bearfest 2011
DESCRIPTION
A supplement to The Banner-Tribune and StMaryNow.comTRANSCRIPT
Page 4, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Depending on weather conditionsand the number of hikers we may haveto change the location of the hike at thelast minute. If the group is small andwe have adequate transportation youmay be asked to ride with us to thehike location. If you are coming as alarge group, you may meet us at theFairfax Foster Bailey Boat Landingproviding you have notified us beforeApril 14.
Motorcycle ‘Bear’ Poker RunEntry Fee $10 ($5 for an additional
rider)Starting at Lake End Park, Morgan
City, 8 a.m. Saturday with registrationand first draw. Departure will be at9:15 a.m.
STOPS: Patterson Truck Stop, 2ndDraw; Lockett Center, Four Corners,3rd Draw; Baldwin Police Station, 4thDraw; Main Street Café, Franklin, 5thDraw.
Motorcycle ShowDowntown Franklin, starting at 1
p.m. Saturday. For more information:
Courtney Williams, 337-207-2466 orGary Stevenson, 985-397-2253.
Photography Contest (Non-Pro-fessional) Show and Sale
Registration: Friday from 5-7 p.m. atthe corner of Main and Willow.
Entry Fee Adults, (13 yrs and over)$3 per entry, limit three entries.
Entry Fee Children, (12 yrs. andyounger) free, limit three entries.
Prizes: Non-Professional Adult FirstPlace $100, second $75 and third place$50.
Non-Professional Children first, sec-ond and third place ribbons in threedivisions: Pre-K and kindergarten, firstthrough third grades and fourththrough sixth grades.
All entries must be have a wirehanger on the back. Entries will beeliminated if these requirements arenot met
All entries must be picked up before4 p.m. Sunday. Entries not picked upwill be taken to AGU Gallery in Mor-gan City
For questions: Laura Zuniga, 337-828-0811
Running of the Bears 5KRun/Walk
Hosted by Teche Action Clinic onSaturday.
Starts at 9 a.m. with runners andwalkers at the St. Mary Parish Court-house Square.
Registration beginning at 7:30 a.m.at $25 per person. Contact: AlfreidaEdwards 985-397-1096 [email protected]
SouvenirsFestival shirts, hats, posters and
more will be sold throughout the festi-val weekend.
Teddy Bear and Friends RepairClinic (Free Zone)
Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.Sit in the waiting room located in the
Cub Club Arena on the corner of TecheDrive and Willow Street while Dr.Donna Tesi and her surgery staff repairyour favorite stuffed animals no matterwhat type. We saved several snakeslast year, a couple of elephants, agiraffe, and a few bears. Our staffextends utmost pride to provide yourloved ones with gentle care and loving
hands and it’s free.Teen ZoneFriday through Sunday on Main
Street.Contact: Judith Allain 337-828-5739
[email protected] Price Per Entry: TBABayou Teche Wooden Boat ShowOn Saturday and Sunday view a col-
lection of antique and newly builtwatercraft on display, all constructed ofwood. Some will be plywood, but manywill employ traditional boat buildingmethods ranging in style from thePacific Northwest to the bayous ofCajun Country. The exact number andtype of boats on display is being assem-bled, but will include cypress-framedskiffs and bateaus, elegant yachts fromyesteryear, cedar canoes or mahoganyrunabouts. These are beautiful, classiccraft from days gone by, and can beseen on the bayouside near Teche Driveand Adams Street. The show begins at9 a.m. Saturday morning and con-cludes at 6 p.m. Sunday. More info,Roger Stouff, [email protected] or call 828-3706.
Plenty to see and do at Bear and Birding Fest...Continued from Page 3
Boat tours sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wooden boat show held adjacent to the festival grounds
Education AND fun activities
Music and dancing in the streest
Lorrainne Deslatte Sauls, Artist
Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival, Page 3Page 2, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Listen to the music all weekend at BearFest 2011Music is a main stay of any south
Louisiana festival, and this year’sBayou Teche Black Bear and BirdingFestival has plenty on tap.
Here’s the schedule of musical enter-tainment for the weekend.
Friday6 – 8 p.m. - Flash Back
Old school R&B band that plays awide selection of old school and bluesmusic with a total of eight members.8:45-10:45 p.m. - Chubby Carrierand Bayou Swamp Band
One word to describe the swampdelicsounds of Chubby Carrier and BayouSwamp Band? Fun. Pure LouisianaZydeco fun with a hot sauce chaser.Anybody who has doubts about theaccordion as an instrument will beswayed the right way with Carrier’spassion and fire on the instrument.
Chubby Carrier started out as twin-kle in Roy Carrier’s eye. The Carriersare one of the great musical families inLouisiana. There’s Poppa Roy, Chubby,Chubby’s brother Troy (aka Dikki Duand The Zydeco Krewe), Roy’s nephewDwight Carrier and The Zydeco RoDogs. There’s also Chubby’s AuntLaura Maria Doolittle (aka Zydeco-T)who plays with Mojo and the BayouGypsies.
