OPELOUSAS, La. — The community gathered at South City Park to enjoy Balloons and Tunes, a free family day with plenty of sunshine and live music. The event was about letting small businesses like Grace's Sweets have a chance to sell their products without the worry of renting out booth space.
"I have been doing vending for quite a while so sometimes it's very expensive but other times you get free spaces like today," says Grace Barnes.
Toni Effinger, organizer for Balloons and Tunes, tells KATC that supporting local is the way to go.
"We want the community to support them and by seeing what they have available," Effinger said. "Hopefully tell their friends and families about their small business so they can thrive."
Donovan Lewis is the Executive Chief of Blaq 89 which hosts catering at events. His tent was also there selling plate lunches and baked goods, and says showcasing vendors can be life-changing.
"To be able to open it up to smaller businesses and for them to come out and have exposure as well as to make money and meet people but the exposure is priceless."
The vendors explain just how much a booth space could cost at events like these.
"It depends on who you are setting up with some booths can go up 1500 dollars it depends who and what they are having but the highest I ever paid was 300," Barnes says.
"I serve a quality product and a lot of people around here do like Mrs. Grace they put a lot of love and effort into the food and that's something you won't get at a big box store," Lewis expresses.
This event just reminds us just how valuable it is where you spend your dollar.
"You get to meet new people that haven't heard about you and then the people you know they steady coming and checking on you and getting things from you it's a blessing it's truly a blessing," Barnes expresses.
