Video: Tupelo Hosts Fitness Festival

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TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) — The city of Tupelo is healthy and wants to stay that way.

That is why the city held its first ever Tupelo Fitness and Awareness Festival at Veterans Park on Saturday.

Various fitness oriented businesses and public service agencies were on hand to provide information.

And the Veterans Park location allowed them to utilize the new Tupelo Aquatic Center where several events were held.

Taylor Neal is the health and wellness coordinator for the city of Tupelo. She says the emphasis of fitness started by former mayor Jack Reed resulted in the city being named the healthiest in the state, according to some very specific criteria.

“They did measures of obesity levels in different age groups, ” Neal points out. “And different types of activity. It’s all part of the healthy hometown program. Several people every year compete for it. We were nominated in 2010 as a healthy hometown, but there’s several all over the state.”

Mayor Jason Shelton wants to carry on the programs started by his predecessor. That is why the city created the position of health and fitness coordinator.

Neal says the city wants to make this fitness festival an annual event.