Jingle Fest
Boba Partea
Baton Rouge
Dec. 21
Of the businesses I’ve seen open in Baton Rouge, Boba Partea’s second location has had one of the roughest times. There were zoning issues and then electric problems and gas problems and water problems, which delayed their opening by about a year. When they held an event to celebrate their opening, the power went out.
Nevertheless, they’ve persisted. Since their opening in late June, they’ve used their location next to Costco to host various themed events. Jingle Fest, a holiday themed night market with art vendors, dance/music performances and pop-up food stands, was the latest among these. Despite the weather challenges of the day, this event might mark a turning point.
The event had the largest number of food vendors and art vendors of any Boba Partea event yet, and they used the back parking lot. The layout was so much better than I’ve ever seen it. It felt like the vendors all had space to breathe. There was space to line up and to browse.
Yesterday was an unseasonably warm day with sudden showers, so the vendors set up in the heat and were showered on in the late afternoon. This might have worked in their favor because there weren’t as many people concentrated at any one time during their 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. event window. Despite this, the performances went off without a hitch.
At 6 p.m., WeAreUs, a cover/dance group started their performance of Dirty Work by aespa. Dressed in matching camo outfits, they were super in sync and mesmerizing to watch. WeAreUS was one of two cover dance groups performing in the time block which also had a solo singing performance by Calla Harper. The artists were clearly given creative control to do what they wanted because Harper and the second dance group, BoRahazed, happened to both choose to do covers of the same song, “Last Christmas,” which were slated back to back. But it was fun. Members of BoRahazed handled it well and went for it anyway, harmonizing and singing as if nothing had happened, and the audience sang along.
Dancers from both dance groups really committed to their craft, diving onto the makeshift stage (a raised set of parking spots with a festive backdrop) sitting, sliding and posing on the ground as if it wasn’t still wet, smiling the whole time.
I’m convinced moments like this turn ordinary businesses into third spaces. It’s sending one of your staff members to hold the mic for a singer because you don’t have a mic stand, hyping up back to back “Last Christmas” performances, and just giving space for people to be themselves, no purchase required. Boba Partea is well on its way.
