A weeklong celebration of a 130-year-old game-changing event kicked off Monday with a proclamation marking the beginning of Vicksburg’s Classic ‘Sip Fest.

The proclamation by Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr., along with the unveiling of a historical marker at the Biedenharn Coca-Cola Museum, commemorates the first bottling of the famous soda by Vicksburg store owner Joseph A. Biedenharn on March 12, 1894.

The story goes that, prior to Biedenharn’s decision to sell Coca-Cola in a bottle, it had only ever been offered as a fountain drink, with the soda’s brass showing no designs on changing that process. When Biedenharn took a shot at making the drink easier to deliver to customer’s, the company took notice and the rest was history.

“It’s my highest honor to be here today and to read this proclamation and to declare this week as the 130th anniversary of the bottling of Coca-Cola in Vicksburg, Mississippi,” Flaggs said. “Let me just say how proud we are of this museum. I’m honored.”

Monday’s kickoff also saw a crowd gathered on Washington Street to pop confetti cannons, tour the museum, and enjoy free bottled Coca-Colas.  And it was only the beginning of what the Classic ‘Sip Fest has in store for the week.

The reminder of the weeklong festival’s schedule includes: Tuesday, March 12 – Wednesday, March 13: free bottled Coke with admission to the Coca-Cola Museum; Thursday, March 14: 5 to 7 p.m., Vicksburg Main Street presents Classic Shops & Soda Pops in downtown | 6 to 8 p.m., Rum & Coke Tasting at The Inn at Cedar Grove, located at 2200 Oak Street; Friday, March 15: noon until 6 p.m., Class ‘Sip Fest Stroll over the Mississippi River at the Old Mississippi River Bridge | 7 p.m. Classic ‘Sip Fest Sock Hop at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center; Friday March 15 – Sunday March 17: Gold in the Hills at Parkside Playhouse, performances – 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday; Sunday, March 16: 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., Classic Wheels Show at Washington Street Park | 4: 30 p.m., Coca-Cola Party at the Duff Green Mansion, located at 1114 1st E. Street | 6 p.m., Classic ‘Sip Fest Movies on the Lawn at Levee Street Warehouse featuring “The Love Bug.” For more information on this year’s events, visit visitvicksburg.com/events/.

Read more at: https://www.vicksburgpost.com/2024/03/01/classic-sip-fest-coming-in-march/.