The Prairie Arts Festival in West Point brought a sense of normalcy back to the city

Labor Day weekend is known to bring big crowds to the Prairie Arts Festival in West Point

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)-  Labor Day weekend is known to bring big crowds to the Prairie Arts Festival in West Point.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people weren’t able to enjoy the festival last year.

Vendors Kathy Bailey and William Moore said it was their first time showcasing their crafts.

“We’re turning a hobby into a business and this is one of our first festivals to go to. We’re really impressed with the amount of traffic today I mean the weather turned out nice we’ve had a lot of interest in our product,” said half owner of WilKat William Moore.

For vendors like Christyn Maxwell, her family has had a food booth for over 25 years.

“I started doing this when I was like 5 you know helping out as a cashier and I just kind of grew into it and did more as I got older,” said Maxwell.

Dozens lined downtown West Point eager to buy handmade crafts, good food, and games. Festival coordinator Lisa Klutts said since the festival was canceled last year, the board wanted to make sure the event would have something for everyone. With a peak in covid case numbers, organizers set restrictions to keep festival-goers safe.

“We weren’t looking to do bigger and better this year. We weren’t looking for record number crowds. We just wanted to have the festival because it’s so important to West Point and the community,” said Klutts.

The festival is expected to go on again next year, in 2022, during Labor Day weekend.