| L. A. F.
F. Email: laffadupre@yahoo.com
Website:www.laffnet.org
A Publication of the Louisiana
Association of Fairs and Festivals Al Dupré, Jr., Editor
APRIL 2006 Edition
APRIL 2006 Edition
PRESIDENT’s MESSAGE:
You can tell that spring is in the air, with fairs
and festivals in full Gear, hoping that the weather continues to
cooperate so everyone can enjoy themselves.
With the convention behind us, the new board of
Directors looks forward in providing services to you this year. We are
here for each and every one of you to work together for the good of our
association.
If you need me to audit your pageant, please
contact me and I will make arrangements to
Attend your pageant. I really enjoy helping out.
After convention I had the opportunity to audit the
Iowa Rabbit Festival, thanks to the Board, festival members and Faye
Vest for a successful pageant. I was able to witness the crowning of
not only a new queen but also a new King, and I am just wandering if I
will have to bow down each time I see the new King, Mr. Don Vest (Ms.
Faye’s husband) who truly deserved this honor.
I also attended the Patterson Cypress Sawmill
Pageant where again I was able to assist them by auditing their Miss
Pageant and their baby pageant. It was a fun filled Saturday with the
visiting queens enjoying a relaxing afternoon with a boat ride, and a
fun filled day at Mr. David Bourdier District I
Director’s camp.
The upcoming months will be very busy with various
fairs and festivals that I will be attending. Hope to see you on the
trail.
s/ Dennis Mouton 337-316-0597
***********
PAST-PRESIDENT’s MESSAGE
On March 18th,
I attended the Westlake Family, Fun and Food Festival Pageant.
Congratulations to Mitzie and Dimples for taking on Pageant Directors
for Westlake Family, Fun and Food. You both did a great job and
congratulations to your new queen, Rebecca Broussard.
Congratulations to the
newly crowned Miss Bunny, someone I know very well, Ashlie Bult.
Although the weather was a bit overcast, we headed over to the Iowa
Rabbit Festival on Sunday, March 19th and enjoyed visiting
with Faye and Don Vest, Ashlie and Rachel Bult and many other friends.
Hats off to everyone involved with the Iowa Rabbit Festival on your 20th
anniversary!
On March 26th,
Janet and I headed to Breaux Bridge to do a pageant seminar for their
contestants. I’m glad not to be judging this group as all these young
ladies are beautiful and any one of them will make a great queen. Our
best goes to each one of them. Thank you Byron and Donna for your
hospitality. We are looking forward to the Breaux Bridge Crawfish
Festival as well.
I look forward to
serving as Past President. Still working on my home, the work is
getting more and more intense and I look forward to the weekends when I
can get away and spend time with family and friends.
If we can assist you
with anything for your event or pageant, please do not hesitate to
contact us. My home number is 337-478-2355 or email
robpiraro@aol.com.
May all your skies be
blue and your crowds bigger and better than ever.
Rob Piraro
Past President
***********
TREASURER’s REPORT:
Happy springtime and
Happy Easter to everyone! With a cold spell coming in, it surely
doesn't feel like spring! I've been really busy with school and with
trying to overcome a bad case of bronchitis -- but I just know
everything will be better really soon!
Although this was
not a festival/fair pageant, I would like to report that Neal and I were
amongst the judging team for the Junior Miss Avoyelles Pageant on March
4 in Marksville. What a class act that Roseada and L.J. Mayeux put
on -- as usual, we were treated like royalty!
The following
weekend, Neal and I, along with "Nanny Gumbo," were the judges for the
Iowa Rabbit Festival Pageant and saw Ashley Bult win the title of Miss
Bunny. She will certainly be a great representative for her festival!
Congratulations to Don Vest for being selected King this year and to his
wife Faye Vest for another great pageant!
On March 18, I had
the privilege of judging the Washington Catfish Festival Pageant. Many
thanks go out to outgoing Ms. Queen, Anne Katherine Lené-Moss, and her
pageant director, Rebecca, for being so hospitable. Congratulations on
your new royalty!
I was supposed to
judge the Battle of Pleasant Hill Festival Pageant this weekend on March
25, but that bout of bronchitis has just gotten me down. I truly
apologize to them -- however Neal will be taking my place, and since he
is the historian in the family, will probably fit in just fine!
