Inaugural Freedom Fest is Sunday

Sunday will mark the first Freedom Fest at Lake End Parkway on La. 70 in Morgan City in celebration of Memorial Day. The event includes a car show, bike show, live music, food, guest speakers including U.S. Sen. David Vitter, and more.
The American Legion Riders Post 96 in Morgan City will to host the 1st Annual Freedom Fest from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at the Judges Stand at Lake End Parkway on La. 70 in Morgan City. The riders post is part of American Legion Post 96.
Admission to the event is free.
Event organizers will also host the 13th Annual Freedom Ride in conjunction with the fest. The Freedom Ride will start at 8 a.m. Sunday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium and arrive at the Judges Stand at Lake End Parkway by about 10:45 a.m., Tom Clark, vice-commander of American Legion Riders Post 96 in Morgan City, said.
Motorcyclists can participate in the ride, which honors fallen warriors at various Blue Star memorial sites within St. Mary Parish, according to the event website.
For those participants not pre-registered for the ride, registration begins at 7 a.m. Sunday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, according to the website. The entry fee is $20 per rider and $10 per passenger, which includes a lunch coupon for the fest, Clark said.
The Freedom Fest grew out of the idea of having “a simple barbeque at Lake End Park as a membership drive,” Clark said.
“It just snowballed into this full-blown festival with the vendors and the bands and the car show and the bike show,” Clark said. Several non-profit organizations in the area offered to help with the festival, he said.
The Freedom Fest was started to honor Memorial Day and veterans and to support non-profit organizations raising awareness for their own groups, Clark said. The fest is also meant to give area residents something to do on Memorial Day and “try to keep people in town,” he said.
At about 10:45 a.m., Britany Mckibben of the U.S. Coast Guard will sing the national anthem. Mckibben and her husband will be re-stationed to Alaska next week, Clark said.
At 12:15 p.m., Vitter, R-Metairie, will speak during the fest. Other speakers throughout the day include U.S. Coast Guard Capt. David McClellan, commanding officer of Marine Safety Unit Morgan City, Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi, and Dave Martin, commander of the Marine Corps League St. Mary Detachment.
Open mic between sets for anyone attending to give a short speech relating to loss of comrades, family members, or what Memorial Day means, according to the website.
Food vendors will sell barbeque pulled pork sandwiches, barbeque chicken, sausage jambalaya, hamburgers, hot dogs, red beans and rice, sausage po-boys, funnel cake, beer and soft drinks. Beer booths will be provided by the St. Mary Chamber of Commerce and the Sports Bar, the website stated.
The event includes out the car show hosted by the Southeast Louisiana Bayou Mustang Club and motorcycle show sponsored by the Street Survivors RC Inc., a charitable non-profit motorcycle organization, according to the festival website.
The car show will last from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Judges Stand in the grassy area between the general parking and the stage area the website stated. Entry forms will be available on site the day of the event. All types of cars and categories are welcome to enter the car show, the website stated.
The motorcycle show begins at 11 a.m., and all types of bikes are welcome to enter the show. Awards will be given for a variety of categories, according to the website.
Car show proceeds will go toward continual maintenance of the Fallen Warriors Memorial, which is located adjacent to the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium, according to the festival website.
Children’s activities will include an inflatable bounce house, rock wall and face painting. Fishing is allowed along Lake Palourde with a fishing license, the website stated.

Event Schedule
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Car Show sponsored by the Southeast Louisiana Bayou Mustang Club
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Children’s Area; face painting, Bounce House provided by Space Walk of Morgan City, and more.
8 a.m. to 11 a.m. 13th Annual Freedom Ride sponsored by American Legion Riders Post 96, Morgan City
10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Bike Show sponsored by Street Survivors RC Inc.

The live music schedule includes the following.
10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Cross Roads Band
12:30 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Haggard Stallion
3:45 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Hal Bruni and the Branded with special guest Josh Newcom
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Old Soul
7:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Michael Bacon

Guest speakers will go on stage between the live music performances.
10:30 a.m. American Legion Representative
12:15 p.m. Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi, U.S. Sen. David Vitter, U.S. Coast Guard Capt. Dave McClellan, commanding Officer USCG Marine Safety Unit Morgan City.
1:45 p.m. David Martin, commander of the Marine Corps. League St. Mary Detachment
Open mic between all other sets.