A documentary about the family hasbeen filmed.
There’s traditional roots in Chubby’sZydeco, but expands the sound for allages. Live and in studio he’s takensongs like B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby,”Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round inCircles,” The Who’s “Squeeze Box”,War’s “Cisco Kid” and the GratefulDead’s “Fire On The Mountain” anddragged them through the swamp withbeautiful results. It’s adding Louisianaspice to popular tunes that help Carri-er build the bridge between Zydeco andthe rest of the world. Mardi Gras canhappen 365 days a year.
Saturday1-2 p.m. -– A Dime A Dozen
Teen group from Berwick3-5 p.m. -– Rick Lorenzo
Acoustic pop and easy listening.5:45-7:45 p.m. -– John Trahan
A lot has happened since John Tra-han’s debut disc 17 years ago, includinga career move to Dallas and a recentrelocation back to native VermilionParish. But one thing’s for sure: Henever lost his accordion chops or beau-tiful tenor voice. That’s certainly in evi-dence here on such standards as“Madame Bozo” and “Convict Waltz,”where his accordion playing is as beefyas ever. He more than gets by with alittle help from his friends, an A-list setof players that includes BeauSoleil’sMichael Doucet, Mitch Reed andJimmy Breaux.
But since the album took three yearsto complete, the focus slowly shifted
from being a tribute to his accordionheroes (Shirley Bergeron, Iry LeJeune,Lawrence Walker) to unveiling materi-al from area songwriters, such as John-nie Allan (“La Valse de Marier”) andIvy Dugas (“The Queen of the BrokenHeart.”). While most selections are inFrench, Trahan includes some English-sung Cajun Americana that, as Doucetpoints out in the liner notes, “reflectsthe view of an exiled Cajun.” The EddyRaven-Jimmy C. Newman-penned “MyMy Louisiana” couldn’t be more perfect— a song extolling various locales ofthe Pelican State that was almostprophetic of Trahan’s return. Moreimportantly, Trahan accomplishes theunusual here, a rare blend of traditionand contemporary material that worksas an artistic signature.8:30-10:30 p.m. -– Johnny Chau-vin’s Mojo Band
Johnny Chauvin has been living andbreathing music since early childhood.Born and raised in Franklin, Johnnystarted playing the guitar at the age of12. He then furthered his musical tal-ents by picking up the banjo at 14, thenthe mandolin at 16. It was in 1990 thatJohnny wanted to try an instrumentthat had always fascinated him, theCajun accordion. He purchased his firstaccordion, a Falcon, the same brandplayed by the greats like Wayne Toups,etc. Johnny had found a new outlet forhis musical expression.
He went on to do spot jobs with vari-ous artists like Waylon Thibodaux,Wild Rice, La Red, Don Rich and manymore. It was in 2001 that Johnnydecided to venture out on his own,starting the Mojo Band. Together witha talented group of serious musicians,Johnny found the sound he’s been look-ing for. His charisma on stage is infec-tious; he will definately put you in agreat mood before the first song isdone!
Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Bandare southern Louisiana’s coolest Zydecoband. Their sound is a lot like gumbo: amixture of R&B, rock and roll and soulall cooked up with that Zydeco spicethat’s guaranteed to make you moveyour feet.
Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Bandbecame somewhat of a local legend overthe past decade, with his raucous Zyde-co Cajun style and smooth infectioussinging voice winning over all who hadthe opportunity to hear them. Whenthe Saints began their mercurial run toglory Chauvin released two songs thathave become anthems for the team’smarch to success, with the first,“Watching Them Play,” becoming alocal radio, then national sensation.
Sunday11-12:30 p.m. – Gospel Chimes1:15-3:15 p.m. -– Johnny Firminand American Heart
This band is based out of Franklinfeaturing Johnny Firmin, an inducteeinto the Louisiana Hall of Fame, Enter-tainment Division, and a recordingartist with Juicy Pear Productions. Theband is dedicated to keeping LouisianaSwamp Pop alive with a touch of clas-sic rock, funk, country, oldies and muchmore. Collectively, they have one of themost versatile groups to hit Cajuncountry.4-6 p. m. -– Geno Delafose andFrench Rockin’ Boogie
Geno Delafose is a standard-bearerfor traditional Zydeco, the popular
music of the Creoles, or black Fran-cophones, who have lived alongside theCajuns for centuries.
In an evolution that parallels whathas happened in the AnglophoneSouth, black French music has seen astartling and imaginative evolutionover the last century that often left thewhite French music looking rather stol-id and conservative by comparison.Delafose’s father, John Delafose, helpedset off the latest wave of Zydeco, bring-ing people back to the rhythmicallyunstoppable button accordion.
