Alachua Spring Festival arrives in full bloom

Sunday’s Alachua Spring Festival brought beautiful weather and upbeat crowds to the downtown Main Street area.  Spring flowers were on the list of this shopper as she wheeled her colorful purchases along the street.

ALACHUA – Explosions of colorful flowers and art lined Main Street on Sunday afternoon. The sound of bands and vocalists filled the street at this year’s Alachua Spring Festival. The annual festival took place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and featured a variety of vendors, such as homemade dog treat bakers, churches, charities, artists, flowering plant vendors and a host of activities geared toward children..

Cap’n Jack trotted down the sidewalk, taking in the full effect the festivities could have on such a little guy as he.

There was food at every turn, children playing and laughing, music and even some dancing; entertainment all around, and Cap’n Jack, or C.J. as he is called, enjoyed every bit of it.

“It’s his first time here, but I’ve been to the last five or six at least,” said Susan Dotson, C.J.’s walking partner. Dotson, from Lake Butler, was referring to the Alachua Main Street Festival, and she brings a different dog every year. This time, it was C.J. taking a walk on the town.

“I get dogs through a program called Paws on Parole, and foster them until they’re ready for an inmate to take them,” Dotson said. “I’ll more than likely be back next time around with another dog too.”

Dotson did not just go out for the food and family atmosphere, although she said that adds to the experience. She has a friend who owns one of the shops that sets up a booth each time the festival takes place.

“I always come out and support her, and look for some things myself from the shops,” Dotson said. “It’s a great place to find some things for dogs, too.”

Cap’n Jack wasn’t the only one to visit the festival for the first time though. The Lam family also made their way to Alachua as newcomers to the event. Gwen Lam, of Fort White, said her husband, Frank, was volunteering at the Irish Water Dogs booth, and she figured if he was going to be there the whole day, it was a great chance to take the kids along, too.

Lam stood with her children, daughter Autumn and son Joseph, as they petted some of the goats near the pony rides.

“The favorite part for us would have to be feeding the animals,” Lam said. “I know my kids enjoyed that the most.”

Whether it was walking a dog, or walking a child, the crowd enjoyed a wonderful day on the town. There were food vendors at every corner, offering anything from fried specialties to cotton candy.

“It is a beautiful day,” Lam said. “I would certainly come back again.”

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