Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” is almost here, and there may not be anyone more excited than the Mississippi Aquarium.
The aquarium in Gulfport will host its sixth annual “Shark Weekend” on Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26, to get shark lovers ready for the summer television event. It will feature local experts discussing sharks found in Mississippi waters as well as species that swim oceans around the world.
“This year, we are going to welcome back our University of Southern Mississippi friends, Jill Hendon and her students,” explained Hadiya White, the aquarium’s vice president of guest experience and education. “[Hendon] is the director for the Centers for Fisheries, Research, and Development. She is going to be here starting the day before ‘Shark Week’ starts…and they have a lot of different things they are bringing to campus.”
Visitors can expect opportunities to view shark artifacts, learn how researchers measure and tag sharks, and take a deep dive into the University of Southern Mississippi’s whale shark research.
There will also be plenty of activities for younger children, including pin-the-fin and name-the-shark games, along with coloring sheets to complete at the aquarium or take home.
“When you get here, you’ll see about five different (Shark Weekend) spots located in our main building, which is the very large one called Aquatic Wonders,” White said. “They’re going to have a lot of different things that guests will be able to look at, feel, touch, and participate in.”
When asked about whether “Shark Weekend” is only for fin-atics or if those who may be afraid of sharks are also welcome, White invited everyone, saying one of the event’s goals is to bust myths about one of the ocean’s most misunderstood creatures.
“Because you’re going to learn a lot about sharks and why they do what they do,” White said. “There are specific behaviors associated with the sharks that you find out there in the Gulf and beyond. Being able to ask those questions to those experts really does help you to have a better understanding of why sharks are the way they are.”
The Mississippi Aquarium is hosting its annual “Shark Weekend” this Saturday and Sunday, and VP of Guest Experience and Education Hadiya White says the event isn’t just for shark lovers. It’s also a chance to debunk myths about one of the ocean’s most misunderstood creatures. 🦈 pic.twitter.com/uFvuknrbhN
— SuperTalk News (@SuperTalkNews) July 24, 2026
“I think we have popularized them in movies as being something dangerous, but they’re animals. Animals are going to do what animals do. I think this is a great opportunity to ask all the questions you’ve ever had to these experts,” she continued.
Sharks that visitors can see swim around the aquarium include the zebra shark, spotted wobbegong shark, sandbar shark, and the bonnethead shark. Guests will also have the chance to gently touch an epaulette shark – often called the “puppy of the sea” – in the aquarium’s touch pool.
Admission for “Shark Weekend” is $34.95 for adults and $29.95 for children at the door. Visitors can save a few dollars by purchasing tickets online at least 24 hours in advance. “Shark Weekend” activities will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
As for Discovery’s “Shark Week,” the annual programming event begins Sunday, July 27, with seven days of shark-focused content, including 20 new hourlong specials. Those wanting to wrap up the celebration on a local note can return to the Mississippi Aquarium on Saturday, Aug. 1, when University of Mississippi professor emeritus and “Sharks, Skates, and Rays of the Gulf of Mexico” author Dr. Glen Parsons will host a book signing and shark talk.
