The Picayune Street Fair is growing each and every year with more booths, activities, food and people this year.
Things were on sale Saturday to replace items that may have been lost in Hurricane Katrina, things that may keep your valuables and personal information safe and unique hats from a far away land that will keep out wind and rain.
A regular to the street fair who has had his booth in the same spot for several years is providing some people the opportunity to replace items they may have lost in Hurricane Katrina or provide them with things that are no longer made. Tibby Maynard has his trailer loaded with antique items he and his wife Lottie found at auctions and is selling them at the Street Fair. Maynard said they been for about 35 years making trips to auctions in the Mississippi and Lousiana areas on a regular basis.
“We usually go just about every Saturday,” Maynard said.
The hobby for the couple began in part due to his wife’s love of antiques and grew into a way for them to make a little money.
“I didn’t think much of it at one time, but now I’m hung on it,” Maynard said.
Maynard said he has had customers in the past tell him that they were purchasing cooking items to replace those they lost in the storm. Business was good to Maynard Saturday at the Street Fair.
“They were buying like mad this morning,” Maynard said.
Another booth of interest provided an alternative way to protect against purse snatchers and identity theft. Toni Randazzo and her father Tony DiGiovanni are marketing their new product, the Purse Lock, under the business name The Double V Group. Randazzo said her father came up with the idea since purse snatching incidents are on the rise, she said. The small locks provide an extra measure of security while women are out shopping or conducting daily business by locking the purse to a stationary object such as a shopping cart or stroller.
“It can be locked to any fixed object that you feel secure in locking your purse to,” Randazzo said.
Not only do purse snatching victims suffer from the loss of their money and bank cards they are also subject to identity theft since the thief now has all their personal information, Randazzo said.
“Identity theft is such a hard thing to come back from,” Randazzo said.
The small devices have gathered interest from the Picayune Police Department, the Home Shopping Network and QVC, Randazzo said. She said the police department saw their booth Saturday and asked her to come to the department to talk to them about the new device. Also the two shopping networks have asked for samples so they can decide if they will put them on the air. Randazzo said she will know the decision of the networks in a few weeks.
The locks cost $14.95 and can be purchased at the Street Fair, by phone at 601-798-7112 or via email at thedoublevgroup@yahoo.com.
A rather unusual item was on sale Saturday, Kangaroo hats straight from Australia. Henry Piper said the hats are water proof due to the properties of Kangaroo leather.
“You can do anything you want to and you won’t hurt the hat,” Piper said.
Piper also had some novelty and other various items for sale at his booth.
His first year at the Picayune Street Fair Piper said he is satisfied with the way the event is run and the amount of space he was provided with. Piper said he is a veteran of festivals such as the Picayune Street Fair and since he was so pleased he plans to return for following Street Fairs.
The Picayune Street Fair continues today and has many events, food and items for purchase.