Friday night’s “Shop By Candlelight” in Picayune, held on Canal Street, was a success, with people of all ages coming out to shop in the stores, take advantage of sales and enjoy the various types of entertainment.

Deborah Galiano, who owns Galiano’s on Canal Street, said she has been involved with “Shop By Candlelight” since its inception, and loves to be involved.

“We have a huge increase in traffic on these nights. It’s one of our most popular events. People come in asking me when ‘Shop By Candlelight’ is going to be, because it is so family-oriented and they love it,” Galiano sai.

Louis Galiano, who is a local writer, said he loves the event and the location in which it is held.

“It’s like the Times Square of Picayune,” Louis Galiano said.

Wilma Brasfield, who owns The Bungalow Two, said she has been operating her store on Canal Street for a little over a year and this is her second year participating in the event.

“I love ‘Shop By Candlelight’. I wish it was every night,” Brasfield said.

Brasfield said she thinks the event is wonderful because it encourages people to do their shopping locally, rather than with large chain and department stores.

“I’m trying to have a beautiful shop here, but I can’t do it without paying customers. Picayune is a neat town, with a lot to offer. People need to start shopping in Picayune,” Brasfield said.

Brasfield said she moved to Picayune after Hurricane Katrina from Bay St. Louis.

“We had to move here after the storm, and I decided if I was going to live in Picayune, I was going to be a part of Picayune,” said Brasfield.

Michele and Edward Tillison of Tillison Carriages, who operated one of the two carriage rides throughout the night, said this is their third year to come to “Shop By Candlelight”.

“We enjoy it every year when we come here. We only have one carriage here tonight, with two of our horses, a Belgian and a Clydesdale,” said Michele Tillison.

“Scotty, the Clydesdale, is seven years old, while Bill, the Belgian, is eight years old. You have to put in a lot of miles to make these horses listen to you,” Edward Tillison said.

Edward Tillison said he got into the carriage business because he loved horses, and does events such as weddings, birthdays and children’s parties as well as events like “Shop By Candlelight.”