The Lavaca Berry Festival returns

 

story and photos by Joel Rafkin
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After a long hiatus, tradition resumed on Saturday (June 4) in Lavaca with the resurrection of the Lavaca Berry Festival.

Almost 50 vendors paid the $20 – $25 (with or without electricity) fee to set up booths on the school grounds selling everything from arts and crafts to clothing, food and even plants. Proceeds from the fee will benefit the Lavaca Area Chamber of Commerce to fund events and activities throughout the year.

The day began at 8 a.m. with a 5K walk/run. At 10 a.m., a Lavaca Berry pageant was held with categories for boys and girls. The Lawbreakers & Peacemakers performed historical re-enactments throughout the morning and early afternoon. Live music acts performed throughout the day under the shade of a tent. There plenty of activities for children including face painting, balloon sculptures, video games, bounce-a-rounds and a train ride with cars pulled by an ATV.

The Lavaca Community Theatre staged its first and single-showing production, Trail of Tears, at 2 p.m. in the year-old performing arts center. About 100 people watched the free performance although donations were accepted at the door. Director Mary Rollins said the community theater plans to stage about four productions per year in the future.

By mid afternoon, as the temperature soared to 100-degrees, most vendors packed up their wares and called it a day even though the event was scheduled to last until sundown.

Wayne Findley of Specialty Hats N That said business was good earlier in the day and he planned to stay until the end.

"I paid my $20 and I’m not going anywhere," he said.

Renee Nieman, vice president of East Sebastian County Youth Organization, had a booth selling snow cones and agreed with Findley about the amount of business although her items were constantly in demand as festival-goers tried to beat the heat.

"I figured if we sold 10-12 (snow cones) we’d be doing good," said Nieman after she saw that two other vendors also were selling shaved ice. In fact, by mid afternoon, Nieman’s stand had sold about 200 cones. Her profits will go to fund improvements for the ESCYO ball fields.

The Lavaca Berry is a cross between a boysenberry and loganberry. It was grown and harvested in mass in the region from the 1930s through the early 1970s when large fruit producers, fearful of its popularity and envious of its market share, banded together to influence the market to the point where production of the Lavaca Berry was no longer profitable.