Events for one and all; arts, crafts and food, tooActivities abound at the Eighth
Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birdingfestival this weekend.
Here’s the lineup of events scheduledfor the festival weekend.
Arts and Crafts (Free ViewingZone)
Date: All weekendLocation: Along Parc sur La Teche.Time: Friday, 5:30-10:30 p.m., Satur-
day 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6p.m.
Contact: Judith Allain,[email protected], phone 828-5739, 337-578-4145
Delores [email protected], phone 337-940-1156, 337-940-1156
Artist Guild Unlimited Art &Photography Exhibit and Sale
Registration: Friday 5-7 p.m.Show and Sale: Saturday 10 a.m.-6
p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. AGU willhandle all sales
Entry Fee: $3 per entry, limit threeentries per artist
Location: Corner of Main and WillowStreet.
Requirements:—All entries must have wire hanger
on back—All entries must have artist name,
telephone number, medium and title onregistration form. Price for sale placedonto art.
—Entries will be eliminated if theserequirements are not met
All entries must be picked up before4 p.m.. Sunday.
Entries not picked up will be takento AGU Gallery in Morgan City.
For questions: Laura Zuniga, phone828-0811
Bear and Egret RaffleLocation: Main StageBear Raffle is Saturday 7:25 p.m.
and Egret Raffle is Sunday 2:45 p.m.$1 per ticket or $5 for six ticketsContact: Delores Stewart dlrs_stew-
[email protected], phone 940-1156Boat Trips into the Bayou Teche
Wildlife Refuge (Free Zone, howeveryou must register)
Date: SaturdayRegistration Location: Bear-Y
–Patch, former Blevins buildingTime: 8 a.m. and every 30 minutes
afterGuided tours of public and private
lands in the vicinity of Franklin. Toinclude Bayou Sale Ridge on La. 317,and the Bayou Teche National WildlifeRefuge. Guided by LSU Chapter of theWildlife Society.
Advanced reservations required,groups will be limited in size for opti-mal viewing experience.
Contact: Donovan Garcia [email protected]
Black Bear Obstacle Course -Sponsored In Kind by the US Fish
and Wildlife ServiceGo through a year in the life, learn-
ing the food and denning habits ofbears in Louisiana
Date: Saturday.Location: Former Blevins Building.Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Contact: Deborah Fuller 337-291-
3124, [email protected] Horse Shoes - Old Fash-
ioned horse shoes using toilet seats.Date: Saturday.Location: Veterans Park, across
Bayou Teche from the festival grounds.Time: 1 p.m.Registration Fee: $20 per team.
(each team will consist of 2 players).Must be 18-years-old or older to par-
ticipate.Contact: Tricia Luke 337-578-9259.Canoeing, Paddling through the
Bayou Teche National WildlifeRefuge
Bayou Teche and Refuge Paddle inconjunction with Bayou Teche BlackBear and Birding Festival. Set for Fri-day through Sunday. The event willfeature three days of paddling alongBayou Teche and through the BayouTeche National Wildlife Refuge.
Kayakers and canoe enthusiasts willbe able to participate in guided trips.Paddlers can choose the days theywould like to join the group or paddlefor all three days.
On Friday the group will put in andpaddle from Jeanerette City Park downBayou Teche to the Baldwin Town Parkwhere camping will be available. Onthis 15 mile trip you will see a historicplantation home built around 1830with a stop for lunch in Charenton, thehome of the Chitimacha Nation.
On Saturday, paddlers will travelabout 12 miles down Bayou Teche toFranklin and pass the site of the CivilWar Battle of Irish Bend. This trip willput in at Baldwin City Park and takeout at Roseville Boat Landing inFranklin.
On Sunday, paddlers will paddlefrom Roseville landing in Franklin.They will pass the festival and enterinto a 100-year-old canal which becamethe first Intracoastal Waterway inLouisiana. Paddlers will then enter theBayou Teche National Wildlife Refugeto explore its bayous, canals andwildlife.
A small fee is charged for the abovetrips. You must have your own boat.
For further information or an entryform, contact Donovan Garcia, BayouTeche Refuge Paddle, P.O. Box 249,Jeanerette, LA 70544; or call (337) 923-9718; or send e-mail [email protected]
BEARS Radio EventOn Saturday, there will be a ham
radio event sponsored by the Bay-ouland Emergency Amateur Radio Ser-
vice, or BEARS.The home base for the club is Mor-
gan City, however membership is madeup of ham radio operators fromthroughout St. Mary, Iberia, Lafayetteand Acadia parishes as well as mem-bers from Texas and Florida.
The club’s purpose is emergency pre-paredness and to keep members cur-rent with current activities, a specialAmateur Radio Emergency Service, orARES net, is held every Sunday formembers and non-members to checkinto for the latest information. In thelast three months, club members havebeen activated on three differentnights, monitoring extreme weatherapproaching St. Mary Parish.
