The sounds of high school marching bands and cheerleaders welcomed hundreds of people to the Outlets at Vicksburg Saturday morning during the annual Citywide Pep Rally.

“Everybody gets to see you, and everybody’s out there,” said Rheagan Smith, a ninth-grade junior varsity cheerleader at Porters Chapel. “It’s a whole Vicksburg thing where everybody comes together.”

Fifteen different squads showed school sprit through cheer and dance. Varsity, junior varsity, junior high, ninth-grade and basketball cheerleaders from multiple schools showed the community what they have been working on for the upcoming athletic season.

“Last year I was really nervous, but this year it was actually pretty fun,” Smith said.

Dazzlers, Gator Girls, Flashettes and Vikettes showed off their moves in the parking lot. From Taylor Swift to Britney Spears and Fergie to Ellie Golding, remixed pop songs blasted from the speakers as the girls moved to the beat.

In between cheers, two high school bands played music for the crowd. The Pride of Vicksburg Band played Uptown Funk, and The Warren Central Big Blue Band played Bang, Bang in addition to their school’s fight songs. Football players walked around the parking lot in their jerseys and jeans.

“We’re just getting ready for football season,” said Kaitlyn Mitchell, a tenth-grade varsity cheerleader at Warren Central.

Many parents and grandparents attended the pep rally in support.

Lucy Barwick was supporting her granddaughters, Raylee and Shelby, who are cheerleaders at Porter’s Chapel.

“I think this is great to get everybody hyped up,” Barwick said.

Ann Roberson, who works for Vicksburg Catholic Schools, was excited to support the talent from all the schools that came out and participated in this event together.

Vicksburg Warren School District Superintendent Chad Shealy introduced Leandrew Drake Jr., the new principal of Vicksburg Junior High, and Eric Green, the new principal at WCHS. Green replaces principal and longtime coach Jamie Creel.

Mani Chanprasith, the marketing and event manager at the Outlets at Vicksburg, introduced St. Aloysius High School’s new principal Buddy Strickland and Porters Chapel Academy headmistress Pam Wilbanks.

This was the seventeenth year the Outlets at Vicksburg hosted the pep rally.