Talented teenagers from around the Southeast will descend on Covington this week for the annual Dixie Boys World Series, and we hope you'll take part in some of the festivities.

The six-day baseball tournament kicks off with a rousing opening ceremony and parade at 8 p.m., Friday on the square, where the teams will proudly display their team colors and flag.

Consider making your way downtown to put on a good showing for the county, as this a chance to make a lasting impression on visitors who could be future tourists or spread the positive word about Newton County.

As advocates are fond of saying, tourist dollars are easy dollars, because tourists pay for goods and services, while limiting their use of public services such as public safety, roads and schools.

This is the fifth time Covington has hosted the Dixie Boys national tournament and turnout has been good each time. In a down economy, any extra revenue and exposure are welcome.

One of the other benefits of hosting the tournament is that the host county gets its own team in the 12-team tournament. Newton County's best will get the chance to play against All-Star teams from other states, giving them a sense of how they stack up.

Newton County will face Texas at 7 p.m., Saturday at City Pond Park, so come out and support our home team.

For a full list of events and history of the tournament, check out the special guide we have in today's paper and be sure to check out covnews.com and future editions for full coverage.