38th Annual Prairie Arts Festival

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI)-

Commerce Street was a sea of humanity, as more than 300 vendors of jewlry fine arts and hand made crafts were on hand for the 38th annual Prairie Arts Festival in the historic downtown area of West Point. There were plenty of chances to buy art. And there was plenty to eat. And there was musical entertainment.

Lisa Klutts is the event coordinator.

“We’re an active Mainstreet Association Community and we have a lot of volunteers that pay attention and work hard for the beautification and historic nature of downtown West Point.” said Klutts.

“This is the heart of West Point. This is the heart. This is the town. This is the heart throb. All the historic buildings that are here, we’re revamping them, getting them up to snuff and we want to invite the community in every year, invite other cities and communties in to see what West Point has.” said Mathis.

Dee Mathis manages one of West Point’s major historic historic landmarks, the Clay Hotel which has been converted into retirement community for senior adults. She says the Clay what quite a gathering place in its heyday.

“They had proms and weddings and receptions and conventions and everything here. This was the gathering place because they’re used to be a railroad right over here and people would get off the train and come over here and they would stay at the Henry Clay and it was built as air cooled and fire proof.
And the railroad indeed fueled the development of West Point.” said Mathis.

“We’re an old railroad town that has really flourish around the depot and the railroad that runs through town. We’re over 150-years old so there’s a lot of historic buildings and homes downtown, a lot of beautiful murals and we’re really embraced the arts community here.” said Klutts.

And Klutts says the future is very promising for this town.

“We’re the smaller of three in the Golden Triangle, but even though we’re small we big things here, and we’re starting to grow and have a lot of new industry and businesses come to town.” said Klutts.