Living In Parish Magazine

On a sunny afternoon in Satsuma, neighbors gathered alongside firefighters, elected officials, church members, and supporters to celebrate the opening of Fire District 4’s newest home, Station 11. While the building itself is impressive, the real story is what it represents: a continued investment in the people who call this corner of Livingston Parish home.

As families toured the station and children explored the fire trucks, it was easy to see the excitement surrounding the project. The new facility will serve as a hub for the firefighters who answer the call at all hours of the day and night, providing protection and peace of mind to a growing community.

The open house felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a neighborhood gathering. Visitors walked through the station, met the firefighters who serve the area, and spent time learning about the equipment that helps keep residents safe. Satsuma Baptist Church added to the welcoming atmosphere by providing lunch, reminding everyone that community support is often found in the simplest acts of service.

One of the things that makes Livingston Parish special is the way people come together around projects that benefit everyone. Fire stations are more than brick and mortar. They become landmarks, gathering places, and symbols of the people willing to serve their neighbors when they are needed most.

As Satsuma continues to grow, Station 11 stands ready to grow with it. We extend our congratulations to Fire District 4, its firefighters, leadership, and supporters on this exciting milestone and thank them for their continued dedication to protecting the communities they serve.

Welcome home, Station 11.

Two days in and more than 800 people have already submitted nominations for the first-ever Best of Livingston Parish Awards.

That’s 800 people taking the time to support local businesses, local organizations, local restaurants, local people, and everything that makes Livingston Parish home.

And then…

Some of y’all used the survey section like it was open mic night.

One of our questions asked:

“If someone was visiting Livingston Parish for the first time, what is one thing they absolutely have to experience?”

Some of the anonymous answers included:

• Pelican Credit Union
• Best Looking Deputies
• Walker Walmart
• Yes

Just “Yes.”

No explanation. No context. Just confidence.

Special recognition goes to the person who answered ‘Best Looking Deputies.’ We don’t know who you are, but we admire your commitment to supporting local law enforcement… for whatever reason motivated that answer. 😂

Meanwhile, we’re over here trying to figure out who nominated Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx for Best Home Decor Store. We said Livingston Parish. Y’all immediately left the parish.

At this point, reading these survey responses might be becoming our favorite part of the awards.

If you haven’t nominated yet, there’s still time. Be sure to answer the survey questions at the bottom too. There are four of them, and based on what we’ve seen so far, Livingston Parish is either incredibly passionate or completely unsupervised.

We’ll be sharing some of our favorite anonymous responses throughout the nomination period.

And yes, the person who answered “Walker Walmart” is currently winning the internet. 😂

Yesterday, members of the Kiwanis Club of Walker traded board meetings for tortoises and spent the morning with the campers at the City of Walker Parks & Recreation Summer Camp.

The campers had the chance to get up close with Sulcata tortoises courtesy of Walker Kiwanis. They learned that these incredible animals can live 50 to 70 years or more, weigh well over 100 pounds, dig massive underground burrows, and spend much of their day eating. The kids asked questions, made guesses, shared fun facts of their own, and, of course, eagerly lined up for the chance to touch the tortoises themselves.

One of the best parts of the presentation was watching the campers’ reactions. There were plenty of wide eyes when they learned how long tortoises can live and even more surprise when they found out these gentle giants start out small enough to fit in your hand before growing into some of the largest tortoises in the world.

The morning was about more than turtles, though. It was about giving kids an opportunity to learn something new, spark their curiosity, and have fun while doing it. That is exactly what summer camp should be. Judging by the laughter, raised hands, and constant stream of questions, the campers were fully invested from start to finish.

A special thank you to Wildcat Nutrition for providing loaded teas for the camp counselors. Keeping up with a room full of excited kids discussing giant tortoises is no small task.

Days like these are a reminder that some of the best community moments are also the simplest. A room full of kids, a few volunteers, a couple of tortoises, and an opportunity to learn something new. Sometimes that’s all it takes to create a memorable summer day in Livingston Parish. 🐢☀️💚

It’s here!

After months of celebrating the people, places, businesses, and organizations that make our community special, we’re excited to officially launch the First Annual Best of Livingston Parish Awards presented by Living In Parish Magazine!

This is the first fan-voted awards program created specifically for Livingston Parish, giving residents the opportunity to recognize the businesses, leaders, organizations, and local favorites they believe deserve the spotlight.

Here’s how it works:

• Phase One: Nominations (Now Open!)
For the next two weeks, we’ll be accepting nominations across all categories. We encourage you to nominate your favorite businesses, nonprofits, restaurants, professionals, community leaders, and local gems throughout Livingston Parish.

• Phase Two: Final Voting
Once nominations close, the top five most-nominated entries in each category will advance to the final voting round, where the community will determine the winners.

• Phase Three: The Best of Livingston Parish Issue
Winners will be featured in our August/September edition of Living In Parish Magazine, which will serve as our official Best of Livingston Parish issue and be distributed parish-wide.

Businesses that advance to the final round will also have special advertising and recognition upgrade opportunities available for the August/September issue. More details on those options will be announced soon.

Now here’s where we need your help:

Tag your favorite small businesses.
Tag your friends.
Tag the restaurant you can’t stop talking about.
Tag the local organization making a difference.
Tag the person who goes above and beyond every day.

Most importantly, don’t just nominate yourself. Help us recognize excellence across every industry and every corner of Livingston Parish.

