Roll out the red carpet, Vicksburg. It’s about to get pretty busy in our town.

For the 54th consecutive year, contestants statewide vying for the title of Miss Mississippi and their followers will fill downtown for a week. The Miss Mississippi Pageant is scheduled to culminate on Saturday night with the crowning of Miss Mississippi at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

It’s time to put the city’s best foot forward.

We are still reeling from the historic Mississippi River flooding. Many areas of our town are still caked in river refuse. Normalcy is still in the distance.

But this is also a chance to showcase the city. Families from Southaven to the Gulf Coast will be visiting our city and spending their money here. We want all of our visitors to see Vicksburg in a positive light. We want them to tell friends and family what a treat Vicksburg can be.

Contestants are scheduled to participate in meet-and-greets, a parade along Washington Street at 7 Monday night and four nights of competitions. Contestants will be eligible for thousands of dollars in scholarship money and, ultimately, a chance to compete for Miss America.

Mississippi has produced four Miss Americas, but none since 1985. The last Miss Vicksburg to win the state’s top pageant was Karen Hopson, in 1981.

We wish all the contestants luck this week. We know each of you will represent your local pageant with class. We know whoever is crowned Saturday night will represent this state well in the Miss America pageant.

We want every contestant to have a fantastic week with hopes that she’ll go home and relay what a treat the week in Vicksburg became.

Residents here will have much to do with how Vicksburg is received.

Make the most of it.