The club has been recognized forover 25 years service as an AmericanRadio Relay League Affiliated Club andhas also been recognized as a SpecialService Club by the ARRL. This meansthe club is active in community affairsand makes itself available when help isneeded. It is also available to help any-one interested in becoming a ham radiooperator by sponsoring classes and testsessions, as testing is required toobtain a ham radio license.
There are 26 members of the club.Longevity of member licenses rangesfrom less than a year to over 50 yearsas a licensed ham radio operator.
Saturday, the station will be set upon the bayou side directly across fromthe Young Sanders Center. The purposeof the station is to first, show the publicwhat can be achieved at a portable sta-tion, talking strictly on a wire antenna.In addition, publicizing the Black BearFestival across the country to hamoperators who will be calling in to thestation on the bayou. Also, an EchoLink station will be receiving calls andwill be able to show the public just howmany stations worldwide are listed onEcho Link. This is a combination ofdigital communications tied in withVHF radio.
The public is invited and urged tostop by and visit the station which willoperate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Satur-day. Message forms will also be avail-able in the event you would like to sendsomeone a message via ham radio.
Cub Club ArenaChildren will have their own festival
area complete with storytelling, puppetand magic shows, music, games andmore!
Times: Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Sunday noon-5 p.m.Located on the corner of Teche and
Willow.This is a Free Zone for children 0-12
years of age. All children must beaccompanied by an adult at all times.
Children will have their very ownfestival area complete with, face art,balloon artists, Zoo Zoom, a parade,
putt-putt golf, bear painting, pin thetail on the bear, sand pit, inflatablesair jump bounce, bear bean bag toss,fishing pond, hula hoop, duck ponds,storytelling, educational areas.
Contact: Diane Alexander 828-3349or email:
[email protected] Seminars at the
Teche Theatre on Saturday11 a.m. – Recovery efforts for the
Louisiana Black Bear, Paul Davidson,Executive Director of Black Bear Con-servation Coalition
12:30 p.m. – Habitat Conservationand Restoration Goals in Louisiana,Melanie Driscoll, Director of Bird Con-servation, National Audubon Society,Gulf Coast Initiative
3 p.m. – Bear Conflict Issues in St.Mary Parish, Catherine Siracusa, St.Mary Parish Bear Conflict Officer
For the birding tours, birders shouldmeet at 7:30 a.m.. in front of the St.Mary Parish Courthouse to coordinatetrips to the Bayou Teche NWR. Tripsled by Melanie Driscoll, NationalAudubon Society, and students fromthe LSU Chapter of The Wildlife Soci-ety.
Feeding Grounds (Civic FoodOrganizations)
Date: Friday through SundayLocation: Teche DriveTime: Friday 5:30-10:30 p.m.Saturday 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sunday
10 a.m.-6 p.m.Application Fee: $130 single booth
and $260 double boothDelores Stewart
[email protected] 940-1156 orJudith Allain 828-5739 [email protected]
Feeding Grounds (CommercialFood and Merchandise)
Date: Friday through SundayLocation: Teche DriveTime: Friday 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.Saturday 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sunday
10 a.m.-6 p.m.Application Fee: $275 Single Booth
$550 Double BoothContact: Delores Stewart 940-1156,
email [email protected] orJudith Allain 828-5739 [email protected]
Fireworks on the Bayou TecheDate: SaturdayLocation: On the Bayou Teche behind
the Blevins BuildingTime: 8:30 p.m.Hiking on the Bayou Teche
National Wildlife RefugeLead by: Louisiana Hiking ClubContact: Nancy Hall
[email protected] be registered by April 14!Will leave from the Blevins Building
located at the festival site at 4 p.m.sharp Friday and Saturday. Pleasearrive 30 minutes early for instruc-tions.
Continued on Page 4
Besides paddle tours and boat tours, visitors to the Bayou Teche Black Bearand Birding Festival can take a couple of hikes into the Bayou Teche NationalWildlife Refuge.
A short, easy walk to the boardwalk is available, as well as a nearly two-milehike through the refuge, below.
The Louisiana Hiking Club will sponsor hikes Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m.,from the Blevins Building in Franklin next to the St. Mary Parish Courthouse.
Both are open to self-guided visitors as well. The boardwalk stretches into thecypress-tupelo area, and the Palmetto Trail follows bottomland forest.
To reach the boardwalk, take La. 182 or U.S. 90 to the Centerville exit andhead south. Just past the railroad track, turn right on Alice C. Road, proceedabout a mile and cross a small canal. The trail is on the left, there is a parkingarea and kiosk. Follow the levee to the right and the boardwalk is visible on theleft less than 100 yards in.
For the Palmetto Trail, go to the end of Willow Street under the U.S. 90 over-pass and take the service road to the east. About two and a half miles down, lookfor Janet E. Road on the right. The trailhead is at the end of that road.
Information and directions will be available from the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService area at the festival.
