Albany street festival brings people outdoors for food and fun

ALBANY – A large crowd turned out for the Saturday downtown street festival to taste the food, beverages and see a variety of musical acts.

The festival, coinciding with the morning Snickers Marathon, kicked off at noon at Veterans Park. For the first time, the Artesian Alliance, which manages three local attractions, teamed up with the Flint River Entertainment to put on the event.

“I’m loving it, it’s very nice,” said Cassandra Stephens, whose daughter Alicia Washington, 6, had just had her face painted. “They have a lot of things out here you can buy. I’m enjoying the music as well as the food.”

Stephens, who was at the festival for the second time, said there was plenty for her and her daughters to enjoy.

“They have the bouncy house, they have the face painting, they have the drinks and food,” she said.

In addition to the food and drink, both the kids and adult varieties, a number of vendors set up shop to sell their wares.

Among them was Niik Products, where a large number of people were stopping buy to check out and buy the goods on display.

“It’s going great,” employee TeTe Smith said. “We have natural and organic products. We sell hair oils, things for dry, splitting ends, defoliant products for men. We have a castor oil product for muscle aches and body aches and arthritis.”

Owner Niik Mays said the day was going well for the business that is located in east Albany on Sylvester Highway.

At the music pavilion, Preston Suggs and Jada Hewell were enjoying the music and had sampled gator tail and a new Coca Cola product that was being passed out at a booth.

“We’ve just been walking around enjoying the festival,” he said. “I really like everything. They’ve got a new drink, Starlight. It’s real good.”