Over the weekend parents and children came to Picayune to participate in a large baseball tournament.

The result was that they came through our city and saw the many things we have to offer, such as a small town feel with some big city amenities.

Anyone who went to the park this weekend saw the hundreds of cars that filled every parking space, spilling out onto the grass. There certainly were a lot of people in town over the weekend, and not just at the ball fields.

At the park, the crack of the bat and chanting of the crowds filled the air during the tournament. But, outside the park, there was the delightful sound of cash registers in restaurants, hotels and convenience stores collecting all those tourism dollars.

It’s great that Picayune has found a way to market one of its great assets, Friendship Park. It’s also a good thing that the one cent tourism tax assessed to the sale of prepared food and hotel rooms goes towards paying off a loan used to renovate the park years ago. It’s a smart move on the city’s part to use the park as a tourism draw.

And city officials have plans to continue to sell Picayune as a tourism attraction. The success of this weekend’s event means more tournaments like the one held Saturday and Sunday are planned.

City officials report that the representatives of the tournament found this area to be pleasant place to visit, and some even considered their time here as a sort of mini vacation.

It’s possible that some of those people, now that they’ve seen what Picayune offers, may decide to make our city their new home.

If they do, they would certainly be welcome with open arms, a friendly smile and a firm handshake.

As the city continues to market Pearl River County and Picayune, locals will benefit from the extra business it will bring.

So let’s keep putting our best foot forward, and bringing in those tourism dollars.