DENHAM SPRINGS, La. — On April 25, the Denham Springs Antique Village's annual Spring Festival opened to a flurry of activity as hundreds of parents, children, and a handful of fluffy pets gathered to experience dozens of unique vendors, local antique stores, and mouthwatering food booths set up along the district's main streets.
While the dour forecast for the day might have seemed daunting to some, the skies stayed blissfully dry and delightfully shaded by clouds for a majority of the event, leading to an increased turnout of families and groups of friends.
At the train station stage, artists Junction 2.0, River City Boys, Cool Beans, Solid Still, and the Kerwin Leblanc Band performed live music all day to serenade the crowds as they perused stands filled to bursting with all manner of interesting bits, bobs, and curios that drew the eyes, and the wallets, of patrons.
Wade Boudreaux, whose art booth filled with brightly colored cartoon zombies and realistic wildlife wood paintings seemed to pop right out of their frames, ran one of those striking stands.
When asked about the inspiration behind his vibrant designs, Boudreaux said he finds "making people happy" with his art to be the most driving motivator behind his process. Art, which has been a big part of Boudreaux's life since he was a child, is a way for him to express his vivid imagination, which often creates artistic "movies" in his mind.
"Living happy makes the brush strokes go so much better," Boudreaux added with a smile.
Another artist on the same street, Paul "Jawbone" Doudroux, sat at ease beside a colorful menagerie of traditional, New Orleans-inspired art pieces and decorations that beckoned interested individuals and longtime collectors over to see his newest pieces.
Francheska Powell, whose booth was positively decked out in flower crafts, dream catchers, and sparkly sun catchers, is a recent addition to the Spring Festival. Her eye for design, however, is something she has been cultivating all her life. Through various projects and antiquing trips, Powell discovered a love of crafting and creating that shines through in her work.
"I like taking something that is used and bringing it back to life," Powell said, surrounded by the tinkling charms she made by hand. "I've got more projects in my brain than I've got time to do!"
Another stand, run by Antoine Mitchell and his wife Erica Williams-Mitchell, displayed Antoine's original Afro-Fantasy comic series "Sankofa's Eymbrace," for which all art, color, and inking are done by Antoine himself. The series follows the story of a thief, Aybel Ani, who partners with the Chosen One, Assata Mwokozi, in an ancient battle between the cosmic forces of Balance and the malevolent entity DysOrder.
Antiques, art, greenery, crafts, and many more items made up a veritable handmade goods heaven right at the heart of the antique district. Earrings, bows, and beauty products were particularly popular this festival, each with many different styles, materials, and inspirations behind them.
One entire side of the railroad tracks featured a free kids' zone complete with fun games and educational activities, along with booths providing public safety displays and diagrams. The booth for the City of Denham Springs Office of Planning and Development showcased an interactive model demonstrating the effects of pollution in rainwater runoff, allowing curious children to see the water quality changes to the model's river in real time and learn more about the importance of clean water practices in the local environment.
For food options, the fresh-squeezed lemonade stand, hot kettle corn cart, savory pulled pork nachos tent, and refreshing Italian ice stall sat side by side, surrounded by crowds of rumbling bellies drawn in by the mouthwatering scents drifting through the plaza.
Not a single patron left Spring Fest without something, whether it was good food or just fun memories, and not even the rainy forecast could keep everyone from coming out to celebrate this timeless festival.
