NATCHEZ — Local bottle-cap artist Brandon McCranie dressed for rain for Saturday’s Art and Soul Festival, but conditions turned out sunny, and the fest’s location at the Natchez bluff was a perfect set up to reel in the 2011 river watchers.

McCraine’s booth, where he sold sculptures of mostly southern style animals and symbols made from hammered beer-bottle caps, was one of 20 booths participating in the festival.

Live music from various singers at the gazebo and flavors of New Orleans spices also wafted through the air at the sixth-annual festival.

Paul Melancon, a Hurricane Katrina transplant from New Orleans and owner of Melancon Antique Emporium, served jambalaya, crawfish etouffee and barbecue for the meandering crowd.

McCranie said the day turned out well, and he liked the location on the bluff better than previous year’s locations at Memorial Park and on the street.

“It’s great. It’s always fun to see kids running around having fun,” McCraine said.

One 8-year-old enjoyed the festival so much his mother had to remind him to re-hydrate and cool off while he was busy working on his fifth or sixth kite of the day at the children’s kite-making workshop.

“I like to make multi-kites,” said Walker Hosford, who preferred flying several kites at once.

One of the kite booth operators, Carolyn Weir, said the kite booth was set up in previous years at the festival, as well, to give children free lessons about how to create their own art.

She said Hosford was a loyal visitor of the kite booth.

“He’s been back all day, telling us how to re-engineer them,” she said.

“I’m mostly the main customer,” Hosford said.

Karry Hosford, Walker’s mother who worked at the High Cotton Home booth, said her son found entertainment at the festival all day.

“I’m an artist; but I’m mostly a kite person. I’m a good flyer,” Walker said before a quick sprint between the crowd with a handful of kites.

Artist and Natchez Downtown Development Association committee member Marina Cavette said the festival included original art and high-end crafts.

“For us, (the festival) is an opportunity to show what we’ve done all year,” Cavette said.

The first Miss-Lou Youth Idol talent exhibition went well, with five impressive performers, she said.

Letta Trisler and Brenda McNeely came from Jonesville to the festival to display and sell lawn ornaments they make from various combinations of colorful vases and plates fused together.

Trisler said she was worried the rain and fears of flooding might steal the thunder of the festival, but the weekend turned out great.

“A lot of people (at the festival) were just coming down here to see the water — they had no idea it was here,” she said.