MAY 2006 Edition

       PRESIDENT’s MESSAGE:

 It is time now that we move into the new era.  Since email is the most effective and fastest way of communication, beginning next month (June 2006 edition) we will send out our newsletters via email.  We will try this process for a period of six months; if it is successful then we will continue to email the newsletter each month.   If you want more of your members to receive the monthly newsletter just contact Al Dupré, LAFF Secretary, with their email addresses.

 We are also raising the yearly dues from $55.00 to $75.00, only a $20.00 increase starting in 2007.  Our dues have not changed since the early 90’s.

 I would like to thank the Westwego Cypress Swamp Festival and the Bridge City Gumbo Festival for providing the meal for our quarterly LAFF Board meeting.  We would also like to thank the Westwego Volunteer Fire Department for hosting the meeting at their facility.  The food and hospitality was enjoyed by all.

 The summer heat is approaching us, but fairs and festivals are still going strong.  A lot of pageants/fairs/festivals will be held this month.

 I want to thank Alisa Yelverton - District 6 Director for taking me to Ashland Spring Festival where I met some wonderful people.  Some very talented entertainers were found at this festival.  It was nice to visit with Alisa and her family at a steak house, and I was treated like a KING, I was even allowed to stay at a bed and breakfast owned by Ms. Theresa Gibson who is also with Robeline Heritage Festival, she was a great host.  This was the first time that I went to this festival and I was extremely impressed.

 I want to thank Cajun Hot Sauce for allowing me to help them audit their pageant, and also bringing me around at their fair grounds.  Hedi Frederick and Monica Delcambre did a wonderful job with their pageant.  A hometown girl from Erath won.

 I had the opportunity to go down to Patterson, La. To visit their festival and believe me David Bourdier has one great festival going on, he has a wonderful staff helping him out.  

On April 6, I attended the Zone 6 Meeting in Tulsa Oklahoma.  “Us Cajuns” showed the people from Oklahoma how to have a good time.  We even entertained the I.A.F.E.  CEO/President Jim Tucker, he is planning on attending our LAFF convention in 2007.   He may even want to try eating crawfish.   

 It was great seeing the Contraband festival members at their annual pageant and hoping that they have a great festival coming up the first part of May.   Kam did a wonderful job, with her pageant.

 Breaux Bridge Crawfish President Byron Blanchard and his festival board put on a great pageant which was held at the Hilton.  Their festival is coming up May 5-6- & 7^th.

 After the Quarterly Board Meeting held this Saturday I went off to Arnaudville, La. I audited the Etouffee Pageant for Ms. Barbara Sanders.  A great turn out.

 If there is anything that I can do to help please do not hesitate to contact me, again I am always available to assist you at your fair/festival or pageant.

 s/ Dennis Mouton    

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 NEW ADDRESS FOR MEMBERSHIPS/CONVENTION REGISTRATION, ETC:

LAFF Treasurer

P O Box 1608

 PAST-PRESIDENT’s MESSAGE

 Janet and I had the pleasure of doing something a little different on March 26^th.  At the request of the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, we were asked to come to Breaux Bridge and do a pageant workshop.   It was our honor to work with their beautiful contestants and do a mock interview plus go over proper attire for interview and the pageant.  We gave out handouts “Preparing for a Pageant” and a list of typical questions that may be asked in interview.  This was not for the contestants to memorize any answers, but merely to have them be familiar with the types of questions that may be asked in a fair or festival pageant interview.  Thank you Byron for asking us to do this; we had a wonderful time.  If any one of you would like to do something similar, just give us a call at 337-478-2355.  We do not charge a fee; it is strictly to assist other fairs and festivals.

 On March 31^st, the Executive Board met with the management of the Holiday Inn Select in Baton Rouge to review complaints from Convention 2006.  Major issues were addressed and we will meet with them again in January just prior to convention to make certain we will have a great convention.

 April 1^st, I attended the Contraband Days Pageant and assisted with the auditing.  Congratulations to Kam Jaquebeck and her staff for a great production and to their new queens.

April 6^th, I headed up to DeQuincy for the Louisiana Railroad Days Festival and Pageant.  They held a “womanless” pageant this year prior to their queens’ pageant and it seemed to be a tremendous success.  Congratulations to their new queens as well.

 April 9^th, we held our annual CFMA, Lake Charles Chapter, Children’s Easter Party and family picnic.  This was the first time in about 5 years that it did not rain on our event!  The children and grown-ups alike enjoyed great live music and lots of Easter fun.

April 15^th, Janet and I headed back to Breaux Bridge for the Crawfish Festival Queen’s Pageant.  This organization puts on a great show and everyone in the audience applauds them on the glamorous way they introduced the visiting royalty.  This was quite a production and the visiting queens enjoyed it and so did the audience.  Thank you for inviting us and congratulations to your new queens as well.

