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All roads lead to West Point for Prairie Arts

For 33 years, an annual Prairie Arts Festival has been held in West Point, Mississippi, on the Saturday before Labor Day. Hundreds of vendors set up their wares and attractions feature children’s activities, live music and food for the thousands of people who visit the little town where we grew up.

Today was the day. We tooled around and picked up a few necessities – like my new iron scare crow which I’ll be dressing up for every major holiday for as long as I live.

Mine will be dressed similar to the one at left, except he must wear a maroon jersey or I’ll be run out of town (or someone will take him to the nearest dump.)

Louise Campbel, one of my favorite West Pointians, has been doing this for years, and when I come home to visit I always drive by her home to see what is lurking in her garden. Usually it’s a cross between Farmer Brown and Carmen Miranda. But always, they make you smile.

This year was more special than usual because old classmates of ours, who call themselves the Watsons performed some of the old favorite gospel numbers. Every single one took me back. At least one of the performers sounded just like Elvis.

My gang hasn’t missed many of these events. We usually have a mini reunion of people we love the most..

The festival has been recognized as one of the top ten events in the south, and is one of the largest arts and crafts festivals in the country.

The good thing this year is that all our football teams – Alabama, Ole Miss and Miss State were all playing at night. We could pretty much do prairie arts and get to the games or, like Olivia, to the television set to watch Bama.

We missed Ruthie this year. She has been helping run the festival as long as I can remember. We usually put in a few hours for her, selling T-shirts and offering directions. She is recovering from a knee injury and was sidelined.

Missed you, Ruth Ann. Hope you get well soon.

Olivia – my blood sister since the day we cut our fingers and rubbed them together in the bathroom of the First Presbyterian Church – observed a woman pushing another woman in a wheel chair. We made a pact right then and there that whomever becomes old and infirm first will stroll the other around the festival. Hopefully, we’ll all be riding that ChooChoo train in the lead photo and asking when cocktails are served…and what year it is.

I was just introduced to your blog by Barb Mitchell, a niece-in-law. I live in Auburn, AL, but since I was born and raised in WP, I will be interested in following your blog. What fun the Prarie Arts Festival always is…..it has been too long since I have attended!