Outdoors expo is this morning

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 2, 2011

NATCHEZ — Nature is coming to Natchez Saturday with the annual “Wild Things” festival.

Wild Things is an environmental education festival organized by The Friends of St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge.

The festival will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today at the David Steckler Multi-Purpose Building. It is free to the public.

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St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge Manager Bob Strader expects the event to draw a good crowd, he said.

“Last year there were maybe 500 or so people, and we actually should be bigger this year. We have more booths and more things to do and see,” Strader said.

Attractions at this year’s festival include a black bear obstacle course, a walking map of the Mississippi River, an archery tournament, live snakes and plant and animal identification lessons.

There will also be a silent auction until 4 p.m. Some of the auction items include a night’s stay at the Natchez Grand Hotel, golf lessons and gift certificates to local restaraunts.

There will be food, drink and T-shirt concessions.

The festival is aimed primarily at children, but is fun for the adults too, Strader said.

“It’s definitely family-oriented, but just about every booth we try to get the kids’ eye,” Strader said.