In addition to the festivities,visit the Bayou Teche Refuge
Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival, Page 3Page 2, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Listen to the music all weekend at BearFest 2011Music is a main stay of any south
Louisiana festival, and this year’sBayou Teche Black Bear and BirdingFestival has plenty on tap.
Here’s the schedule of musical enter-tainment for the weekend.
Friday6 – 8 p.m. - Flash Back
Old school R&B band that plays awide selection of old school and bluesmusic with a total of eight members.8:45-10:45 p.m. - Chubby Carrierand Bayou Swamp Band
One word to describe the swampdelicsounds of Chubby Carrier and BayouSwamp Band? Fun. Pure LouisianaZydeco fun with a hot sauce chaser.Anybody who has doubts about theaccordion as an instrument will beswayed the right way with Carrier’spassion and fire on the instrument.
Chubby Carrier started out as twin-kle in Roy Carrier’s eye. The Carriersare one of the great musical families inLouisiana. There’s Poppa Roy, Chubby,Chubby’s brother Troy (aka Dikki Duand The Zydeco Krewe), Roy’s nephewDwight Carrier and The Zydeco RoDogs. There’s also Chubby’s AuntLaura Maria Doolittle (aka Zydeco-T)who plays with Mojo and the BayouGypsies.
A documentary about the family hasbeen filmed.
There’s traditional roots in Chubby’sZydeco, but expands the sound for allages. Live and in studio he’s takensongs like B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby,”Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round inCircles,” The Who’s “Squeeze Box”,War’s “Cisco Kid” and the GratefulDead’s “Fire On The Mountain” anddragged them through the swamp withbeautiful results. It’s adding Louisianaspice to popular tunes that help Carri-er build the bridge between Zydeco andthe rest of the world. Mardi Gras canhappen 365 days a year.
Saturday1-2 p.m. -– A Dime A Dozen
Teen group from Berwick3-5 p.m. -– Rick Lorenzo
Acoustic pop and easy listening.5:45-7:45 p.m. -– John Trahan
A lot has happened since John Tra-han’s debut disc 17 years ago, includinga career move to Dallas and a recentrelocation back to native VermilionParish. But one thing’s for sure: Henever lost his accordion chops or beau-tiful tenor voice. That’s certainly in evi-dence here on such standards as“Madame Bozo” and “Convict Waltz,”where his accordion playing is as beefyas ever. He more than gets by with alittle help from his friends, an A-list setof players that includes BeauSoleil’sMichael Doucet, Mitch Reed andJimmy Breaux.
But since the album took three yearsto complete, the focus slowly shifted
from being a tribute to his accordionheroes (Shirley Bergeron, Iry LeJeune,Lawrence Walker) to unveiling materi-al from area songwriters, such as John-nie Allan (“La Valse de Marier”) andIvy Dugas (“The Queen of the BrokenHeart.”). While most selections are inFrench, Trahan includes some English-sung Cajun Americana that, as Doucetpoints out in the liner notes, “reflectsthe view of an exiled Cajun.” The EddyRaven-Jimmy C. Newman-penned “MyMy Louisiana” couldn’t be more perfect— a song extolling various locales ofthe Pelican State that was almostprophetic of Trahan’s return. Moreimportantly, Trahan accomplishes theunusual here, a rare blend of traditionand contemporary material that worksas an artistic signature.8:30-10:30 p.m. -– Johnny Chau-vin’s Mojo Band
Johnny Chauvin has been living andbreathing music since early childhood.Born and raised in Franklin, Johnnystarted playing the guitar at the age of12. He then furthered his musical tal-ents by picking up the banjo at 14, thenthe mandolin at 16. It was in 1990 thatJohnny wanted to try an instrumentthat had always fascinated him, theCajun accordion. He purchased his firstaccordion, a Falcon, the same brandplayed by the greats like Wayne Toups,etc. Johnny had found a new outlet forhis musical expression.
He went on to do spot jobs with vari-ous artists like Waylon Thibodaux,Wild Rice, La Red, Don Rich and manymore. It was in 2001 that Johnnydecided to venture out on his own,starting the Mojo Band. Together witha talented group of serious musicians,Johnny found the sound he’s been look-ing for. His charisma on stage is infec-tious; he will definately put you in agreat mood before the first song isdone!
Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Bandare southern Louisiana’s coolest Zydecoband. Their sound is a lot like gumbo: amixture of R&B, rock and roll and soulall cooked up with that Zydeco spicethat’s guaranteed to make you moveyour feet.
Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Bandbecame somewhat of a local legend overthe past decade, with his raucous Zyde-co Cajun style and smooth infectioussinging voice winning over all who hadthe opportunity to hear them. Whenthe Saints began their mercurial run toglory Chauvin released two songs thathave become anthems for the team’smarch to success, with the first,“Watching Them Play,” becoming alocal radio, then national sensation.
