It is that special time of year for the wonderful residents of Hattiesburg and surrounding communities. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Hub City’s popular Live at Five is back! And it was a lovely sight downtown at Town Square Park, with families picnicking, music connoisseurs enjoying the tunes, and great vibes and smiles all around.
On Friday, September 29th, Hattiesburg locals and tourists were welcomed to friendly festivities, including food trucks, face painting, and entertainment suitable for people of all ages to enjoy. Live at Five and The City of Hattiesburg collaborated to bring the city the National Night Out event, featuring a performance by the band, The Crutches, much to the crowd’s delight.
National Night Out is a special event across the hub city and throughout its neighborhoods, emphasizing cooperation between the community, law enforcement, and first responders—essential elements in making all of Hattiesburg’s neighborhoods safer and more caring places to live, work, and play. Live at Five creates a safe, family-friendly recreation opportunity for both citizens and visitors, allowing sponsors and vendors to promote their products to the Hattiesburg community.
Friday, September 29th officially marked the 40th Anniversary of the National Night Out in Hattiesburg. The kick-off event included touch-a-truck opportunities for the youth, and interactions with the Hattiesburg Police Department, Hattiesburg Fire Department, Forrest County Sheriff’s Office, and elected officials from both the city and the county.
Forrest County Sheriff Charlie Sims emphasized the importance of National Night Out and Live at Five.
“This is extremely important for the City of Hattiesburg,” Sims said. “It is a kick-off to fighting crime in the Hub City. It is a partnership between law enforcement and the community of Hattiesburg. For us at the sheriff’s department, we know and understand that if we want to keep Hattiesburg as safe as possible, we need the community’s eyes and ears to report crimes and aid us with information that leads to the arrest of wrongdoers. With the public’s help, we can solve crimes more quickly and keep the streets and citizens safe and sound.”
Sheriff Sims also expressed the camaraderie and networking opportunities Live at Five brings.
“Live at Five is great for the City of Hattiesburg,” Sims added. “Hosting an event like this allows the community to come together, and communicate with each other, and enables locals to access quality products among their peers. No matter the walk of life a person may be in, everyone can enjoy the festivities.”
As families from all demographics participated in the Live at Five activities, they also had the opportunity to enjoy tunes from The Crutches band. Overall, the September 29th event was a success for everyone, including residents and law enforcement. This marked the second week of Live at Five, with four more weeks to go. And residents and tourists can expect the same live music, food vendors, and, most importantly, great times with great people in a great community.