The Vicksburg National Military Park will host the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra Saturday for a Pops Concert to commemorate Memorial Day Weekend.

The free concert, held on the grass in front of the VNMP Visitor Center, will begin at 6 p.m. with The Church of Holy Trinity Conservatory of Fine Arts Student Orchestra followed by the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra at 7 p.m.

Concertgoers can bring their own seats to enjoy the concert in comfort with friends, neighbors and visitors.

“We want both the community and visitors to bring their lawn chairs and blankets and join us for an evening of music in a truly sacred place,” said Bess Averett, executive director of Friends of VNMP and Campaign.

The concert is sponsored by Friends of the Vicksburg Military Park and Campaign, Four Seasons of the Arts and Trustmark National Bank, and will feature different genres of music for the summer kick-off holiday.

“The pops concert will be a mix of popular and patriotic music,” said Francis Koury, Four Seasons of the Arts. “It will be a wonderful way to commemorate Memorial Day in such a special place.”

The show promises to have an American theme with the Memorial Day holiday, patriotic music and the historic battlefield location of the Vicksburg siege during the American Civil War.

“There is something very special about hearing music, especially patriotic music, on hallowed ground. It is the perfect way to honor the men and women who have died in service to our nation,” Averett said.

The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th anniversary in August and the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra is scheduled to commemorate the park services’ centennial birthday with a special tribute.

Parking will be available at the Outlets at Vicksburg and free shuttle service will be offered from 5:30 p.m. until everyone has left the park. Handicap parking will be at the VNMP Visitor Center.

The park will also host re-enactors from the 3rd U.S. Colored Calvary at the park Saturday and Sunday to present living history programs from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day at the Old Administrative Building located in the park on Pemberton Avenue.