 On April 22^nd, I traveled to Westwego for the Quarterly LAFF Board Meeting.  Thank you to the Louisiana Catfish Festival for sponsoring hotel accommodations for us and thank you to Bridge City Gumbo and Westwego Cypress Swamp Festival for the great food and warm hospitality.  We greatly appreciate it.

 On the return home from Westwego, we attended the Etouffee Festival Queens’ Pageant in Arnaudville where once again I assisted our LAFF President with the auditing for the pageant.  Congratulations to Barbara Sanders for a job well done and to your new queens for 2006.

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               TREASURER’s  REPORT:

 Many thanks to the Westwego Cypress Swamp Festival and Bridge City Gumbo Festival for hosting our LAFF board meeting in Westwego on April 22.  Everything was great -- the food, the meeting room, and the camaraderie of all there!

 On March 25, Neal filled in for me as a judge at the Battle of Pleasant Hill Festival Pageant.  Unfortunately I had bronchitis and was unable to make it.  He had a great time and sends his thanks out to all the committee members!

Hopefully everyone had a great Easter and is enjoying the spring weather -- we could use some rain, just not during any festivals/fairs.  And not in the form of a hurricane, right?!

 Please let Neal or me know if we can assist your festival/ fair in any way.  We would be more than happy to offer our help.  Our phone number:  337-893-6328.  Our email address:  bnhoraist@aol.com.  We will be changing our email address at the very beginning of May. I will give out our new email address in the next newsletter, which will be online at our website or emailed to you.

 Get ready for a great convention in Baton Rouge on February 1-4, 2007, with a LAFF-Vegas theme!  Please offer your assistance or ideas if you wish to help with convention to Vice President Paul McGee.

 s/ Barbara T. Horaist

 SECRETARY’s REPORT:

 Please note “highlights” of recent Board meeting in this newsletter.  Also, please make the information in the newsletter available to your fair/festival members.  Submit email addresses for “newsletter group”.  Please either type or print very clearly these email addresses.  Also, check the website (www.laffnet.org) for the newsletter, 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 3 DIRECTOR

 This has been a busy month. We started out with attending the Cochon de lait Festival Pageant in Mansura.

     Had the pleasure of going to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the Zone 6 meeting for the International of Association Fairs and Expo. Dennis and Natalie Mouton, Al and Mona Dupre and my wife Vicki and I. We attended work shops which were very beneficial to my district. Took a trip to the Will Rogers Museum and had a chuck wagon supper at his home.

     We then went to the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Pageant at the Hilton in Lafayette. Congratulations to Mallory Spinner on being named Crawfish Queen.

    This weekend was really busy. We left Friday to go to Arnaudville for my festival pageant, the Etouffee Festival Pageant. Great job Mrs. Barbara Sanders & Mrs. Cheryl Bourque. I would like to thank Kristine Alcantara for doing a wonderful job representing the festival. She will be missed. I would like to welcome the new Etouffee Festival Queen Michelyn Bernard. I look forward to seeing her as she travels around the state. I know she will do a great job.

   On Saturday morning my wife and I picked up our Queen of Queen Misha Moore and headed to Westwego to the LAFF board meeting. Very interesting meeting. Right after the meeting we all headed back to Arnaudville for the pageant that night. The next day was the children’s pageant.

  I would like to invite everyone to the Arnaudville Etouffee Festival on April 28-30. Hope to see you there.

   If anyone in District 3 needs any help with anything please call or email me and I will see what I can do for you.

 s/ Jim Meaux

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 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

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 DISTRICT 5 DIRECTOR

 There hasn't been much activity in Zone 5 over the past couple of months.  I was a judge at the Ashland Spring Fling Queen's Pageant on March 11.  Thanks to Alisa Yelverton for the opportunity to be a part of this event. 

      I traveled to Tulsa, OK for the IAFE Zone 6 meeting.  The Tulsa State Fair staff did a wonderful job of hosting the meeting.  There were many educational seminars and workshops.  Most of the topics were on sponsorship sales.  We all know how difficult it can be to accomplish your sponsorship goals with so many non-profits competing for those dollars, but they offered some valuable information on how to make it happen. 

      I wasn't able to attend the Franklin Parish Catfish Festival due to the Zone 6 meeting.  I hope that the folks in Winnsboro had a successful event this year and I will try to attend next year. 

     I just returned from the LAFF Board Meeting held in Westwego, LA.  I would like to thank the Volunteer Fire Dept for providing their facilities and the Westwego Cypress Swamp Festival and Bridge City Gumbo Festival for the great food.  We had a very productive board meeting and made some adjustments to the budget that will benefit the association.  

