Last updated on October 6th, 2024 at 03:48 pm
People love to attend fairs and festivals. The Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival held each year the first week of November in Ocean Springs Mississippi is the best arts and crafts event. More than 400 artists and crafters offer their products. An army of volunteers from throughout the area offer their time to insure that the huge crowds enjoy what the arts community is offering.
Event Schedule
When
November 2: Open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM
November 3: Open from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM
Where
Government Street, Washington Street, and Porter Ave
Parking
No parking is allowed on any of the streets above. Parking areas are available throughout the city. Carts and buses will transport you to the event. Private parking is available for a charge. Arrive early for parking.
Food
Food vendors are located throughout the event. Food trucks are located on the west side of Washington, between the Visitors Center and Government Street. Alcoholic drinks are permitted in the event area.
Tips on Buying Art
Some items are heavy. You may want to pay for your art and leave it at the vendor’s booth, then walk around and collect it when you’re ready to leave. Most vendors only have one version of the art item—if you do not buy it, someone else may.
Several streets in downtown Ocean Springs have been blocked off for the pedestrian-only event. Hundreds of vendors from all over the United States travel to the largest art fair in Mississippi and one of the largest in the nation. The Peter Anderson Festival draws art enthusiasts from a multi-state area.
The event supports the economic development of the area. Hotels, restaurants, and other vendors experience a large increase in revenue during the event. There is no charge to attend the event although the organizers are asking for a donation of $2. Parking is free and there are free shuttle buses. Some people charge to park in their yards if you want a shorter walk.
Yes funnel cakes but gumbo as well
Food vendors include not only the typical traveling variety with fried candy bars and those funnel cakes but restaurant owners open for business. The area is full of restaurants and pubs as well as shops. On any normal day, Ocean Springs draws many people to this small city for shopping and entertainment.
Ocean Springs today has a very diverse population including a thriving art scene. Many art galleries and shops are selling local artist wear. The festival merchandise expands the art offering during the event.
The event is a big street party with people eating and drinking and having a great time. I saw so many dogs at the event, I thought I was missing a dog show. Back to the local artists who work with the City each year to plan the event. The festival organizers include city officials as this is as much an official city event as it is for the private sector.
The City earns revenue each year that helps pay for the sanitary service, street cleaning, barricades, and overtime for staff. Leftover funds are used to beautify the city.
Live music entertains the crowds
The live music at various points adds to the theme of just having fun. The downtown streets are crowded about mid-day but for many, that is part of the excitement. My wife and I sampled some delicious spicy raspberry jam made by a local small business, it was great. We found some beekeepers who sell “local” honey which we like. Local businesses such as these mingle with food booths and lots and lots of artists.
More than 150,000 visitors go to the festival each year. The number of booths exceeds 400 and both the number of booths and visitors gets larger each year. Walking around the event, we noticed that there are new streets added to the route full of vendors that were not there two years ago when we last attended.
Some readers may have attended the Sawdust Festival located in Laguna Beach, CA. It’s a similar event although held in an area designated for this purpose and not on city streets. The article I just read indicated that about 200,000 people attend that event every year. I was surprised when I compared the 150,000 visitors to the annual Peter Anderson event where the population of the four counties along the Mississippi Gulf Coast was less than 450,000 with the Sawdust Festival.
More people per capita attend Peter Anderson than the Sawdust Festival
It’s clear that with more than four million people living in a similar area in and around the Sawdust Festival, the Peter Anderson festival on a per capita basis is better attended by far. It’s nice to see that our little corner of the world along the Mississippi Gulf Coast is more popular with the public.
Even during the COVID year, the show was very busy because it is held entirely outdoors. For many that year attending was a small celebration of being free of the house.
Started in 1978
In 1978 the first event started with humble beginnings and contained fifty-six booths in a parking lot. The Southeast Tourism Society indicates that the Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival is one of the largest such events in the South. This large event may be partially responsible for some of the growth of the area.
It’s difficult to find a house for sale in Ocean Springs, so few are for sale and when one comes up, it is usually sold fast. This community is small and walkable. Streets are covered with live oak and magnolia trees, many several hundred years old.
I suggest that you visit the Peter Anderson gallery and the Shearwater Pottery center. There is a master potter at Shearwater and they can make something for you.
Plan to attend in 2024. Visit the official website for details on sponsors, vendors, volunteers, and other event details. You may want to stay in a vacation rental, visit ChristiesGulfBeachRentals.com. If last year’s attendance record is broken again, I suggest you make reservations early. Christies Gulf Beach Rentals offers beautiful properties including one in Ocean Springs and several on the beach in nearby Biloxi and Gulfport.
Try crawfish plentiful in November
Veterans Day usually follows the event and while you are in the area you should attend the annual Veterans Day parades held in several Mississippi Gulf Coast cities. The Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival – Ocean Springs is held in the winter which is a great time for weather and food. Crawfish are available along with oysters caught locally.
Several species of fish (including speckled trout) are caught and served at this time of year when the water starts to cool down. This is also shrimp season. You can stop by any of the harbors and buy fresh shrimp and other fish from the boats.
Please visit RetireCoast.Com and read more of our blog articles. Try this one: Who I decided to retire in Ocean Springs Mississippi. and Why you need to retire on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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