The Mayor’s Eighth Annual Unity Picnic will be held Saturday at Columbus Riverwalk Park, after Catfish in the Alley, from 4 to 8 p.m. The family-friendly event is free and open to the public. There will be hot dogs and catfish, as well as a live band, a DJ and jump castles for children.  All food and events have been donated by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. There will also be a half-marathon beginning at 7 a.m., which takes runners alongside the Tombigbee River bed. A 5K begins at 8 a.m. and goes through Columbus’s historic neighborhoods. Catfish in the Alley begins at 10 a.m. on Fourth Street, where families can enjoy food and live music.

The Mayor’s Unity Picnic is sponsored by Mayor Robert Smith, the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority and the Columbus Visitors’ Bureau.