JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It is the first year the capital city is hosting the 82nd National Folk Festival.
Some residents are wondering how law enforcement plans to keep everyone safe during the 3-day event.
Capitol Police Chief Bo Luckey says, “It’s definitely going to be a collaborative effort.”
Capitol Police, the Jackson Police Department, and the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department will work together to secure the festival site.
“There will be a very large number of officers that will be at different points designated within the festival, but also officers that will be roaming around the outside perimeter of the festival, checking all the vehicles, making sure burglary suppression stays down,” Luckey says.
The festival footprint spans more than half a mile across downtown Jackson, extending State Street to Farish Street and Pascagoula Street to Yazoo Street. With multiple roads being blocked off with barricades, you can expect traffic delays.
Officials say the last event held in Jackson of this size was Jubilee! JAM.
“People had a great time, great entertainers, great entertainment. We hate it when it stopped. And now with the Folk Festival, we’re hoping that we can kind of get ready to get jump-started. I know we have it for three years, but we’re hoping that after a three-year period, we can galvanize enough strength that we can start having something again every year, like we did with Jubilee! JAM,” Ward 3 City Councilman Kenneth Stokes says.
Luckey says police will use every resource they can to keep attendees safe this weekend.
“We’re going to have a lot of law enforcement present. And we’re doing that to make sure that everybody can come here, feel safe and relax, and enjoy the events and just have a good time.”
Downtown Jackson Partners says on Wednesday that it plans to reveal a network of security cameras to strengthen safety downtown just in time for this event.
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