Downtown Wesson will be filled this weekend for the annual Founders Day celebration, but this year the fun will center around City Park instead of Hwy. 51.

The celebration of founder James Madison Wesson has taken place along the main thoroughfare for a quarter of a century, but is making the move to Wesson City Park so it will be a safer location for participants and visitors, said Wesson Chamber President Teri Bath.

Friday’s events include gospel music in the park beginning at 5 p.m.

Saturday begins with a Fun Run 5K at 8 a.m. Vendor booths will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wesson churches will be set up at a food court in the park from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and musical acts will be on stage throughout the day.

At 11 a.m., Kate Norwood will be crowned Wesson Founder’s Day Queen 2025-2026 by Jessica Bueto Breazeale, the first Founder’s Day Queen named 25 years ago. 

 Norwood is the daughter of Brian and Babs Norwood of Wesson. 

That will be followed by the Camellia Line Dancers at noon.

New this year is the Doggie Palooza. The parade of pooches begins at 2 p.m. and there is a contest for best-dressed dog.

The annual street dance begins at 8 p.m. and festivities will close out with a bang as the firework show lights up the night sky somewhere between 8:30 and 9:15 p.m.

For more information, visit the Chamber on Facebook, email wessonchamber@gmail.com or call 601-643-5000.

James Wesson brought a cotton mill to the town and sold it in 1871 to William Oliver and John T. Hardy. Oliver and Hardy renamed the mill Mississippi Mills, and used Thomas Edison’s new lightbulb a year after he perfected them.