Community comes out for 45th annual Peter Anderson Festival
It is coined as one of the largest fine arts festival the Magnolia State has to offer and all the action took place in Downtown Ocean Springs over the weekend.
Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cynthia Sutton said, “We are here in Downtown Ocean Springs for the 45th annual Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival presented by Blue Moon. This is a two-day outdoor event where we have more than 400 artists crafters and food vendors from all over the United States here with us in downtown.”
For first time visitors of the Peter Anderson Festival, it was an eye-opening experience, like Stephanie who just moved here from Wisconsin. “I just came down here and my mind is blown. Everybody is so kind and the artwork is amazing like there’s so many different kinds of artwork from people using recycled metals to pottery to paintings and just the vibe down here is magnetic.”
And Nicholas Clase from Louisiana. “You know, the cool thing coming from New Orleans to here is a lot of the art is reflected just on the South Gulf area. It’s really, really sea-life focused, Cyprus tree, swamp forest. It’s really cute, really cool.”
Frequent festival goer Garrett Foreman says it is the atmosphere that keeps bringing people back. “I feel like it’s really just the environment. All the people walking around, having a good time. All the families walking around and stuff. I just came to look at all the cool stuff that people have made and are selling around.”
The festival was also an opportunity for guests to create their own artwork. It also gave guests a chance to make real connections with artists. “Buying artwork that calls to you and purchasing something and connecting with that person that you’re purchasing it from. It really adds to me like another dimension to what you’re purchasing. I think that’s what is missing from the Walmarts and all these other things like coming to events and supporting your community and people from other communities and just coming down here and finding what vibes with you.”
“This is a great experience. There’s live music, cool art, great food, you really can’t beat it.”