     The State Fair of Louisiana will be celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year.  We have a great fair planned and I invite anyone to attend.  Our dates are October 26 - November 12, 2006.  For the first time in many years, the State Fair of Louisiana will hold a pageant.  It is open to anyone in the state and the winner will be sent to the LAFF Queen of Queen's Pageant.  Our Pageant Director is Janet Piraro.  She can be reached at (337) 478-2355 or by e-mail at robpiraro@aol.com.   

          I invite any event in Zone 5 to contact me with any news that they would like to include in the newsletter.  I can be reached at (318) 635-1361 or chris@statefairoflouisiana.com.  Good luck to all the fairs and festivals throughout the state of Louisiana as we try to rebuild our industry after the hurricanes.  Let's pray that we don't have a season like last year.

 s/ Chris Giordano

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 DISTRICT 6 DIRECTOR

     I got a call to judge the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival pageant, but was unable.  I helped to direct a fundraiser pageant for the March of Dimes on the same day.  I am happy to say we raised a little over $2300.00 for the March of Dimes.  My sister, Tammy Jones, went and judged the crawfish pageant in my place.  She said it was a great pageant and they treated her like SHE was the Queen.  Sorry I had to miss that one! 

s/ Alisa Yelverton

DISTRICT 7 DIRECTOR

 Another month has come and gone and the Fairs and Festivals around the state are gearing up for the big push.  I want to congratulate The OLPS Pot Pourri Festival in Westwego for another successful year, outdoing what they did last year by an appreciable amount.  Daniel Hill and his lovely wife have worked hard and long along with his festival committee to make this event successful and deserve all the props for their effort.  Danny has had a few medical problems since the festival and we wish Danny the best.  We will all be thinking about you and keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.  The District 7 Festivals will be getting into full swing so I hope everyone will support their festival as well as your neighbors.  The first weekend in June will be the Lafitte Yacht Club World Championship Pirogue Races on Bayou Barataria.  We wish you fair winds and safe sailing.  Our Lady of Prompt Succor Tomato Festival in Chalmette for May 5 – 7. 

The Westwego Cypress Swamp Festival in conjunction with the Bridge City Gumbo Festival hosted the Quarterly Board meeting for LAFF in Westwego on Saturday April 22.  The meeting was quite spirited at times as we discussed the operations and budget for the coming year.  The board discussion on all matters we always directed to the best interest of the LAFF membership.  I look forward to working with this board for the coming three year term, to insure that we remain a leader on your behalf and always working for the best interest of OUR organization.  The preliminary schedule for the 2007 convention was discussed and I can assure you that we will have another successful and educational convention.  Please be reminded that YOUR Fair or Festival is responsible for securing YOUR QUEENS accommodations for the upcoming convention.  The LAFF board is not setting aside a room block for the queens.  Also be reminded that making reservations as early as possible will secure your rooms at the main hotel.  I suggest that you plan early and secure your rooms and YOUR Queens room as early as you possible can.

Questions have been asked as to how the Divisions of LAFF are designated, this is the attendance breakdown that was conveyed to me at the board meeting.

 Division I               1 to 49,999 attendees

Division II             50,000 to 99,999 attendees

Division III            100,000 and above attendees 

 To enable us to better determine the division assignments for your Fair or Festival, I am requesting all Fairs and Festivals in District 7 to please forward your last attendance at your event to me by e-mail at: laffpres04@cox.net.  This will enable us to compile the listings so that you will know what events you will be competing with for the marketing awards.

 Until next month, here’s hoping for clear skies and great success for your event.

 s/ Warren Deemer

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        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

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 2007 QUEEN OF QUEENS INFORMATION

 It is very important that every sponsoring fair or festival know that LAFF will not be blocking hotel rooms for queens in 2007.  It is up to each individual organization to make their hotel room reservations for their queens EARLY.

 The deadline to enter Queen of Queens and to have all ads turned in will be December 1, 2006 because of the early dates for Convention 2007.  LAFF will still take entries until January 1, 2007, but no photographs of any queens entered after the deadline of December 1^st will be put in the program book.  Encourage your queens to have their photographs done early and to get their entry forms and photographs turned in to me, Janet Piraro, no later than December 1^st, 2006. 

 If your organization has a new Pageant Director, please mail me her name and mailing address in order for her to receive the 2007 Queens’ Packet which will be going out in early May.  My mailing address is 4304 Sarver Street, Lake Charles, LA 70605 or you may email me at robpiraro@aol.com or telephone me at 337-478-2355.

 If anyone is interested in serving on the 2007 Pageant Committee, please get in touch with me.  2007 will be my last year to serve as Pageant Coordinator and I look forward to working with as many of you as possible.

 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!