Our next LAFF board
meeting will be held on April 22nd in Westwego. All
interested festival/fair members are invited to participate, if in the
area. Also, if you would like to serve on any convention committees, I
am sure that Vice-President/Convention Chairman Paul McGee would just
relish the assistance!
Please call upon
myself or Neal if we can be of any assistance to your festival/fair. We
can be reached at
bnhoraist@aol.com
or at 337-893-6328.
s/ Barbara T.
Horaist
SECRETARY’s REPORT:
Please make the information in the newsletter
available to your fair/festival members. Check the website (www.laffnet.org)
updates and other member information. If you need any help with your
fair or festival, especially in judging a pageant or other type of
contest or just needing any assistance in general, please send an e-mail
to: GOTOBUTTON BM_1_ laffadupre@yahoo.com or call me at: 985-447-4658
or write: 2402 Elizabeth Street, Thibodaux, LA 70301
s/ Al Dupré
DISTRICT 4 DIRECTOR
Let me begin by saying "Thank You" to all of you
who have been praying for me and for my family. Most of you know
that I was not at convention this year because my mother was very ill.
Unfortunately, on Sunday after convention, my mother died.
She was a beautiful person and a great lady.
I miss her terribly.
I hope to begin traveling for LAFF in the
next few weeks, so maybe I will see some of my friends around the fairs
and festivals in District IV soon. If you can use me for working a
booth, manning a gate, judging competitions or directing traffic - CALL
ME. I am available to help any way that I can.
s/ Kaye Ladner
***********
DISTRICT 6 DIRECTOR
Greetings from District 6! March has been a
busy month. I judged the Miss DeQuincy Pageant on March 4th.
Congratulations to all their new queens.
We had our Ashland Spring Festival
Pageant on March 11th. Special thanks to District 5
Director, Chris Giordano, who was one of the judges. The new Queen is
Tori Clemons of Natchitoches.
On March 18th, I visited the
Nursery Festival in Forest Hill. Their festival was really nice. It was
a great day to buy plants and flowers at a great price. From there we
went out of my district to the Washington Catfish Pageant Luncheon. We
visited the festival grounds and went shopping at the Antique Mall. We
enjoyed visiting with all the queens, including the Queen of Queens,
Mischa Moore. Congratulations to all of their new queens!
We enjoyed having Dennis Mouton come up
for our kickoff Gospel/Bluegrass singing for the Ashland Spring Festival
on March 24th. After the singing, we enjoyed steak and
seafood at Sea and Sirloin Restaurant. Special thanks to Theresa Gibson,
with the
Robeline Heritage Festival, for accommodating
Dennis with a room at her Bed & Breakfast, Violet Hill.
On March 25th, the Ashland Spring
Festival went well. There were approximately 300 people in attendance
for the parade and festivities. Also on the 25th, we went
to the Battle of Pleasant Hill pageant. Their 2006 Miss Queen is
Katelyn Yates. The annual Battle of Pleasant Hill reenactment will be
held on April 8th and 9th.
Robeline Heritage Festival has set their
pageant date on May 6th at the new Event Center in
Natchitoches. The festival committee extends an invitation to the board
members and queens to come and visit their pageant. For more
information contact Theresa Gibson at 318-357-0557 or Fran Nelson at
318-472-9581.
s/ Alisa Yelverton
DISTRICT 7 DIRECTOR
The Fairs and Festivals are getting underway at
high speed. If you are looking for something to do, there will be no
weekends without a fair or festival. Visit as many of these events as
you can to get some new ideas for your event, and just show your support
for the fairs and festivals of Louisiana after the devastating hit we
all took after Katrina. The LAFF Board has hit the ground running, with
planning underway for the 2007 convention. If you have any ideas for
workshops or topics of interest please contact a board member and let
them know. If you have ideas to make the convention better or maybe to
make some changes you feel are necessary; contact your District Director
or Executive Board. We are here to serve you.
I wish to again express my thanks to everyone who
made this past year a success for LAFF, it is not just one person but
each and everyone us working together to make this organization strong
and successful.
