A weather assessment will be made on Friday morning to determine if the Mardi Gras Parade will continue as scheduled Saturday. While the parade could be cancelled, the Carnaval De Mardi Gras Gumbo Cook-Off is still expected to continue with the events being moved inside.

The parade is currently slated for 4 p.m. and the Carnaval De Mardi Gras is planned for 5-8 p.m., but thunderstorms are expected on Saturday.

Though the temperature will be mild, with a high of 69 degrees and a low of 56, Weather.com lists a 100 percent chance of precipitation that day, with a 95 percent chance of thunderstorms at 3 p.m.

Vicksburg Main Street executive director Kim Hopkins said she will work with John Elfer, the director of the Emergency Management Agency for Warren County, to decide whether to continue as planned for the parade.

Hopkins said they will look at the weather hour-by-hour. If its just raining they will hold the parade, but if there is thunder and lightning it will be canceled.

“The crews have worked hard on these floats, and they’ve put a lot of time and money into the floats, so I hate to just say it’s off,” Hopkins said. “But we are also considering the safety of the participants and the crews and the people coming down to watch the parade. We’re considering everything.”

Hopkins said it was too early to decide about any possible makeup days if the parade is cancelled, as there could be inclement weather for Sunday and Monday, but that they would look into it Friday morning if necessary.

If all goes as planned, The 16th annual Mardi Gras Parade will roll through downtown Vicksburg, with local clubs, churches and other organizations participating in it. The parade will start at Belmont Street and will head north on Washington Street to finish at Jackson Street.

Meanwhile, the Carnaval De Mardi Gras Gumbo Cook-Off will take place at the Southern Heritage Cultural Center Auditorium at 1302 Adams Street. Admission is $10 for adults and includes gumbo, and $5 for children. There will also be children’s activities inside for no extra cost, and additional food and beverages will be available for purchase.

The first place winner in the gumbo cook-off will receive a $200 cash prize, and trophies will be given out to other award winners. The events are presented by the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation and all proceeds will go towards them.