NATCHEZ &045;&045; For visitors who remain in Natchez through the weekend, numerous activities offer some refuge from worry about Hurricane Ivan.

An obvious choice for any day is a tour of one of the city’s historic pre-Civil War era houses, said John Saleeby of Natchez Pilgrimage Tours, corner of State and Canal streets.

&uot;There’s been a steady stream of people today stopping by for information,&uot; Saleeby said Wednesday. &uot;If you find yourself in Natchez, you’ve found yourself in the mecca of antebellum architecture. The most outstanding thing to do in Natchez is see the houses. It’s what people come to Natchez to do.&uot;

Other choices today through Sunday include a tango-swing dance festival, a Natchez Little Theatre production of &uot;Auntie Mame&uot; and the annual Copper Magnolia Festival and Flea Market.

Today’s performance of &uot;Auntie Mame&uot; is sold out. Some tickets remain for performances at 8 p.m. Friday, 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, however. Tickets are available by calling the NLT office, 601-442-2233. The theater is at 319 Linton Ave.

The Sweet South Swango Weekend, featuring lessons and exhibitions in tango, swing and salsa dance, will begin Friday at 5:30 p.m. at 108 S. Commerce St. with an illustrated program on the history of Argentine tango as it parallels American jazz, presented by Gerardo Perez, an authority on the music and dance.

The swango event caught the eye of Fox News, said organizer Christina Johnson, who will be interviewed by telephone early today by a Fox and Friends journalist. Fox and Friends airs from 6 to 8 a.m., Johnson said. On cable, the Fox News channel is 49.

&uot;Isn’t that great for Natchez,&uot; she said. &uot;It’s wonderful publicity.&uot;

She expects the dance events to be well attended. Tickets remain available for most events, however. Anyone wanting tickets should call 601-442-5355 or 505-231-3239.

At 8:30 p.m. Friday, the program continues with live tango music and dancing at Bowie’s Tavern, Main and Broadway streets. The Friday event at Isle of Capri Casino has been canceled, Johnson said.

On Saturday, beginner dance classes will be at The Prentiss Club, corner of Pearl and Jefferson streets. Swing classes will be 3 to 4 p.m.; tango, 4 to 5 p.m.; and salsa, 5 to 6 p.m.

From 8 to 11 p.m., a dance featuring two live orchestras will be held at The Prentiss Club. Afterwards, Biscuits and Blues upstairs, 315 Main St.,

will host a late-night milonga with live music, Southern buffet and cash bar.

On Sunday, a tea and dance at Morris Gallery, 511 Main St., will begin at 1 p.m., featuring tea, champagne, finger foods and dance with live music.

The annual Copper Magnolia Festival also will go on as planned, said Jim Barnett, director of historic sites for the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The free Saturday festival on the grounds of Historic Jefferson College, located a few miles north of Natchez in the Washington community, will begin at 9 a.m., including crafts, music, cake walks and festival foods.

The college, with exhibits and buildings to tour, also is open daily, as is its sister property, Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, 400 Jefferson Davis Blvd., where there is a museum and a self-guided tour of the grounds, Barnett said.

&uot;We welcome visitors, of course. We’ve already had people stop by from Florida and the Gulf Coast who are getting away from the hurricane,&uot; he said.