Vendors sell and serve everything from cinnamon rolls to hot chocolate around Starry November Night.
Nate Callaway/The Lion's Roar

Starry November Night has been a Hammond tradition for local and foreign attendees alike.

On Friday, Nov. 18, The Hammond Downtown Development District and the Downtown Development Merchant Promotion Committee held its 12th annual Starry November Night.

The event was a combination of vendors, activities and relaxation for guests who attended. The evening began at La Carreta with live music and carriage rides around town. Activities also included the Wine-Walk where anyone over the age of 21 could purchase a wine glass and wrist band for wine tasting throughout the night. The Louisiana Children’s Discovery Center had free admission for the evening where children were able to play inside the center, have cookies and milk, write letters to Santa and take a picture with him.

With all the outside festivities, a part of Starry November Night has been the businesses that have participated in the Farmers Market portion through the years. One such shop, Too Tiny Kitchen, had boudin egg rolls and shrimp and gord chowder for guests to enjoy. Sherrie Pritchard-Taylor, one of the owners, spoke about how the event supports and helps her business.

“Well, we’re part of the Farmers Market on Saturdays,” said Pritchard-Taylor. “We’re out here every Saturday. It’s just good because it gets people out here and a lot of people don’t even know we have a Farmers Market. So, when they come out here, we tell them we’re out here every Saturday and hope that they come see us.”

Another vendor, Southeastern alumni Susan Dennis had a setup showcasing her homemade jewelry. Dennis who works at Turquoise Coyote in Ponchatoula spoke about her personal experiences with Starry November Night and what it does for her and her family.

“Oh, I’ve been coming out here for just about a few years,” said Dennis, “It’s fun. I mean, I do this mainly to make a little extra money for my granddaughter. Before, I was helping pay for daycare, some extra clothes, just doing something nice. What I do is, I keep my prices low, but I just don’t have the time to turn this into a fulltime job and this venue gives me a good, creative outlet for me to have fun with this hobby.”

To learn more about Hammond DDD, visit dddhamond.com

Activities for the kids at Starry November Night included free admission to all the games and exhibits inside the Louisiana Children's Discovery Center.
Nate Callaway/The Lion's Roar

Fun and games spread throughout the streets outside the Louisiana Children's Discovery center for Starry November Night.
Nate Callaway/The Lion's Roar