Gulfport celebrates 125th anniversary highlighting local attractions and neighborhoods

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - A celebration worthy of a marching band, classic cars and highlighting historical neighborhoods.

Saturday, Jones Park was filled with people looking to join in on the city’s milestone while also learning about the different family-friendly attractions in the city.

“Since we opened, we’ve been busier than what we thought we would be. We had really successful summer camps and it’s been really fun,” said Wendy Rippee.

Rippee is the marketing director for Traintastic. The museum opened its doors last month and was met with a warm welcome from residents in the city.

“We love the town and the people,” said Rippee. “We had such a warm welcome from the community and have been open since June 17th and the success has been continuing to grow and we think it is because of this amazing town.”

Another group that has made its mark in the city is the Gulfport Arts Center, which is located in downtown Gulfport. Kelly Devine is on the board for the center and says public events like the celebration can help to bring their name into the public.

“Being able to come out to stuff like this and passing out coloring pages like we’re doing tonight and passing out brochures to let people know who we are,” said Devine.

Devine says they also hold summer camps for children, adding on to the family atmosphere.

“That’s one of the ways we tap into the community and make it more accessible because art is key,” said Devine. “It’s therapy, it’s fun and can be pretty to look at. We want to tap into that and get our local artists into the community.”

Both attractions say they are happy to be a part of Gulfport’s rich history and look forward to many more years in the future.

“It’s really great to be a part of educating children in the area,” said Rippee. “Being able to come out here and celebrate 125 years of partnerships like we have in the city and seeing how many people out here call Gulfport home is really great for us and we’re happy to be a part of it,” said Devine.

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