Sunday11-12:30 p.m. – Gospel Chimes1:15-3:15 p.m. -– Johnny Firminand American Heart
This band is based out of Franklinfeaturing Johnny Firmin, an inducteeinto the Louisiana Hall of Fame, Enter-tainment Division, and a recordingartist with Juicy Pear Productions. Theband is dedicated to keeping LouisianaSwamp Pop alive with a touch of clas-sic rock, funk, country, oldies and muchmore. Collectively, they have one of themost versatile groups to hit Cajuncountry.4-6 p. m. -– Geno Delafose andFrench Rockin’ Boogie
Geno Delafose is a standard-bearerfor traditional Zydeco, the popular
music of the Creoles, or black Fran-cophones, who have lived alongside theCajuns for centuries.
In an evolution that parallels whathas happened in the AnglophoneSouth, black French music has seen astartling and imaginative evolutionover the last century that often left thewhite French music looking rather stol-id and conservative by comparison.Delafose’s father, John Delafose, helpedset off the latest wave of Zydeco, bring-ing people back to the rhythmicallyunstoppable button accordion.
Events for one and all; arts, crafts and food, tooActivities abound at the Eighth
Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birdingfestival this weekend.
Here’s the lineup of events scheduledfor the festival weekend.
Arts and Crafts (Free ViewingZone)
Date: All weekendLocation: Along Parc sur La Teche.Time: Friday, 5:30-10:30 p.m., Satur-
day 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6p.m.
Contact: Judith Allain,[email protected], phone 828-5739, 337-578-4145
Delores [email protected], phone 337-940-1156, 337-940-1156
Artist Guild Unlimited Art &Photography Exhibit and Sale
Registration: Friday 5-7 p.m.Show and Sale: Saturday 10 a.m.-6
p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m. AGU willhandle all sales
Entry Fee: $3 per entry, limit threeentries per artist
Location: Corner of Main and WillowStreet.
Requirements:—All entries must have wire hanger
on back—All entries must have artist name,
telephone number, medium and title onregistration form. Price for sale placedonto art.
—Entries will be eliminated if theserequirements are not met
All entries must be picked up before4 p.m.. Sunday.
Entries not picked up will be takento AGU Gallery in Morgan City.
For questions: Laura Zuniga, phone828-0811
Bear and Egret RaffleLocation: Main StageBear Raffle is Saturday 7:25 p.m.
and Egret Raffle is Sunday 2:45 p.m.$1 per ticket or $5 for six ticketsContact: Delores Stewart dlrs_stew-
[email protected], phone 940-1156Boat Trips into the Bayou Teche
Wildlife Refuge (Free Zone, howeveryou must register)
Date: SaturdayRegistration Location: Bear-Y
–Patch, former Blevins buildingTime: 8 a.m. and every 30 minutes
afterGuided tours of public and private
lands in the vicinity of Franklin. Toinclude Bayou Sale Ridge on La. 317,and the Bayou Teche National WildlifeRefuge. Guided by LSU Chapter of theWildlife Society.
Advanced reservations required,groups will be limited in size for opti-mal viewing experience.
Contact: Donovan Garcia [email protected]
Black Bear Obstacle Course -Sponsored In Kind by the US Fish
and Wildlife ServiceGo through a year in the life, learn-
ing the food and denning habits ofbears in Louisiana
Date: Saturday.Location: Former Blevins Building.Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Contact: Deborah Fuller 337-291-
3124, [email protected] Horse Shoes - Old Fash-
ioned horse shoes using toilet seats.Date: Saturday.Location: Veterans Park, across
Bayou Teche from the festival grounds.Time: 1 p.m.Registration Fee: $20 per team.
(each team will consist of 2 players).Must be 18-years-old or older to par-
ticipate.Contact: Tricia Luke 337-578-9259.Canoeing, Paddling through the
Bayou Teche National WildlifeRefuge
Bayou Teche and Refuge Paddle inconjunction with Bayou Teche BlackBear and Birding Festival. Set for Fri-day through Sunday. The event willfeature three days of paddling alongBayou Teche and through the BayouTeche National Wildlife Refuge.
Kayakers and canoe enthusiasts willbe able to participate in guided trips.Paddlers can choose the days theywould like to join the group or paddlefor all three days.
On Friday the group will put in andpaddle from Jeanerette City Park downBayou Teche to the Baldwin Town Parkwhere camping will be available. Onthis 15 mile trip you will see a historicplantation home built around 1830with a stop for lunch in Charenton, thehome of the Chitimacha Nation.
On Saturday, paddlers will travelabout 12 miles down Bayou Teche toFranklin and pass the site of the CivilWar Battle of Irish Bend. This trip willput in at Baldwin City Park and takeout at Roseville Boat Landing inFranklin.
On Sunday, paddlers will paddlefrom Roseville landing in Franklin.They will pass the festival and enterinto a 100-year-old canal which becamethe first Intracoastal Waterway inLouisiana. Paddlers will then enter theBayou Teche National Wildlife Refugeto explore its bayous, canals andwildlife.
