NATCHEZ &045; Come Saturday morning, the streets of Natchez will be occupied by several hundred runners and walkers.

For the 27th year, the River City Classic will attract runners from around the area to take a trip through downtown Natchez as the first event in the 2005 Mississippi Track Club Grand Prix Circuit. It’s also one of the largest events the track club puts on, race director Kay Ketchings said.

&uot;(The runners) know it’s a good race, that it’s well organized,&uot; Ketchings said. &uot;Natchez is a good place to visit for those coming from out of town. We’re expecting another excellent turnout.&uot;

The race continues to grow, attracting new participants from around the region and from the local area.

&uot;We had about 90 first-timers last year and about 30 of those were from Natchez, so it’s good to see more people coming out for the event from here,&uot; Ketchings said.

The race has three different events geared toward different audiences. The big event is the 10-kilometer race for adults. As of Thursday, there were almost 100 people registered to run in the event, Ketchings said.

For children, there’s a 1-mile run.

&uot;We started the 1-mile run last year to get some more participation from the younger kids,&uot; Ketchings said. &uot;It’s great to get kids involved at an early age. They’re so full of pride an excited that they accomplished that.&uot;

Children’s participation in the run has grown dramatically in recent years. In 2003, just 14 children participated. In 2004, there were 247 children and Ketchings said she had more than 200 registered Thursday for this year’s run and expects to exceed last year’s total with late registrations.

The school that has the most registered participants will receive a $500 donation to its physical education program.

And for those enthusiasts who aren’t up for the run, there’s also a three-mile walk. Ketchings said about 80 people signed up for the walk.

&uot;It’s such a beautiful course, and it’s well-marked for our participants,&uot; Ketchings said.

Ketchings also said she is grateful for all the support the race receives locally from the business sponsors, volunteers and the Natchez Police Department that helps with traffic flow.

&uot;This just wouldn’t be possible without the help we get,&uot; Ketchings said. &uot;We’ll have 80 or so volunteers helping with the race and the police to direct traffic.&uot;