I am again offering my services to any member
organization. If you need a judge for your pageant, an emcee or maybe
help in a booth at your event; contact me through the website and I’ll
do my best to help out. I will be unavailable from May 20th for
approximately 5 weeks, as I am having another surgical procedure, if I
am down that long. Look for me to be back as soon as humanly possible.
I’m looking forward to seeing many of you on the
road before May 20th, and remember the Board Meeting in
Westwego April22, at 10:00 A.M. All member organizations are welcome to
attend.
s/ Warren Deemer
***********
QUEEN of QUEENS
The month of March
kicked off my traveling. I attended the Strawberry ball (with pink eye),
the Miss Bunny Pageant in Iowa, the Washington Catfish Festival, and
then I had the opportunity to MC the Miss Westlake Family Fun and Food
queen's pageant. It looks like April will be busy too! Hope to see you
on the road. Happy Easter and travel safely
s/ Mischa Moore
***********
QUEENS’ HOTEL ROOMS
Please be aware that LAFF is not
going to be blocking rooms for queens in 2007. It will be the
responsibility of every fair or festival to make arrangements for their
queen and, as always, we advise you to book EARLY; as rooms will be not
held for anyone!
LAFF AWARDS –
DIVISION I FESTIVALS
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:
DERRIK MICHAEL JENNINGS (PATTERSON CYPRESS SAWMILL FESTIVAL)
PROFESSIONAL OF THE
YEAR: KARLA F. BRYON (BAYOU TECHE BEAR FEATIVAL)
CLASSIC AWARD: GUEYDAN
DUCK FESTIVAL
POSTER: BAYOU TECHE
BEAR FESTIVAL
BROCHURE: PATTERSON
CYPRESS SAWMILL FESTIVAL
PROGRAM BOOK: GUEYDAN
DUCK FESTIVAL
T-SHIRT: IOWA RABBIT
FESTIVAL
PIN/BUTTON: GUEYDAN
DUCK FESTIVAL
CAP: BAYOU TECHE BEAR
FESTIVAL
WEBSITE: PATTERSON
CYPRESS SAWMILL FESTIVAL
MARKETING ITEM-OPEN:
MOSS BLUFF HARVEST FESTIVAL
DIVISON I FAIRS
POSTER: PLAQUEMINES
PARISH FAIR & ORANGE FESTIVAL
BROCHURE: PLAQUEMINES
PARISH FAIR & ORANGE FESTIVAL
T-SHIRT: PLAQUEMINES
PARISH FAIR & ORANGE FESTIVAL
PIN/BUTTON: PLAQUEMINES
PARISH FAIR & ORANGE FESTIVAL
MARKETING ITEM-OPEN:
PLAQUEMINES PARISH FAIR & ORANGE FESTIVAL
DIVISION II FESTIVALS
CLASSIC AWARD: BREAUX
BRIDGE CRAWFISH FESTIVAL
POSTER: LOUISIANA
RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
BROUCHRE: RAYNE FROG
FESTIVAL
T-SHIRT: RAYNE FROG
FESTIVAL
PIN/BUTTON: LOUISIANA
CATFISH FESTIVAL
CAP: LOUISIANA CATFISH
FESTIVAL
WEBSITE: BREAUX BRIDGE
CRAWFISH FESTIVAL
MARKETING ITEM-OPEN:
LOUISIANA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL
DIVISION II FAIRS
T-SHIRT: LOUISIANA
CATTLE FESTIVAL & FAIR
PIN/BUTTON: LOUISIANA
CATTLE FESTIVAL & FAIR
CAP: LOUISIANA CATTLE
FESTIVAL & FAIR
WEBSITE: LOUISIANA
CATTLE FESTIVAL & FAIR
MARKETING ITEM-OPEN:
LOUISIANA CATTLE FESTIVAL & FAIR
DIVISION III
FESTIVALS
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEARS:
DAWNA WALKER (LOUISIANA PECAN FESTIVAL)
CLASSIC AWARD:
LOUISIANA SHRIMP & PETROLEUM FESTIVAL
POSTER: LOUISIANA
SHRIMP & PETROLEUM FESTIVAL
BROUCHER: PONCHATOULA
STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
PROGRAM BOOK:
PONCHATOULA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
T-SHIRT: LOUISIANA
SHRIMP & PETROLEUM FESTIVAL
PIN/BUTTON:
INTERNATIONAL RICE FESTIVAL
CAP: PONCHATOULA
STRWBERRY FESTIVAL
WEBSITE: INTERNATINAL
RICE FESTIVAL
MARKETING ITEM-OPEN:
LOUISIANA PECAN FESTIVAL
DIVISION III FAIRS
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR:
BOB LAMB (WASHINGTON PARISH FAIR)
CLASSIC AWARD:
WASHINGTON PARISH FAIR
POSTER: WASHINGTON
PARISH FAIR
BROUCHER: WASHINGTON
PARISH FAIR
PROGRAM BOOK:
WASHINGTON PARISH FAIR
T-SHIRT: WASHINGTON
PARISH FAIR
PIN/BUTTON: WASHINGTON
PARISH FAIR
CAP: WASHINGTON PARISH
FAIR
WEBSITE: WASHINGTON
PARISH FAIR
