A return to normalcy: Lake Fest will return this Memorial Day weekend

Published 5:12 pm Wednesday, March 17, 2021

: Festival goers look through baked goods at the Eagle Lake Methodist tent at the 2017 Lakefest in Eagle Lake. (Courtland Wells/The Vicksburg Post)

“Yes,” Eagle Lake Matters Association president Linda Banchetti said when being asked if Lake Fest will return in 2021.

For the past two years, Lake Fest has had to be canceled — 2019’s event was put off due to historic flooding, while the 2020 event was a victim of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, Banchetti said, with the rollout of a vaccine for the virus and no backwater flooding issues, she began receiving emails from folks inquiring if the event would be held.

“We are going to do it this year,” she said.

Lake Fest, which is a community event designed to get people from surrounding areas to come out and visit Eagle Lake, was first held in 2014. It includes vendors and live music, as well as fun attractions for children and adults.

It continued to grow in popularity and, in 2018, the event drew more than 1,000 people.

Lake Fest will take place May 29, beginning at 10 a.m., at the Sanders House property, located just off Mississippi 465, on Eagle Lake Shore Road.

In honor of Memorial Day, Banchetti said, Christie Beasley, who is the music teacher at Vicksburg Catholic School, will sing the national anthem and a medley of patriotic tunes at the start of the event.

Vendors will also be on hand selling their wares and live music will be offered from 10:30 a.m. to noon by Ben Dew and from 1 to 5 p.m. by The Chill.

There will also be a Kidfest, Banchetti said, which will feature a 20-foot Tower of Terror slide and games.

Lake Fest is a fundraiser for the Eagle Lake Matters Association. It is funded, in part, by a tourism grant from the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, business sponsorships, T-shirt sales and vendor fees.

“It makes a little money. Not a ton, but enough to keep us going from year to year,” Banchetti said.

While Lake Fest is an outdoor event, Banchetti said COVID-19 restrictions will be observed.

She said vendor spaces and sponsorships are still available. For more information, call 601-218-8100.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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