‘All Is Bright’ brings Christmas cheer to large crowd downtown

One year after the pandemic forced cancelation of Plaquemine’s annual Christmas celebration, the event returned bigger and brighter than ever.

A crowd of more than 2,000 packed the downtown area along Railroad Avenue for “All Is Bright,” which featured music, vendors and, of course, attractions for the kids.

More than 60 vendors offered everything from food and drink to jewelry and seasonal arts and crafts, and even pet adoption during the event.

“The event went very well,” Mayor Edwin “Ed” Reeves Jr. said. “We had a great turnout for the event, and it appears that most of the vendors sold a lot of goods.

“People were really ready to get out, and we couldn’t have asked for a better day for the event,” he said. “The weather was gorgeous.”

Kids and grownups alike enjoyed train rides along the avenue, while fire trucks and locomotives – including the Polar Express – were decked in glistening lights that added to the Christmas cheer.

The event came together despite budget cuts due to a spike in insurance premiums for employees and surging costs for fuel materials that originally prompted cancellation of the event.

Work by with Edward Earl Comeaux, Chris Reeves, Jude Barker and Sara Passantino stopped the event from becoming “The Christmas That Wasn’t.”

Others who helped sponsor and coordinate the event were Josh O’Dwyer, Iberville Clerk of Court Amy Patin, Dynamic Therapy, We Are the Difference, Plaquemine Main Street Program and Mayor Reeves and his wife Anne.

The aftermath of the event went smooth, as well, the mayor said.

“Richard Alleman, our Public Works Director, sent out the work crews early Monday morning, and there was very little to clean up,” he said. “I’d like to thank the Plaquemine Fire Department and the Plaquemine Police Department for keeping the overtime to a minimum. In fact, most of the people volunteered their time.”