My Outdoor Festival Decor & Berry Town Produce in Ponchatoula, Louisiana

Hey Everybody! You guys know, I LOVE TO DECORATE!!! So, I wanted to show you my 2022 Spring and Summer outdoor decor. I usually decorate with an Easter theme, but decided to do something a little different and change things up this year. Instead, I went with a bright, colorful and fun festival theme.

Louisiana hosts a number of festivals throughout the year, so I thought it would be great to capture the local spirit of those festivals in my decor. What all these festivals have in common are great FOOD, MUSIC and most of all FUN! I encourage you to check out the calendar of events in the link above and attend a couple. For me, it’s a great way to visit and support other surrounding parishes in my hometown state.

The centerpiece for my outdoor decorations is this beautiful ‘Let’s Fest’ door hanger in the shape of Louisiana. It was made by a talented local artist. She incorporated so many fun elements into this design. Louisiana is know for its music & musicians, so you also see piano keys, trumpet, washboard instrument, accordion, violin, second-line umbrella and musical notes. The state is also know for its great food! She incorporated a crab and crawfish (seafood), snowball and strawberries into the design. Popular New Orleans Jazz Fest flags and Fleur de Lis are scattered about the door hanger.

To compliment the door hanger, I added a chocolate-dipped strawberry and crab garden stake. I found a really cute garland for my hand rails, that have all the elements to make a really good crawfish boil. The garland has onions, garlic, lemons and creole seasoning. I re-used my watermelon and popsicle stakes from last year. I also re-purposed my faux orange mums from Halloween. I added a couple of plant stakes to them (musical notes, crab and sun wearing heart-shaped glasses).

Unfortunately, we had two unexpected tornadoes in the area (really bad weather) and my “crawfish boil” themed garland didn’t survive. So, I replaced it with these adorable and colorful felt popsicles. Felt can withstand both sun and rain. I added some mulch to my garden beds and I’m very pleased with the outcome of it all. When decorating, I encourage you to think about what’s happening locally in your area and use that for inspiration.

Last weekend, I went to The Strawberry Festival in Ponchatoula, Louisiana. It’s been cancelled for two years (Covid and Hurricane Ida) and sorely missed. I usually take the less than one hour trip to support that area, every year.

As soon as I get off the interstate (Exit 23), I always stop at Berry Town Produce. This store has EVERYTHING! Let me show you! They sell the cutest local garden art. I love this pretty pink flamingo, eloquently standing on one leg. Also this colorful peacock, perched with pride. This store also carries beautiful garden pots.

I love their market! I always go haywire, when I step inside. They sell old-time and hard to find candy. Talk about Easter baskets with a twist! They are filled with local brands such as Big Shot Soda and chocolate candy from Elmer Chocolate. You can also find praline candy, made by local brands.

Why do most people go to the Strawberry Festival? For the strawberries and wine of course! I buy flats of strawberries. I love making strawberry & banana smoothies and strawberry shortcake. I purchased some extra flats for my neighbors. The strawberries in Ponchatoula are huge, red, juicy and delicious. I also stocked up on sweet strawberry wine and moscato. You should also get as many bottles possible of their peach wine.

Berry Town Produce also has a market that sells fresh produce. I purchased baby spinach, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, bananas, grapes, grapefruit, romaine lettuce, green peppers, chicken fettuccine, crawfish fettuccine, tortilla chips, popcorn, jellybeans, caramel popcorn, strawberry bread loaf and a couple of chocolate-dipped doughnuts with the most delicious & juicy chocolate-dipped strawberry with white chocolate drizzled atop. The staff at Berry Town Produce are always welcoming, supportive and helpful. I love their friendly atmosphere and uplifting decor. If you go to Ponchatoula, definitely pay them a visit. Look for my video snippets on Instagram.