BILOXI, MS — The Bicentennial Celebration of Mississippi Statehood that officially kicked off March 31 with the issuance of the blues-themed Forever stamp in Gulfport is back on the Gulf Coast, this time in Biloxi. GULFPEX 2017, considered the best stamp show in the state, will feature a special souvenir pictorial cancellation (illustrated above), as well as availability of many keepsakes of the Mississippi Statehood commemorative stamp and dedication ceremony. The event takes place Saturday and Sunday, April 22-23, at the St. Martin Community Center, 15004 Lemoyne Boulevard, in Biloxi.

The event is much more than just a convention of philatelic experts who buy, sell, and judge stamp collections, though. Geared from the brand new to the experienced, attendees can gain instruction on how to wash and preserve stamps, get free stamps and other related items, learn about Boy Scout Merit Badge details and how to form a stamp club, and even peruse the wedding album of a beautiful real life princess.

Event hours are Saturday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., with free admission and parking. For more information, visit www.gulfcoaststampclub.org. For those who can’t attend GULFPEX 2017 but still want to celebrate the Mississippi Bicentennial, the stamp is on sale at Post Offices nationwide, with stamps and keepsakes both available online at https://store.usps.com/store/.

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