The people of Vicksburg should take note of the Southern Cultural Heritage Center for the treasure it is in the community.

The name itself inspires visions of dancing, food and music and the programming provided by the center does not disappoint in the respect.

The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the diverse cultural heritage of Vicksburg, the Mississippi Delta and the American South, according to its website. The Foundation works to achieve its goals by creating and hosting cultural activities at the Southern Cultural Heritage Complex.

This week, the center concluded its four-week Classics in the Courtyard, a yearly lunchtime concert series from noon to 1 p.m. on four consecutive Fridays.

Today also concludes the three-day long Madrigal Dinner and Singe Feaste, performed and coordinated by the Warren Central High School Choral Department. The evenings have included a four-course royal feast prepared by Palmertree Catering Service, a bawdy and humorous play by members of the WCHS Fine Arts Department and a Concert by the Warren Central Madrigal Singers with a guest appearance by the Mississippi Boychoir.

Tuesday at 6 p.m. there will be a lecture and book signing with NancyKay Sullivan Wessman in the SCHC Convent Chapel. Her book, Katrina, Mississippi: Voices from Ground Zero, showcases heroes and their work from the epicenter of preparedness, response, rescue, recovery and rebuilding.

Throughout the year, ballroom dance lessons, along with guitar, violin and ukulele lessons are offered, and once a year, the center offers a monthly book club.

Let’s not let this asset to our community sit idle. Support the Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation, become a member and take advantage of the many events the center has to offer.

For more information or to make reservations to future events, visit http://www.southernculture.org, email info@southernculture.org, or call 601-631-2997.