A small fee is charged for the abovetrips. You must have your own boat.
For further information or an entryform, contact Donovan Garcia, BayouTeche Refuge Paddle, P.O. Box 249,Jeanerette, LA 70544; or call (337) 923-9718; or send e-mail [email protected]
BEARS Radio EventOn Saturday, there will be a ham
radio event sponsored by the Bay-ouland Emergency Amateur Radio Ser-
vice, or BEARS.The home base for the club is Mor-
gan City, however membership is madeup of ham radio operators fromthroughout St. Mary, Iberia, Lafayetteand Acadia parishes as well as mem-bers from Texas and Florida.
The club’s purpose is emergency pre-paredness and to keep members cur-rent with current activities, a specialAmateur Radio Emergency Service, orARES net, is held every Sunday formembers and non-members to checkinto for the latest information. In thelast three months, club members havebeen activated on three differentnights, monitoring extreme weatherapproaching St. Mary Parish.
The club has been recognized forover 25 years service as an AmericanRadio Relay League Affiliated Club andhas also been recognized as a SpecialService Club by the ARRL. This meansthe club is active in community affairsand makes itself available when help isneeded. It is also available to help any-one interested in becoming a ham radiooperator by sponsoring classes and testsessions, as testing is required toobtain a ham radio license.
There are 26 members of the club.Longevity of member licenses rangesfrom less than a year to over 50 yearsas a licensed ham radio operator.
Saturday, the station will be set upon the bayou side directly across fromthe Young Sanders Center. The purposeof the station is to first, show the publicwhat can be achieved at a portable sta-tion, talking strictly on a wire antenna.In addition, publicizing the Black BearFestival across the country to hamoperators who will be calling in to thestation on the bayou. Also, an EchoLink station will be receiving calls andwill be able to show the public just howmany stations worldwide are listed onEcho Link. This is a combination ofdigital communications tied in withVHF radio.
The public is invited and urged tostop by and visit the station which willoperate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Satur-day. Message forms will also be avail-able in the event you would like to sendsomeone a message via ham radio.
Cub Club ArenaChildren will have their own festival
area complete with storytelling, puppetand magic shows, music, games andmore!
Times: Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.Sunday noon-5 p.m.Located on the corner of Teche and
Willow.This is a Free Zone for children 0-12
years of age. All children must beaccompanied by an adult at all times.
Children will have their very ownfestival area complete with, face art,balloon artists, Zoo Zoom, a parade,
putt-putt golf, bear painting, pin thetail on the bear, sand pit, inflatablesair jump bounce, bear bean bag toss,fishing pond, hula hoop, duck ponds,storytelling, educational areas.
Contact: Diane Alexander 828-3349or email:
[email protected] Seminars at the
Teche Theatre on Saturday11 a.m. – Recovery efforts for the
Louisiana Black Bear, Paul Davidson,Executive Director of Black Bear Con-servation Coalition
12:30 p.m. – Habitat Conservationand Restoration Goals in Louisiana,Melanie Driscoll, Director of Bird Con-servation, National Audubon Society,Gulf Coast Initiative
3 p.m. – Bear Conflict Issues in St.Mary Parish, Catherine Siracusa, St.Mary Parish Bear Conflict Officer
For the birding tours, birders shouldmeet at 7:30 a.m.. in front of the St.Mary Parish Courthouse to coordinatetrips to the Bayou Teche NWR. Tripsled by Melanie Driscoll, NationalAudubon Society, and students fromthe LSU Chapter of The Wildlife Soci-ety.
Feeding Grounds (Civic FoodOrganizations)
Date: Friday through SundayLocation: Teche DriveTime: Friday 5:30-10:30 p.m.Saturday 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sunday
10 a.m.-6 p.m.Application Fee: $130 single booth
and $260 double boothDelores Stewart
[email protected] 940-1156 orJudith Allain 828-5739 [email protected]
Feeding Grounds (CommercialFood and Merchandise)
Date: Friday through SundayLocation: Teche DriveTime: Friday 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m.Saturday 10 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Sunday
10 a.m.-6 p.m.Application Fee: $275 Single Booth
$550 Double BoothContact: Delores Stewart 940-1156,
email [email protected] orJudith Allain 828-5739 [email protected]
Fireworks on the Bayou TecheDate: SaturdayLocation: On the Bayou Teche behind
the Blevins BuildingTime: 8:30 p.m.Hiking on the Bayou Teche
National Wildlife RefugeLead by: Louisiana Hiking ClubContact: Nancy Hall
[email protected] be registered by April 14!Will leave from the Blevins Building
located at the festival site at 4 p.m.sharp Friday and Saturday. Pleasearrive 30 minutes early for instruc-tions.
