Old Trace Park has been home to 43 years of memories from local communities attending the annual tradition of Pepsi Pops.

Mei-Chi Piletz and her husband John have been attended the event frequently over the decades. With this year falling on Mother’s Day weekend, the couple were brought back to a special moment shared with their goddaughter seven years ago.

“My goddaughter from Taiwan came to visit,” Mei-Chi Piletz said. “It happens to be Mother’s Day weekend like this weekend. We were sitting here listening to the beautiful music from the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra.  We had a great time and it was the most exciting Mother’s Day we had ever experienced!”

While some have attended every year, for others such as Tracy and Gary Hennington, it is their first time. During the pre-show entertainment, they took the opportunity to dance and fun with others around them.

“We actually up ballroom dancing lessons, so it is always fun to go somewhere and dance,” Tracy Hennington said.

Charlie Hight and Merrin Meyer of Flowood came together for the second year in a row. Meyer had only been the past two years, but Hight grow up going to Pepsi Pops.

“I grew up coming here on and off,” Hight said. “Obviously, I was younger. The oldest I was ever here was 13. More often, it was us as kids running around just having fun with glow sticks, eating people’s food and things like that. At the end, we watched the fireworks. That’s the thing I love the most watching it. That’s what we did last year.”

“My first time was last year,” Meyer said. “We didn’t know it was happening until my mom asked if we were going. We came over and caught it just in time for the fireworks. That was great. I really enjoy it. I love some fireworks.”