MARKTING ITEM-OPEN: WASHINGTON PARISH FAIR
***********
Essay Contest winners
Ashley Guidry 11th grade Live Oak
High School Denham Springs (Livingston Parish Fair)
“Proclaim liberty
throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof”- words
inscribed on the Liberty Bell. The people of the United States
celebrate the birthday of this great country as a free and independent
nation every Fourth of July. However, so many of us take that freedom
for granted, without recognizing what we are celebrating. Although
Americans today inherited freedom, previous generations paid a high
price for it years ago. Whether fighting for freedom of religion,
freedom from slavery, or freedom from dictatorship, there is always a
price to be paid.
Freedom comes in many
different forms. One type of liberty often fought for is religious
freedom. Original settlers to our country, for instance, came seeking
freedom of religion. Known as Pilgrims, this group of people left
everything they had behind for the chance to practice the religion of
their choice. Enduring harsh and inhumane conditions on their journey to
the Americas, the Pilgrims stayed focused on opportunities ahead. These
conditions included fierce weather, and lack of food and water that led
to disease, and ultimately, many deaths. In light of this challenging
voyage, it is obvious that freedom did not come easy, and it did not
come free. Every individual who suffered the trip paid a high price for
the freedom most important to them, to worship freely.
These immigrants
eventually formed a free country. Ironically, however, there came a time
when some men, women, and even children were sold into slavery in this
very nation These African Americans were anything but free. The issue of
slavery led to a war, as a disagreement arose between the northern and
southern states. Lives were lost, relationships were damaged, and a
nation was torn apart as a result of this pursuit of individual freedom.
Even after the Civil War, which ended slavery, restrictions were placed
on these former slaves. They had many obstacles to overcome before they
truly experienced freedom. Although enduring much ridicule and abuse by
those who considered themselves to be superior, these “freedmen” did not
stop fighting until they had equal rights as they do today.
This same superior
attitude can be seen in dictatorships, where freedom must also be fought
for. This scenario has been played out over and over in history and
continues today. The War on Terrorism and the War in Iraq are examples
of modem day encounters with dictatorships. In order to gain and
maintain freedom, many lives have been lost. In addition, our nation has
spent billions of dollars. These are just a few of the many costs of
achieving a nation’s freedom.
The sacrifices made
for liberty of any sort are impossible to comprehend. The costs are many
and varied and affect people on an individual basis. Freedom can be
defined differently from one person to the next, as can the costs. No
matter what the form of freedom; religious, individual, or nation wide,
there is always a cost. What a glorious day it would be to see every
individual in this country, when lighting fireworks on the Fourth of
July, entering a voting booth, or worshipping in the church of their
choice, remember the costs of those freedoms.
***********
Kayla Reed 8th
grade Belle Chasse Middle School (Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange
Festival)
The government says
that Hurricane Katrina was the most costly disaster in the United
States. But I can name one higher, the cost of Freedom. The United
States is one of few countries that have many freedoms. Unfortunately,
certain occurrences keep us from living to the full extent.
