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Peewee Pistol stole the show with his curly mane and festive Valentine’s hair accessories during Love LaFayette’s first annual pet parade. Peewee, a 35-year-old Shetland pony, is a retired show pony owned by LaFayette resident Kathryn Welch. 

Spectators lined First Street SE in LaFayette to watch the pet parade go by. About 11 pups and their owners followed Peewee downtown in the pet parade, many sporting tutus, heart ears and other Valentine’s Day-themed outfits. 

“It was so much fun,” said DeAnna Hand, LaFayette Main Street director, remembering the turnout for the morning event as well. 

Earlier in the day, around 55 people showed up to join in the second annual Cupid Walk/Run for the Love LaFayette event. The walkers dressed up in their finest Valentine’s Day colors and walked the 1-mile course at 10 a.m. CT. 

The event, hosted by LaFayette Main Street, is a chance for people to celebrate Valentine’s Day downtown with a flower arrangement by Flowers to Bless. Hand said the event is an opportunity to support local businesses and bring people out to the downtown area. 

Food trucks got set up around the historic courthouse at lunchtime. Guests had their pick of lunch choices from Mr. Mori’s Hibachi, Rollin’ Rackz Barbecue, Las Latinas, Rollin’ Pepperoni and Duaro’s Kitchen. 

The LifeSouth bloodmobile was also at the event.

The perfect backdrop to the Valentine’s Day-themed event was the brightly colored windows in the storefronts all around the square. Local artist Kayla Thompson once again painted the town pink for Valentine’s Day with fun designs on windows like Krave Korner, Farmers and Merchants Bank, Hometown Mercantile on the Square and more. 

During the second annual Love LaFayette event, guests were invited to take a tour of the historic theater that is a landmark downtown at the corner of Alabama Avenue and LaFayette Street. This is the first time in at least 25 years that the theater has been open to the public, according to Hand. 

The old Martin Theatre first opened in 1941. Today, it stands empty but the Chambers County Education Foundation has put together a committee to get fundraising and grants to help renovate the theater.