NATCHEZ — With the smell of grilling meat and sound of music filling the air residents of the Minorville area celebrated the 16th annual Minorville Jubilee on Saturday.

The event began with a march, church service and gospel concert before residents headed back out into the streets for the day’s festivities.

And Henry Winston and his wife Laura were named Mr. and Mrs. Minorville.

While the atmosphere on the street was one of a large family gathering one aspect of the day could not be ignored — it was hot.

Jubilee-goers fought the heat any way they could.

Women wore wide-brimmed hats and some even toted umbrellas to fight the sun.

And spots on shady corners were the most crowded and the most sought after.

One resident set up an enormous water slide in the yard for the younger children — it was quite popular.

Kids waited in line to run up the steps then heave themselves down the wet slide.

Charlie Woods lives right next-door to where the slide was set up.

Woods has lived in Minorville for 48 years and has participated in the jubilee since it began.

And for Woods the jubilee is all about the kids.

“It’s a good event that brings them all together,” he said. “They get to have a lot of fun.”

A little further down the street from the water slide many residents gathered at the corner of Minor Street and Brenham Avenue for a cookout.

Five massive grill were going at once churning out heaps of grilled chicken while a table offered countless homemade dishes.

“Things are marvelous today,” Carolyn Smith said after making herself a plate lunch.

Smith has lived in Minorville for more than 20 years and estimated the crowd to be about 200 strong on Saturday afternoon.

Smith said the crowd normally swells in the evening as the sun begins to set.

“Right now it’s just so hot,” she said. “When the sun goes down, that’s when things pick up.”

But aside from the heat Smith said the party was a great way for the entire community to come together.

“People who used to live here even comeback for this,” she said. “People look forward to this all year.”

But by the looks of many on Saturday, thoughts of next year’s jubilee were simply clouded by too much fun at this year’s jubilee.