NATCHEZ — For more than 30 years, the Natchez Business and Civic League has been celebrating its presence in Natchez and its people.

The league will have its 34th annual awards banquet at 7 p.m. Friday.

This year’s speaker is Vern E. Smith, a Natchez native who is a former Newsweek national correspondent.

NBCL President Mary Toles said Smith should have a lot of worthy information to provide on heritage tourism.

Smith is a 1963 graduate of Sadie V. Thompson and graduated from San Francisco State University in 1969.

He has 30 years experience the journalism profession and has appeared as a commentator on CNN, Good Morning America, BET-Tonight and others.

The awards presented will be the George F. West Business Man of the Year award, the Alice Felix Woman of the Year award, the W.S. Scott Community Service award, youth awards and president’s award.

While the banquet is for NBCL members, it’s also open to the public.

Toles said the majority of tickets have been sold, however.

“The community supports us,” she said. “It’s pretty much traditional, this being the 35th year. People have gotten accustomed to coming out and supporting the league. They look forward to this as sort of a social event.”