Selma host 49th annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee Festival

SELMA, AL (WSFA) - The 49th annual Bridge Crossing Jubilee, to mark theanniversary of Bloody Sunday in Selma, was held this weekend.

The event is held on the first weekend of March every year,and is held to preserve, commemorate, educate and raise awareness about theVoting Rights Movement. The event has attracted participation from thousandsacross the country including famous celebrities such as Rev. Jesse Jackson, whowas in attendance this year. The jubilee event consists of over 40 events thatare put on over the four day period.

The Jubilee started on Thursday with a welcome reception, atribute to the life of Jimmy Lee Jackson, and the Miss Jubilee Pageant. The festivitiescontinued on Friday with a golf tournament, a mock trial and a step show.

Saturday brought a full day of events, starting at 8 a.m.with a breakfast and ending at 10 p.m. with a Freedom Flame Awards show. Otherevents that were held on Saturday included a college fair, a Jubilee parade, abattle of the bands show, a Hip-Hop summit and a film festival.

The event comes to an end on Sunday with a bridge crossingre-enactment which takes place on the famous Edmund Pettus Bridge. After there-enactment there is a rally and then a dinner and drama tribute.

On Monday a freedom ride re-enactment from Selma toWashington D.C. will begin. The event starts at the Edmund Pettus Bridge inSelma before moving to the Montgomery State Capitol and then to the TuskegeeMunicipal Complex before it ends at the Atlanta State Capitol. The ridecontinues on Tuesday as participants visit the South Carolina State Capitol inColumbia and the North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh. On Wednesday, the tripcomes to an end as the riders visit the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, andthen visit the U.S. Supreme Court and Capitol in Washington D.C. beforereturning home.

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