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Mr. Liddell began his association
with fairs and festivals in 1980 when he was appointed Director of
the (then) second largest festival in the Greater New Orleans area,
Celebration Uptown, benefiting Children's Hospital. He held that
post until 1985 when he established the Freedom Festival benefiting
Slidell Memorial Hospital. He joined the French-Louisiana Heritage
Board of Directors in 1986 and has served as Vice-Chairman of the
Board since that time.
In 1987, Mr. Liddell was instrumental
in getting legislation passed preserving the tradition of fairs and
festivals cooking "in the traditional manner". Serving on a
state-wide committee appointed by the Louisiana Department of Health
& Hospitals, he pointed out several fairs and festivals throughout
Louisiana that would be devastated if participants could not
continue the practice of cooking on-site (outdoors). When the
committee's report was forwarded to the legislature, Liddell lobbied
heavily for its passage, which, if passed, would exempt fairs &
festivals from having to abide by the strict code of the Department
of Health and Hospitals. It passed and therefore saved such
traditional festivals as the Couchon d'Lait, Gumbo and Jambalaya and
Crawfish Festivals from possible extinction.
A two-time President of the Louisiana
Association of Fairs and Festivals, Liddell established the L.A.F.F.
Hall of Fame which honors outstanding contributors of the fair and
festivals industry. He was appointed to the Louisiana Tourism
Development Commission by Governor Edwin Edwards in 1992.
Mr. Liddell is married with one
daughter and four grandchildren. |