Excerpts of 4/22/06 LAFF meeting:

Nominations, Credentials, & Elections – to be handled by J. H. Martin; elections for executive offices and Directors for #3 & #4; Essay Contest - “Rebuilding LA, is it a gamble?” Poster Contest - “My fair or festival”; Queen Decorations Contest will be banner 2.5 ft X 4 ft.; Seeking “business card” ads for newsletter - $100 for 12 months Publish one more printed newsletter then go to internet newsletter for 6 months;

 Budgets adopted as follows:

            CONVENTION BUDGET 2007

           EXPENDITURES/AMOUNTS                                                                                            

AWARDS                               4,000.00

DECORATIONS                                   500.00

  FOOD & BEVERAGE                 60,000.00             

QUEEN’S PAGEANT                     15,000.00

   SOUND/LIGHTS                            3,500.00

   EQUIPMENT                                     1,000.00

   REFUNDS                                              500.00

   MISCELLANEOUS                        6,000.00            

HOTEL ROOMS                             6,000.00

      (EXEC BD & QUEEN)              

    TOTAL                                               96,500.00

\INCOME/AMOUNTS

  REGISTRATIONS                        35,000.00

  INDIVIDUAL TICKETS               35,000.00

  BOOTHS                                               2,150.00

  ADS                                                       8,000.00

  80 QUEENS @ 125.00               10,000.00

  AUCTION                                              1,500.00

  RAFFLE                                              1,300.00

  SPONSORSHIPS                              8,700.00

  MISCELLANEOUS                       3,200.00

  TOTAL                              104,500.00

                          BUDGET 2006

    EXPENDITURES/AMOUNTS                               

STIPENDS                                        200.00

PHONE                                            200.00

WEB PAGE                                       500.00         

EQUIPMENT                                   1,000.00

TRAVEL FOR……….

   PRESIDENT                                 1,500.00

  VICE-PRESIDENT                         1,250.00

     SECRETARY                                 750.00         

      TREASURER                                            750.00

      IAFE                                                          2,400.00        

      QUEEN                                                   1,500.00

       PAST-PRESIDENT                            750.00

       LA. TOURISM                                       300.00

       DIRECTORS                                      3,500.00

TAX PREPARATION                                350.00

DUES                                                                 100.00

POSTAGE                                                   1,000.00

OFFICE SUPPLIES                              1,250.00

PRINTING & NEWSLETTER         1,500.00

BROCHURE                                            10,000.00

INSURANCE                                              1,200.00

BOARD MEETINGS                             1,000.00

PRESIDENT’S AWARDS                       500.00

MISCELLANEOUS                                 1,000.00

TOTAL                                                   32,,500.00

\INCOME/AMOUNTS

  MEMBERSHIP DUES           9,785.00

 CONVENTION PROFIT           4,000.00                  

INTEREST (CD & MMDA)          750.00

  2006 TOTAL                                   14,535..00

 CASH IN CHECKING ACCT.          25,407.31

    (AS OF 12-31-05)

TOTAL (INCOME + CASH)              39,942.31

 DIFFERENCE                                             7,442.31   

Approved new members:  Ponchatoula Oktoberfest;  L’Angelus, Cajun Zing Cuisine, Pageant Association of LA, Kayla Woodson & LA Lightning; Associates; Convention Registration and memberships will be mailed to Treasurer, checks deposited; queen’s info to Pageant Dir. And convention info to Secretary; Dues for 2007 to be $ 75.00 (any event that has previously paid 2007 dues accepted as paid); Next “Members hand book” published for 2007   Next Meeting – hosted by Church Point Buggy Fest on July 22nd  

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EVENTS TO ATTEND

With the recent storms, information has been updated as available, always call before going; especially this year!

 May 2 - 14

Contraband Days Festival (2)

Lake Charles

 May 4 - 7

Thibodaux Firemen’s Fair (1)

Thibodaux

May 5 - 7

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival (3)

Breaux Bridge

May 5 - 7

Our Lady of Prompt Succor Tomato Festival (7)

Chalmette

May 6

Celebration of Herbs and Garden (3)

Sunset

May 6

CFMA Acadian Charter Chapter Festival (3)

Eunice

May 6

Vietnam Veterans for St Jude’s Children’s Hospital (3)

Eunice

May 11 - 14

Cochon de Lait Festival (6)

Mansura

May 12 - 14

Sausage Cook-off (3)

Lafayette

May 12 – 13

Zwolle Logger & Forestry Festival (6)

Zwolle

May 13

LA Cajun Food Fest (3)

Kaplan

May 13

Poke Salad Festival (5)

Blanchard

May 18 - 20

Starks Mayhaw Festival (2)

Starks

May 25 - 28

Jambalaya Festival (4)

Gonzales

  Convention 2007

“Welcome to LAFF Vegas”

Holiday Inn Select Baton Rouge

February 1, 2, 3 & 4, 2007