Vicksburg is a city steeped in, and built on, history and tradition.

From the ancient Mississippi River to the Vicksburg Military Park, we relish it all. Our ancestors might not have liked Ulysses S. Grant, but the fact he once spent a spring here has kept us in business for 150 years.

The traditions even carry over to sports and there’s two — one old, one new — that could use your help.
The old tradition is the Red Carpet Bowl. The annual doubleheader will once again kick off the high school football season in style in a few weeks. Vicksburg plays Oxford and Warren Central plays Clarksdale on Aug. 18, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Warren Central. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $15 at the gate. Advance tickets go on sale Aug. 1 at 601 Sports, Michel’s Record Shop, River Outfitters, and the Vicksburg Warren School District athletic office.

The Red Carpet Bowl games exist, to an extent, outside the normal realm of the high school season, in the sense that there are expenses beyond a normal game. The organizing committee pays travel expenses, feeds the teams meals before and after the game, and has dozens of other small expenses that quickly add up.

The Red Carpet Bowl isn’t in danger of folding any time soon, but the rising costs have raised eyebrows in recent years.

And that’s where you, the readers and sports fans, come in. All you have to do to help keep the game going is show up and buy a ticket, or visit the businesses that sponsor the game and let them know their advertising paid off.

Every little bit helps. A few good crowds could ensure the game continues long into the future.
Similarly, there’s a new tradition that could use your support.

The Vicksburg Warren School District will induct its second Athletic Hall of Fame class on Aug. 31 at City Auditorium. Tickets to the banquet are $20 and go on sale at the VWSD athletic office on Aug. 3.

Unlike the 55-year-old Red Carpet Bowl, the Hall of Fame is still new and looking to gain traction, but it’s an excellent and fun idea. Honoring some of the coaches and athletes who left Vicksburg to do great things — or stayed here and did them — is a tradition worth supporting.

So go out and buy your tickets. Volunteer or sponsor. But whatever you do, please support these two causes. If you don’t, they might change from traditions to memories.

Ernest Bowker is a sports writer for The Vicksburg Post. He can be reached at ernest.bowker@vicksburgpost.com

RED CARPET BOWL TICKETS
The 55th annual Red Carpet Bowl is scheduled for Aug. 18 at Warren Central. Vicksburg High will play Oxford at 5:30 p.m., and Warren Central takes on Clarksdale at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $15 at the gate and are good for both games.
Advance tickets go on sale Aug. 1 at 601 Sports on Pemberton Blvd.; Michel’s Record Shop on Washington Street; River Outfitters on Halls Ferry Road; the Vicksburg Warren School District athletic office on Mission 66; Vicksburg and Warren Central high schools and junior high schools; or from any Red Carpet Bowl committee member.

VWSD HALL OF FAME BANQUET
The Vicksburg Warren School District will induct its second Athletic Hall of Fame class on Aug. 31 at City Auditorium. Tickets to the banquet are $20 and go on sale at the VWSD athletic office on Aug. 3.
The members of the 2017 Hall of Fame class are Warren Central football coach Robert Morgan; Cooper High and South Vicksburg football standout George Nasif; Vicksburg High football player Eddie Burns; Warren Central baseball star Taylor Tankersley; Vicksburg High basketball great Michael Phelps; Warren Central basketball player Mary Logue; and Warren Central softball player Jackie Pettway.