By Ranna Hebert

Celebrating and promoting Black-owned businesses, Lit and Loaded Nutrition and Biking Through the Lake have teamed up for the first Juneteenth Weekend Extravaganza in Lake Charles.

The designer behind the extravaganza is Eleanor Papillion, owner of Lit and Loaded, who said she originally conceived the idea of ​​collaborating with Biking Through the Lake to “bring something better to the community”.

She said she was surprised Lake Charles hadn’t already held events for the June 19 weekend and shared her thoughts with co-organizer Donnie Glyenn who supported her plans.

While Papillion’s doors will be open for business, she said her goals and aspirations for this weekend are not geared towards her small business, but rather “focus on other small businesses so people see and understand that small businesses are out there and we need to support them.”

The first celebratory occasion is scheduled for 3:30-7 p.m. on Friday, June 17, and will involve Black-owned businesses launching pop-up shops.

Papillion said his goal is to get everyone in to support “not just the North Side stores, but Lake Charles, Louisiana as a whole.”

There is no entry fee for buyers hoping to provide additional appreciation for local sellers and small business owners. According to Papillion, people who decide to attend Friday’s events can expect a fun shopping day filled with music and various food trucks.

Unique vendors such as real estate agents, Avery James Cosmetology and May Weather Boxing School will also be present. People can visit the pop-up shops at 1540 North Martin Luther King Highway.

The Juneteenth Extravaganza also includes a lighted, rolling bike ride on Saturday, June 18. The event begins at 7:30 p.m. All participants who decide to attend will be offered a loaded Herbalife tea. There is no charge for children ages 7-11 who have a bicycle and adult supervision throughout the ride. A $15 entry fee is required per person to participate if using a personal bike. If a person doesn’t bring a bike on occasion, it is available to rent for $30 per person. Rented bikes cover safety measures by means of colored LED rims, which also provide elements of creativity and fun.

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Anyone interested in attending the Lit and Rolling Bike Ride can find the meetup at @litandloadednutrition or @bikingthroughthelakellc on Instagram or Facebook.