Warren County’s 2009 Relay for Life season will kick off Thursday evening with a rally downtown.

If you go

To register a team for Warren County’s 2009 Relay For Life, call 601-636-3620. Events include:

* Rally — 5:30 p.m. Thursday, downtown Vicksburg; 6 p.m., survivors reception at Crawford Square Patio.

* Paint the Town Purple — Campaign kicks off April 20.

* Relay — 6 p.m. April 24-6 a.m. April 25; Warren Central High School’s stadium; admission: $1 per person, maximum of $5 per family.

“The whole idea of the rally is to bring more attention and get teams more pumped for the relay at the end of the month,” said Erin Powell, co-chairman of the event and an American Cancer Society volunteer.

The rally will take place the same night as Hit the Bricks, an after-hours downtown shopping event sponsored by Main Street, and the Mississippi Organization of Associate Degree Nursing Conference, whose participants are meeting at the Vicksburg Convention Center.

Volunteers will line Washington Street in an attempt to raise funds for the relay, set for April 24 at Warren Central High School’s stadium. Also, T-shirts, food and crafts will be sold. The rally will include a 6 p.m. survivors’ reception at Crawford Square Patio, beside The Cinnamon Tree.

As part of the relay festivities, a Paint the Town Purple campaign will begin April 20. People are encouraged to decorate their homes or businesses in anything purple such as balloons or bows, which will be available for purchase at Thursday’s rally.

“Some people will even paint their grass purple,” said Powell.

Activities will culminate with the April 24 relay, which begins at 6 p.m. and ends at 6 the next morning. A luminaria ceremony will take place at 9 p.m. Sandbags filled with a candle will line the track, spelling the word hope.

Powell calls it “a moving and emotional feeling to be a part of.”

Last year’s relay drew more than 6,000 people and raised more than $100,000 for cancer research and programs. This year’s theme is Board Games. Each relay team will pick a game, such as Monopoly or Candyland, and will decorate and dress accordingly.

“It’s like a block party in the middle of the stadium,” Powell said.

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Contact Manivanh Chanprasith at mchanprasith@vicksburgpost.com.