Concord Jubilee this weekend!

The 40th annual Concord Country Jubilee will be held Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19-20 and will continue the longstanding tradition of fun, food and community camaraderie. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday along Highway 18. Entertainment will begin Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. in the Strickland Building. The Jubilee hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.Festivities will kick off Saturday, Oct. 19 with a 5K Jubilee Jaunt and half-mile Jubilee Jaunt Fun Run. Race day registration begins at 6:30 a.m. and the half-mile fun run begins at 7:30 a.m. The Jubilee Jaunt begins at 7:45 a.m. Online registration is available at active.com. Concord Methodist Church will serve breakfast from 7-9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 19. Plates are $5 and consist of sausage, eggs, grits, biscuits, jelly, orange juice and coffee. Sausage biscuits can be purchased for $1.50. Take out orders will be available. A community church service will be held Sunday, Oct. 20 at 9 a.m. in the Strickland Building under the leadership of Concord Baptist and Methodist churches.  Forty years ago, in 1973, several residents had an idea about a way to promote Pike County, in particular Concord. They wanted to provide an opportunity for churches, schools and civic organizations to fundraise individually while making it a community affair at the same time.After being approved by then-mayor Doug Crawford, several others helped make the idea a reality. Julia Mae Elder, a school teacher, suggested the name. The Jubilee was celebrated in Biblical times as a season or an occasion of joyful celebration and coming home.The Concord Country Jubilee has grown and become a yearly tradition due in part to willing workers, community support, good planning, various vendors and entertainers.’There will be many new arts and crafts, food and other types of vendors,’ said Barbara Neath. ‘Y’all come now, ya hear.’