Jeanerette Live enlivens

Published 2:00 pm Sunday, November 4, 2018

JEANERETTE — Main Street in Jeanerette was blocked off Saturday while pedestrians walked up and down the street shopping at vendor and craft booths and enjoying good homemade cooking. 

“Lord have mercy, it smells good over here,” Andrew Watkins said, referencing the barbecue, gumbo and other smells that wafted over the area as the cooking started 

The occasion was the fifth annual Jeanerette Live in which the town of Jeanerette celebrates the people, places and things that makes the Iberia Parish community special. 

All of the main local organizations take part in the event in order to inspire, uplift and entertain residents. Bringing nonprofits, first responders, artists and entertainers together into one big day has been the purpose of the annual event. 

“It’s good. It’s such a beautiful day,” Camellia Romero of Franklin said Saturday afternoon. “We’ve been eating some gumbo and we’re waiting for the bands to start. 

Jeanerette Live has raised anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 in the past for the community. It’s a free event, but revenue comes from ticket sales, corporate sponsors and T-shirt sales.

The lineup of musical entertainment helped provide event-goers with a fun day full of family-centric activities. 

And there was plenty of music. The event included gospel, the Five O’Clock Shadows, Keith Frank, Young Hub City, Sweet Southern Heat Band and Krossfyre, which ended the event. 

There was also a kids zone, which had several fun jumps for children to enjoy, as well as a rock climbing wall for kids to test for themselves.