At an announcement party Thursday evening, Great Mississippi River Balloon Race organizers said Bishop Gunn would be the headlining band for the Natchez Balloon festival on the third weekend in October.

Other musical acts scheduled to perform at the three-day event include Allman Betts, John “Papa” Gros, on Friday; Cowboy Mouth, Mr. Sipp, The B3, Maggie Brown and Bishop Gunn on Saturday; and Chris Gill & The Sole Shakers on Sunday.

Last month, festival organizers said winds of change would steer the annual Natchez event in a new direction.

These changes would include simplifying the name from “Great Mississippi River Balloon Race” to “Natchez Balloon Festival,” branding it with a new logo and recruiting a new music organizer for the festival.

The bands unveiled during Thursday’s party at Smoot’s Grocery are a result of one of those changes, as the organizers brought in music promoter Arden Barnett of Ardenland to help bring in fresh entertainment at the festival.

Barnett produces eight festivals and more than 150 shows each year throughout the country, including the Bishop Gunn Crawfish Boil in Natchez.