From Africa to Ocean Springs

Biloxians bring Gambian artist to U.S. for festival

By PAM FIRMIN - pfirmin@sunherald.com

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OCEAN SPRINGS — The road from Gambia, in West Africa, to this weekend’s 31st Annual Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs is paved with Biloxian Fred Sock’s love for Lamin Dibba’s vibrant paintings of the Gambian landscapes and people.

Fred and Karen Sock met Dibba in 2004 in The Gambia after they bought his paintings, which they later lost in Katrina. They wanted more of his art and began to mentor Dibba by providing a workplace and materials for his painting, then decided to submit his artwork to the Peter Anderson Festival.

“We figured it was a long shot because so many people apply, and they select it by a jury,” Karen said. “We were flabbergasted when we learned he had been invited.”

SUBMITTED PHOTO A painting of Gambian life by Lamin Dibba, who is in the U.S. for the first time to participate in the 31st Annual Peter Anderson Festival that starts today in Ocean Springs.

Now on his first visit to the U. S., the African artist is among the festival’s nearly 400 artists, crafters and food vendors. Find him at booth number 701 on Government Street during festival hours of 9 a.m.-5 p.m. today and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.

The magnificent two-day street party is expected to draw more than 150,000 visitors to downtown Ocean Springs, where the main streets of Washington Avenue and Government Street are closed to vehicle traffic.

For those who are patient and willing to walk, parking is available along the dozens of neighborhood side streets.

To simplify the parking challenge, however, a free Park ’n’ Ride service is provided by the sponsoring Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce — Main Street Tourism Bureau at the Holcomb Boulevard parking lots of Ocean Springs High and Oak Park Elementary schools. Signs on U. S. 90 will provide directions.

For children — as well as grown-ups who want to sit a spell — St. Alphonsus school on Washington and Jackson holds its annual fall fest from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. today only, offering inflatables, a rock-climbing wall, games, booths and pony rides, plus food.

The Marshall Park gazebo, site of almost continuous band performances, also has space to sit down and rest. Today’s music lineup starts with Tom Beavers & Friends from 9-10:30 a.m. and ends with Swamp Noise from 4-5:30 p.m.

And tomorrow the festival starts all over again.