a dream,” Civic Center General Manager Quinn Jordan said.

Children will have the opportunity to participate in catfish hand grabbing and a piglet-catching contest. And most importantly to Jordan, once inside the Expo activities don’t cost a dime.

“As executive director of the event and facility, we don’t want the parents to be nickled and dimed throughout the event,” he said.

The event costs $6 for adults, $5 for children 12-5 and free for children under 5. Once inside, there will be food for sell as well as products from some of the vendors, but all children’s activities will be included in the entry fee.

The second annual 5K Heroes run will be Saturday morning in honor of 9/11 emergency responders, servicemen and veterans.

The event is one of two main fundraisers for the Lincoln Civic Center that helps keep the facility up and running as well as funds improvement projects.

“For example, with the baseball complex we are able to take savings from this show and the Spring Fest to invest in equipment and infrastructure needs that help take the burden off the taxpayers,” he said.

The money is also used as matching funds for grants such as the arena expansion, erosion control and the building of the RV park.

Over the past 13 years, the event has grown from just a small event at Co-Lin Feed and Seed to a large, family event.

“They had five booths and a vision,” he said.

Now, the event is expected to feature about 80 booths.

“We’re voted one of the best family-oriented events of this nature in Mississippi,” he said. “People say if Mama’s not happy, no one’s happy, but I say if kids aren’t happy… A 60-pound kid can drag a 200-pound man wherever he wants to go.”

Jordan said without their sponsors, especially Bank of Brookhaven and Toyota of Brookhaven, they would not be able to bring this event together every year.

Work on the event is still being wrapped up as the Civic Center continues to search for silent auction items and volunteers. If anyone wants to donate items or time, call the Civic Center at 601-823-9064.