The Pearl River County Welcome Center will celebrate its 40 year anniversary July 1.

“We’ve been here for 40 years, we’ve met people from all over the U.S. and all over the world,” said Laura Ladner, travel counselor at the Welcome Center.

The Welcome Center, located off Interstate-59 in Picayune, will hold a celebratory event from 10 a.m. to 2. p.m. with guest speakers, refreshments and entertainment, according to a press release.

Gospel singers from Atlanta, Nikolay Difort, Tonya Attaway, and Debra Prather will perform.

Tom King, the Mississippi Southern District Transportation Commissioner, will be a guest speaker. Marlon Ivy, the Bureau Manager for 13 Mississippi welcome centers, will also be in attendance. City Manager Jim Luke and Mayor Ed Pinero have also been invited to attend, among other city officials, said Ladner.

Tony Smith from the Patt Harrison Waterway District will be grilling hot dogs, said Ladner.

Daryl Ladner with the Mississippi Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans will be firing a cannon during the event.

“We get to serve people from all over the world and tell them all about our great state,” said Ladner.