The kickoff of Natchez Fall Pilgrimage last week means a wide array of visitors will descend upon Natchez for the next month.

But the annual open house of some of Natchez’s finest historic houses was just some of the great news from last week.

Let’s take a look back at some of the other highlights from the week:

• The Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau welcomed its newest director, Virginia native Kevin Kirby. Most recently, Kirby was the cultural affairs manager and director of tourism for the City of Petersburg, Va., where he spearheaded many projects that parallel some being planned in Natchez now. We welcome Kirby to Natchez and wish him the best in bringing visitors from around the world to our great city.

• The 2014 Leadership Natchez class recognized Natchez native Sam Kirby with the “Emerging Leader Award.” Kirby is an avid volunteer for many groups in the community, including being the organizer for the Great Strides Walk, which is a walk to raise awareness for Cystic Fibrosis — a genetic disorder in which Kirby suffers. We thank Kirby for his service to the community.

• Natchez Fall Pilgrimage, which will continue through Oct. 13, features 16 historic houses that open their doors for visitors from all over the world. Natchez Pilgrimage Tours officials say 23 groups have booked tours and expect nearly 1,000 visitors to come to Natchez for the annual event. Those numbers indicate the value of tourism to our city. We welcome all the visitors and hope they enjoy everything Natchez has to offer.

The arrival of fall has brought along some cooler temperatures, so let’s enjoy this weather as we prepare for another week in the Miss-Lou.