Pascagoula River Audubon Center hosted holiday marketplace this weekend

A holiday marketplace at the Pascagoula River Audubon Center gave families a chance to enjoy the center for free, especially on such a warm December weekend day.

Staffers decorated every building in the center, including the dock.

Vendors and musicians were set up on the front lawn and a glass blowing artist gave lessons near the concession stand.  Having a stroll around the area that afternoon, a special red-suited visitor could be seen hugging guests.

The Bird Banding Coalition was also there for the day catching and releasing perching birds for research. Center Manager Susan Stachowski said, “We love having people come in and it’s amazing we’ve been in this center, on this site, for over six years. And every day we greet people who’ve never been here. The more people that come in, the more people that find out about us, and they bring friends back when they come again, so we love to open up our doors and our gate and our center for everybody.”

During normal hours, 9 to 3 on Monday through Saturday, tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children.