As if you needed a reason to dress up, head out on the town and have a good time. But, in the event that you did, the idea of helping out the Storehouse Community Food Pantry is a great reason.

Next Thursday, the Vicksburg Convention Center will host the second annual Ritz on the River Concert, with a portion of the proceeds from the popular event going to support the food pantry.

“Everybody had such a good time last year,” VCC Executive Director Annette Kirklin said. “It was such a neat thing. It was a cool diverse crowd you had older, younger, you had girls’ night, you had date night, everybody was here.”

Kirklin said the concert is three-fold, involving the community, a nonprofit organization and serves as a meeting planner event.

Meeting planners from around the state have been invited to attend the event and spend a couple of days touring downtown to see what the city has to offer visitors.

“They’re very important individuals that book, whether it’s a single convention or meeting throughout the year, or it could be multiple meetings throughout the year,” Kirklin said.

The event, which Kircklin called family friendly, is a good reason to get out and dress up.

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 60 tickets available at six tables for dinner and the show. Those tickets are $50 each and must be purchased in advance. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for the 6:30 p.m. dinner.

This year’s dinner guests will also leave with a keepsake.

Palmertree Catering will provide a surf and turf dinner including fillet, shrimp and grits and squash casserole.

For general admission ticket holders, the doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the music will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 the day of the event. Students can purchase tickets for $15. There are about 150 tickets left at this time.

The convention center can hold 700 people and they are hoping for a sell out like last year.

Last year’s event was such a success, organizers had no problem having sponsors sign up. There are 14 different companies contributing to the event with Mutual Credit Union being the premiere sponsor.

Mutual Credit Union sponsors a cash prize for the person who has the most online interaction through live tweets with the hashtag #ritzonriver throughout the event. The tweets will be projected on the video screens that are by the stage.

“It keeps people involved during the show when they’re taking pictures and tweeting all about it, “ Kirklin said.

This year the LA Legacy Jazz Orchestra, based in West Monroe, La., will headline the event and should play until 10:30 p.m. Kirklin is expecting the dance floor to be full the entire night.

“There’s going to be dancing from the time they start until the time they stop,” Kirklin said.

The group has been together for four years and just returned from Hawaii where they played three shows in Maui and Honolulu. They have three singers, two male and one female, who can sing a variety of selections.

“They do everything from Frank Sinatra to Chicago and Earth Wind and Fire,” Kirklin said.

Bert Windham, from the orchestra, said they will play big band music as well as songs from Stevie Wonder and others.

“When you get to go and do something new and meet a bunch of new people, and I understand there is going to be 400 or 500 people at that event, it’s always a great thing,” Windham said. “I don’t think they’ll be disappointed.”

As for preparing for the event, Kirklin is in overdrive getting all the pieces together. She has a few plans that are yet to be finalized, but she is eagerly waiting to announce them once they are in place.

“The room is going to look fabulous,” Kirklin said. “A little bit of difference from last year, a little surprise factor.”

Tickets can be purchased at the VCC Box Office, on tickmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.