By Christian Coffman

NATCHEZ — Saturday morning’s heavy downpours could not stop the 26th Annual Minorville Jubilee.

Organizers simply moved the annual celebration to Sunday afternoon.

From 1 to 7 p.m. residents celebrated up and down Minor Street, with vendors serving goods, services and food for most of the afternoon.

Shelia Logan and her friends sold cookies, pecan pies and Kool-Aid pickles this year.

Logan said she has been attending the festivities for five years. This year was her first time to sell anything.

“I usually help with serving the free hot dogs and hamburgers, but this year I thought I’d be a vendor,” Logan said. “We started off slow … but we’re expecting to do well by the evening.”

For area children, the most important event of the day was when the fire hydrant on the corner of Minor and East Oak streets was opened.

Seven-year-old Brandon Davis said he was just having fun.

“This is my favorite part,” he said as he ran into the jet of water.

Eleven-year-old Andrea Robinson said she was helping watch the children play.

“I’m looking out for the other kids to make sure no one gets hurt … and to make sure they’re safe,” Robinson said.

Robinson said she was also there to represent her generation and her father’s generation.

“This is my daddy’s hometown generation,” Robinson said. “This is … where my daddy’s side of the family (comes from), so that’s why this is my hometown generation.”

Robinson said she has been coming to Minor Street her whole life and that the community has a lot of citizens who support each other, such as providing fundraising for children.

“That’s what I like about Minor Street, and I hope it’s continued,” Robinson said. “I have a warm heart that’s filled with love.”

Lieutenant Eddie Hawkins of the Natchez Fire Department said he and his fellow firefighters were there to make sure the children had some fun on a hot day.

“This is the moment they look forward to the most,” Hawkins said.

This year’s celebration was Hawkins’ 10th time to man the fire hydrant for the jubilee, and it has become his favorite part.

“It’s just something that everybody looks forward to — nice food, having fellowship with everybody,” Hawkins said.

Gene Williams was one of the new faces in the crowd this year. Williams has lived on Brenham Avenue for 11 years, but this was her first time coming to the event.

“Usually when they have jubilee I never come down,” Williams said. “So far I’m enjoying it.”

Norman Gray, 16, said every year the jubilee has been nice, cultural event.

“The whole community — Minorville — we can get together as one … for our ancestors,” Gray said. “But it’s for everybody; all nationalities are welcome.”

Looking at the children playing in the spray of water, Gray said the youngsters are the future of the community and the celebration.

“They’re going to have our Jubilee one day, and we might not be here,” Gray said. “They’re never going to forget a Minorville Jubilee.”