To submit your nominations, visit our website and click on the Best of Livingston Parish Awards graphic featured on the homepage.

Fan Voted. Community Loved.

Let’s celebrate the very best of Livingston Parish together. 🏆💙🧡

https://livinginparishmagazine.com

Saturday brought plenty of mudbugs, music, and community spirit as Pinch N Peel hosted its 2nd Annual Crawfish Cook-Off. Families, friends, and crawfish lovers gathered for an afternoon packed with great food, friendly competition, local vendors, and live entertainment.

From the moment the pots started boiling, teams were hard at work putting their own spin on a Louisiana tradition. Contestants competed not only for bragging rights, but for the chance to take home one of the event’s coveted trophies. The atmosphere was equal parts competition and community gathering, with visitors enjoying crawfish samples while catching up with neighbors and supporting local businesses.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was the crawfish eating contest, which brought plenty of laughs and excitement from the crowd. (I may or may not have participated myself.) Between the cook-off, the vendors, and the steady stream of people filling the grounds, there was never a dull moment.

Live music from Connor Martin kept the energy going throughout the event, while Denver Ballard, candidate for Denham Springs City Council, kept things moving as emcee. Kids enjoyed activities and inflatables, families found plenty to do, and local vendors showcased everything from sweet treats and cotton candy creations to community organizations and small businesses.

The event served as another reminder of what makes Livingston Parish special. It wasn’t just about crawfish. It was about neighbors gathering together, supporting local businesses, and creating memories with friends and family.

A special thank you goes to Casey and Kristen with Pinch N Peel for organizing another successful event and bringing the community together for a great cause and a great time. Events like these take months of planning, countless volunteers, and a lot of hard work behind the scenes, and it certainly showed.

We had a wonderful time capturing the day and visiting with so many familiar faces. Be sure to check out the photo gallery, tag your friends, and show some love to all of the vendors, teams, musicians, sponsors, and volunteers who helped make the 2nd Annual Pinch N Peel Crawfish Cook-Off such a success.

Until next year, pass the crawfish. 🦞❤️

Congratulations to Hey Sis Boutique on their beautiful grand opening today in Denham Springs!

Despite the rainy weather, the celebration was filled with smiling faces, local vendors, great coffee, and plenty of shoppers eager to support a new small business in our community. From the bright pink storefront and festive balloon displays to the carefully curated clothing collection inside, every detail reflected the excitement and hard work that went into bringing this dream to life.

We loved seeing the community come together to welcome Hey Sis Boutique and support another locally owned business investing in Livingston Parish. Wishing the owners continued success as they begin this exciting new chapter.

Be sure to stop by, say hello, and shop local. There’s nothing better than watching a dream become reality right here at home.

📍 Hey Sis Boutique
34293 LA Highway 16
Denham Springs, LA

Congratulations from all of us at Living In Parish Magazine! 🩵

Today I attended my first meeting of the Edward Livingston Historical Society at the Livingston Parish Library.

I’ve spent the last few weeks diving headfirst into the history of Livingston Parish, learning about the people, places, events, and stories that shaped the community we call home. The deeper I dig, the more I realize just how much history is hiding in plain sight all around us.

After the meeting, I wandered over to the library’s free book section. Sitting right on top was this book: The Elements of Editing: A Modern Guide for Editors and Journalists.

Now maybe it’s coincidence. But of all the books that could have been sitting there, on the day I attended my first historical society meeting, while building a magazine dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of Livingston Parish, it felt a little too specific to ignore.

I took it as a reminder that sometimes when you’re following the right path, the universe has a funny way of leaving little breadcrumbs along the way.

Or maybe it’s just proof that librarians know exactly which books need to find which people.

Either way, the book came home with me.

📚❤️

Less than 100 followers away from 5,000.

When my mom and I started Living In Parish Magazine, we had no idea where this journey would take us. We just knew we loved Livingston Parish and wanted to create something positive that celebrated the people, businesses, history, events, and stories that make our community special.

Today, it’s still just us. A mother and daughter writing articles, taking photos, attending events, making deliveries, building relationships, and doing our best to tell the stories of the place we call home.

Every article you read, every photo you see, every magazine you pick up, every social media post you scroll past was created by two people who genuinely care about this parish and the people in it.

As we get closer to 5,000 followers, we’d love to ask a small favor. If you enjoy what we do, invite a friend to follow our page. Share a post. Tell someone about the magazine. Word of mouth has been our biggest supporter since day one.

Thank you for reading, commenting, sharing, stopping us at events, and picking up copies of the magazine each month. We are incredibly grateful for every single person who has decided to come along for the ride.

Here’s to the next 100 followers and the stories still waiting to be told.
🩵
— Lizzie & Ashleigh
Living In Parish Magazine

Today, Living In Parish Magazine had the opportunity to speak to the Denham Springs Kiwanis Club about our mission, our growth, and our vision for telling the stories that make Livingston Parish such a special place to call home.

I shared how Living In Parish Magazine was founded as a mother-daughter venture with one goal in mind: to celebrate the people, businesses, organizations, and communities that make our parish unique. From our first issue to today, the support from this community has been incredible, and we are grateful for every reader, advertiser, contributor, and partner who has helped us grow.

Thank you to the Denham Springs Kiwanis Club for the invitation, the warm welcome, and the opportunity to share our story. We look forward to continuing to highlight the people who are making a difference throughout Livingston Parish and beyond.