Art, food, fun abound

Thousands flock to first day of festival

By ANITA LEE - calee@sunherald.com

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OCEAN SPRINGS — The ambience of downtown Ocean Springs framed the art, crafts and merchandise that lined streets filled with thousands of shoppers for the 31st annual Peter Anderson Festival on Saturday.

Vendors displayed their original works at 350 booths for the festival, which runs until 4 p.m. today throughout the landscaped downtown where oak boughs overhang the street, finery festoons shop doors and sidewalks brim with gifts waiting to be bought.

Those who shopped until they were hungry found an array of edibles, from funnel cake to black-bean hummus.

“This is our first festival ever,” said Stacey Johnson, who offered hummus, tabbouleh, homemade pimento-cheese, pita chips and even pickled okra at the Yazoo Market booth. “We’re having a blast.”

Johnson lives in Ocean Springs and offers her wares weekly at the downtown Farmers Market, but this was her first festival. She was joined by her parents, who own the original market in Yazoo City. The family even brought along their original Delta hot tamales. “These will rock your world,” Johnson guaranteed.

Across the way in Marshall Park, bands entertained throughout the day at the Gazebo. Doug and Karen Hall had set up Five Oaks Cypress Patio Furniture in their usual spot, under an old sycamore just west of the Gazebo, where a rock band jammed in the mid-afternoon.

The Halls live on 10 acres in Baldwin County, Ala. Doug Hall’s 23-year-old daughter, Audra, helps him build furniture, and Karen Hall keeps the books. They sell Adirondack and patio chairs, garden benches, swing arbors, gliders, potting benches and other pieces perfect for gardens. They have a shop in Loxley and travel to a dozen festivals a year.

“We do very well here,” Karen Hall said. “It’s one of our best shows.”

Rachel Ryan, 12, looks forward to the festival each year. She has a gig at Miner’s Toy Store playing a real-life Madame Alexander doll for festival crowds. This year, she is Snow White, feeling like a princess in the familiar red, yellow and blue gown.

She was joined by Lilly Munro, 6, who was dressed as storybook character Fancy Nancy. “It’s very fun,” said the precocious Munro, who enjoys the looks on little children’s faces when she signs Fancy Nancy autographs for them.