Plain Dealing Tour of Homes part of annual Christmas Festival
The town of Plain Dealing will welcome visitors from around the Ark-La-Tex tomorrow for its annual day of country Christmas fun.
The annual Christmas in Plain Dealing Festival will be held Saturday, Nov. 24, from 10 a.m. Until 6 p.m. at the downtown park, located at 109 Cottonbelt Street.
A day-long event accompanying the festival is the Tour of Homes, which gives visitors an inside look at two of Plain Dealing's most decorated homes. One of those homes belongs to the town's newly elected Mayor, Wiley Robinson, and his wife, Abby.
The couple live in the white, two-story home, located at 108 South Street, on top of a hill before entering the town. The home was built in the 1920s by the Cornish family and the Robinson's are only the second family to live in the historic home.
The interior of the home, decorated by Abby and Betty Dillard, features a Santa Claus, snowman and poinsettia theme. From the Christmas tree to the vintage 1965 turquoise Harley Davidson hard tail chopper, the Robinson's have filled their home with holiday cheer for their first year with the festival.
“It's a historic home and a lot of people have wanted to see what's in it,” Abby said. “We decided to open our doors and let them in.”
The second home belongs to John and Delores Ivy. Their home, located at 696 Bolinger Cut-Off Road in Plain Dealing, features twinkling lights on the exterior and two Christmas trees in their two-story home.
Delores, a life-long resident of Plain Dealing, said one tree has a more traditional theme and the other represents an old fashioned Christmas. As a second year participant in the Tour of Homes, Delores said opening her home to the community during the holiday festival is her favorite part of Saturday's event.
“I love decorating and giving gifts,” Delores said. “A lot of people come by just to look so this is my gift to them.”
The festival features activities for all ages and new events that festival committee member Glenda Doerr hopes will draw in more people to the northern Bossier Parish town.
New to the festival this year is a chili cook-off, a jelly and jam judging contest and an antique tractor show, featuring a variety of tractors brought from several clubs and local tractor collectors. A children's area, Jingle Junction, will be set up with free hands-on activities and games.
Arts and craft booths as well as food vendors will be set up around the downtown park and demonstrations will be held by a dutch oven group. Artists Doyle Ethridge of Belcher, Rod Talbot of Shreveport, Alma Lennear of Minden and Vicki Crow of Keithville will have their work on display and for sale. Rose Ann Holomon of benton will also have her work displayed.
Music in the Park is an all day event, starting with Al Lambka and his Blue Grass Band and special guest A J and the Two Tone Blues Band. There will be a book signing event beginning at 11 a.m.
Santa Claus and his elves will ride through town on a firetruck and pass out candy before a fireworks show concludes the festival. With a day filled with music, food and good company, Doerr said the Christmas in Plain Dealing Festival will be a fun-filled day for the entire family.
For more information on the Christmas in Plain Dealing Festival, contact Glenda Doerr at (318) 326-5137.