In September of 2001,
our country was devastated when terrorists hijacked four planes and
crashed them in various places in our country. However, the cost
post-9/l 1 is much greater. The cost was great and increased our
country’s debt. More so, was the actual war in Iraq. It cost our country
a lot of money to repair the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, so was
the cost to create supplies for war. We needed to produce tanks, guns,
missiles, planes, and other materials that could aid in a victory for
our county.
To fund this, the
government needed money and a lot of it. Taxes were raised. You may
think how much money can be raised on taxes alone? Well, when you live
in a country with personal income, social security, state, local,
corporation income sales, excise, property, estate, tariff, inheritance,
and gift taxes then there is a lot of money gained. Especially when some
people paying these taxes pay them on several million dollars. These
taxes don’t just come from the people; they come from other countries
that buy our goods and the corporations that sell them. With all of the
extra taxes it’s a miracle we still have enough money to survive. If
this is not a cost of freedom I don’t know what is.
The greatest costs of
living we are forced to pay have no dollar value, but affect all of the
United States, are the lives lost in our country and our state of
living. As a result of recent battles and wars with Middle Eastern
countries, many U.S. troops were sent to Iraq. Many soldiers were killed
defending our country and ultimately our freedom. Others were
slaughtered by suicide bombers attempt to get rid of all U.S. troops.
The events
following September II have also taken a toll on our state of living.
Our standard of living is quite high as we live quite comfortable lives.
However, after the terrorist attacks on our country, security was
heightened in airports. People all over were, and still are, terrified
to leave the safety of their homes. Who is saying that terrorists won’t
come to the United States and set off car bombs, kill innocent students
at a place where parents know they cannot be harmed, or take over more
flights? Nothing can calm the country until we finish what we’ve
started.
In conclusion, our
country comes with a rather high price, the cost of freedom. This does
not come at a low price for us. We needed large sums of money to fund
wars and invasions, which were paid for by our tax dollars. But the most
costly aspect of our bill is greater than any sum of money can ever
satisfy, the lives of our fellow Americans and family members and our
feeling of protection. As you can see, the cost of freedom for the
United States of America is not one that can be paid for with money
alone.
*******************************
EVENTS TO ATTEND
With the recent storms, information has been
updated as available, always call before going; especially this year!
March 30 - April 2
Patterson Cypress Sawmill Festival (1)
Patterson, LA
April 1 - 2
Lawtell Crawfish Boat Festival (2)
Lawtell, LA
April 1
Festival Ray*La*Ne* (3)
Rayne, LA
April 6 – 8
Louisiana Railroad Days Festival (2)
DeQuincy, LA
April 7 - 9
Battle of Pleasant Hill Festival (6)
Pleasant Hill, LA
April 7 - 9
Boggy Bayou Festival (2)
Pine Prairie, LA
April 7 - 9
Cajun Hot Sauce Festival (3)
New Iberia, LA
April 7 - 9
Potpourri Festival (7)
Westwego, La.
April 7 - 9
Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival (4)
Ponchatoula, LA
April 8
Franklin Parish Catfish Festival (5)
Winnsboro, LA
April 8
Southdown Marketplace Arts & Crafts Festival (1)
Houma, LA
April 13 – 15
Great Southern Bluegrass Festival (4)
Angie, LA
April 21 - 23
French Quarter Festival (7)
New Orleans, LA
April 21 – 23
Lockport Fall Festival (1)
Lockport, LA
April 22 - 23
Bayou Teche Bear Festival (1)
Franklin, LA
April 26 - 30
Festival International De Louisiane (3)
Lafayette, LA
April 28 - 30
Etouffee Festival (3)
Arnaudville, LA
April 28 - 30
Family Fun Festival (1)
Larose, LA
April 28 - 30
Independence Italian Festival (4)
Tickfaw, LA
April 28 – 30
Spring Fling (6)
Natchitoches, La.
April 29
St. Joan of Arc Fair & Beauty Pageant (7)
LaPlace, LA
April 29 – 30
Cajun Woodstock for St Jude’s (3)
Church Point, LA
April 30
Acadiana Charter Chapter Festival (3)
Eunice, LA
Convention 2007
“Welcome to LAFF Vegas” Holiday Inn Select
Baton Rouge February 1, 2, 3 & 4,
2007
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