Bainbridge is known for being “Georgia’s First Port City,” but next weekend, some cowboys and cowgirls will be taking center stage when a rodeo is held at the Decatur County Fairgrounds.

The Decatur County Family Connection, a non-profit service collaborative, will hold the first-ever Port City Rodeo on the nights of Sept. 11 and 12 at the fairgrounds, located off Georgia 97 North (Vada Road) in Bainbridge.

The rodeo will feature a variety of events, including bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing for adult and junior riders, team roping, steer wrestling and girls’ breakaway roping.

The rodeo will be produced by Gernie Geiger with the Flying G Rodeo of Hilliard, Fla., whom has been producing rodeos for more than three decades, according to a news release.

Advance tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children aged 5-12; children under 5 are free provided they sit on an adult’s lap. The tickets are available at Park Avenue Bank, Headquarters, Goin Postal, the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce and the Southwest Georgia Welcome Center. Tickets will also be sold at the rodeo on Friday and Saturday nights and will cost $12 for adults and $7 for children aged 5-12. A variety of concessions will be be available for fans.

The amateur rodeo event is open to anyone who wants to compete and prize money will be paid out on both nights of the rodeo. Persons interested in participating in the rodeo events should call Geiger at (904) 845-7492 on Monday between the hours of 7 to 10 p.m.

Proceeds from the rodeo will benefit Family Connection, whose mission is to serve as a catalyst for improving the quality of life for Decatur County’s children and families. The goal of Family Connection is that all youth will graduate from high school on time.

Programs that Family Connection and its partners provide include the ESCAPE program, which provides conflict resolution education, mentoring and tutoring to elementary school students; relationship education for middle and high school students; parenting classes; provision of school supplies, food amd Christmas presents to needy area families; the Backpack program, which provides food to children at risk of going hungry on the weekends; free income tax filing assistance and youth leadership opportunities.