With July 4 landing on a Friday this year, the Vicksburg Independence Day celebration will be extended into a three-day event billed as What A Weekend!. It will feature live entertainment and the city’s renowned fireworks display.

Kicking off celebrations July 4 on Levee Street will be a concert by Still Surfin’, a Washington D.C.-based Beach Boys tribute band. The city’s fireworks show will follow, which costs more than $1,000 a minute to produce – roughly $25,000 total. The city and commercial and private sponsors will foot the bill.

Barry Graham, city communications manager, said the fireworks display draws an estimated 12,000 people to downtown Vicksburg to take in the 22-minute show.

If you goJuly 4 – 7:30 p.m., Beach Boys tribute band Still Surfin’ on Levee Street; 9, fireworks.July 5 – 6:30 p.m., Mid South Navy Band; First Baptist Church Gym, 1607 Cherry St.July 6 – 3 p.m., Mid South Navy Band, First Baptist Church; followed by cake and ice cream social in the church’s Family Life Center.”It’s a long show compared to other communities, and the fireworks are a lot bigger and better,” he said. “It’s one of the largest fireworks shows in the state, and it’s always packed downtown.”

On July 5 and 6, the United States Mid South Navy Band will perform at the First Baptist Church gym. Both concerts will include guest speakers, said coordinator Francis Koury, and there will be an old-fashioned cake and ice cream social following the performance on July 6.

Comprised of 18 active duty Navy Sailors under the leadership of Chief Musician Jon Nelson, the Mid South Navy Band performs a variety of big band favorites with a modern flair.

“There’s not many communities that can offer this much entertainment to its citizens on a free basis,” said Koury.