Continued on Page 4
Besides paddle tours and boat tours, visitors to the Bayou Teche Black Bearand Birding Festival can take a couple of hikes into the Bayou Teche NationalWildlife Refuge.
A short, easy walk to the boardwalk is available, as well as a nearly two-milehike through the refuge, below.
The Louisiana Hiking Club will sponsor hikes Friday and Saturday at 4 p.m.,from the Blevins Building in Franklin next to the St. Mary Parish Courthouse.
Both are open to self-guided visitors as well. The boardwalk stretches into thecypress-tupelo area, and the Palmetto Trail follows bottomland forest.
To reach the boardwalk, take La. 182 or U.S. 90 to the Centerville exit andhead south. Just past the railroad track, turn right on Alice C. Road, proceedabout a mile and cross a small canal. The trail is on the left, there is a parkingarea and kiosk. Follow the levee to the right and the boardwalk is visible on theleft less than 100 yards in.
For the Palmetto Trail, go to the end of Willow Street under the U.S. 90 over-pass and take the service road to the east. About two and a half miles down, lookfor Janet E. Road on the right. The trailhead is at the end of that road.
Information and directions will be available from the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService area at the festival.
In addition to the festivities,visit the Bayou Teche Refuge
Page 4, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Depending on weather conditionsand the number of hikers we may haveto change the location of the hike at thelast minute. If the group is small andwe have adequate transportation youmay be asked to ride with us to thehike location. If you are coming as alarge group, you may meet us at theFairfax Foster Bailey Boat Landingproviding you have notified us beforeApril 14.
Motorcycle ‘Bear’ Poker RunEntry Fee $10 ($5 for an additional
rider)Starting at Lake End Park, Morgan
City, 8 a.m. Saturday with registrationand first draw. Departure will be at9:15 a.m.
STOPS: Patterson Truck Stop, 2ndDraw; Lockett Center, Four Corners,3rd Draw; Baldwin Police Station, 4thDraw; Main Street Café, Franklin, 5thDraw.
Motorcycle ShowDowntown Franklin, starting at 1
p.m. Saturday. For more information:
Courtney Williams, 337-207-2466 orGary Stevenson, 985-397-2253.
Photography Contest (Non-Pro-fessional) Show and Sale
Registration: Friday from 5-7 p.m. atthe corner of Main and Willow.
Entry Fee Adults, (13 yrs and over)$3 per entry, limit three entries.
Entry Fee Children, (12 yrs. andyounger) free, limit three entries.
Prizes: Non-Professional Adult FirstPlace $100, second $75 and third place$50.
Non-Professional Children first, sec-ond and third place ribbons in threedivisions: Pre-K and kindergarten, firstthrough third grades and fourththrough sixth grades.
All entries must be have a wirehanger on the back. Entries will beeliminated if these requirements arenot met
All entries must be picked up before4 p.m. Sunday. Entries not picked upwill be taken to AGU Gallery in Mor-gan City
For questions: Laura Zuniga, 337-828-0811
Running of the Bears 5KRun/Walk
Hosted by Teche Action Clinic onSaturday.
Starts at 9 a.m. with runners andwalkers at the St. Mary Parish Court-house Square.
Registration beginning at 7:30 a.m.at $25 per person. Contact: AlfreidaEdwards 985-397-1096 [email protected]
SouvenirsFestival shirts, hats, posters and
more will be sold throughout the festi-val weekend.
Teddy Bear and Friends RepairClinic (Free Zone)
Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.Sit in the waiting room located in the
Cub Club Arena on the corner of TecheDrive and Willow Street while Dr.Donna Tesi and her surgery staff repairyour favorite stuffed animals no matterwhat type. We saved several snakeslast year, a couple of elephants, agiraffe, and a few bears. Our staffextends utmost pride to provide yourloved ones with gentle care and loving
hands and it’s free.Teen ZoneFriday through Sunday on Main
Street.Contact: Judith Allain 337-828-5739
[email protected] Price Per Entry: TBABayou Teche Wooden Boat ShowOn Saturday and Sunday view a col-
lection of antique and newly builtwatercraft on display, all constructed ofwood. Some will be plywood, but manywill employ traditional boat buildingmethods ranging in style from thePacific Northwest to the bayous ofCajun Country. The exact number andtype of boats on display is being assem-bled, but will include cypress-framedskiffs and bateaus, elegant yachts fromyesteryear, cedar canoes or mahoganyrunabouts. These are beautiful, classiccraft from days gone by, and can beseen on the bayouside near Teche Driveand Adams Street. The show begins at9 a.m. Saturday morning and con-cludes at 6 p.m. Sunday. More info,Roger Stouff, [email protected] or call 828-3706.
Plenty to see and do at Bear and Birding Fest...Continued from Page 3
Boat tours sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Wooden boat show held adjacent to the festival grounds
Education AND fun activities
Music and dancing in the streest
Lorrainne Deslatte Sauls, Artist