We’re sorry to see the Mississippi Picnic in New York’s Central Park come to an end – especially this year.

The state is celebrating its 200th anniversary in 2017 and the picnic could have been the one showcase spot outside of the state that we showed the rest of the world what we are about – rich in culture and full of some of the smartest and most talented people you will find anywhere in the world.

For years the Mississippi Picnic in New York’s Central Park has been a moment to celebrate on a larger stage everything good about our state. Last year, the event was dropped because of controversy over House Bill 1523, which attempted to make discrimination against the LGBT community okay until a higher court stepped in.

But this is Mississippi’s bicentennial celebration year, and with so much money available on the state level for events, it seems logical if not natural that the Mississippi Picnic would get one last hurrah to go out with its head held high.

We wish state leaders would recognize the good the Mississippi picnic in New York has done through the years, and find funds to use this bicentennial year as a high-profile rallying point for all to showcase our state to the world.