The second annual Our Lady of the Angels Hospital Family Fest, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at Bogalusa’s Goodyear Park in front of the hospital, promises to draw a big crowd with lots of fun and healthy activities for children and adults.
The OLOAH Family Fest attracted more than 1,000 attendees and 60 vendors for its first run. The vendors have increased to more than 100 for the second go-round, and, since word has gotten around, crowds are expected to swell as well.
This year. the fun for adults will include the opening of the Bogalusa Farmers’ Market, plus multiple free health screenings, interactive exhibits, demonstrations, live music, and food.
Angela Lambert, marketing director for Our Lady of the Angels Hospital, offered some advice for those who want to take advantage of the screenings.
“There will be all kinds of screenings, so don’t eat breakfast before you come,” she said.
And while the adults are checking out the fresh produce or getting screened, the kids can have a blast playing on the obstacle courses or inflatables, getting their faces painted, or getting their favorite stuffed animals checked out in the Teddy Bear Clinic in the Play Zone.
The first 500 kids to register at the big, blue Our Lady of the Angels tent, located in the center of the Family Fest, will get a blue elephant backpack.
Lambert said she is thrilled to see everybody come together for this young event.
“It’s exciting because it showcases the unity across our community,” she said. “We all are really committed to elevating the standard of living for people across our parish.”
Lambert said she is really excited about launching the Bogalusa Farmers’ Market.
“As part of Our Lady of the Angels Hospital’s mission to serve all God’s people, especially those most in need, we are thrilled to bring to this community a weekly opportunity to access affordable healthy food,” she said.
Mike Norman, who is the manager of both the Bogalusa and the Abita Springs farmers’ markets, said that a part of the non-profit Abita Grows Initiative mission is to “develop local robust farmers’ markets and increase access to healthy, locally produced food for low income members of the community.”
Lambert and Norman confirmed that Family Fest attendees with SNAP cards can get tokens for double the amount they spend up to $20 at the Farmers’ Market on Saturday.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place, amidst the family fun, at 10 a.m.