Ribbon-cutting makes festival official

Lots of food and craft booths, live music and special events will take over downtown Morgan City this Labor Day weekend as the 80th Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival continues through Monday.
The 27th Annual Cajun Culinary Classic, a showcase of area “home-style” cooking featuring Cajun and Creole dishes as well as a variety of desserts and other cuisines is open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and noon to 9 p.m. Labor Day. Food vendors will be in Lawrence Park and under the U.S. 90 bridge.
The 38th Arts and Crafts Show and Sale will open at 5 p.m. Friday under the U.S. 90 bridge and continue through 9 p.m. Labor Day.
A total of 165 arts and crafts and food vendors are registered to participate in the festival, Vendor Chairwoman Lee Darce said.
The Heritage Music Stage will host live music in Lawrence Park today through Monday with bands playing a variety of genres. There is no charge to get into the park.
Mitchell Brothers Carnival rides began Thursday and continue through 9 p.m. Labor Day. The festival will offer pay-one-price ride bracelets from noon to 4 p.m. Monday and 5 to 9 p.m. Monday. Bracelets are $25 each.
On Saturday, Cypress Corvette Club will hold its Open Car Show from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at M.D. Shannon Elementary located at 409 Brashear Ave. As of Thursday afternoon, car show organizers had received 50 to 60 entries and expected many more entries today.
The Marcus Jones/100 Black Men 5K Fun Run/Walk begins at 8 a.m. at the corner of First and Everett streets. The Gospel Stage will open at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at M.D. Shannon Elementary.
Artist Tony Bernard, who designed the 2015 festival poster, will do a live painting on the Festival Music Stage from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, while Grammy Award-winning musician Wayne Toups plays.
On Sunday, Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Houma-Thibodaux Diocese will officiate the Mass in Lawrence Park from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and the Blessing of the Fleet at 10 a.m. In the event of inclement weather, the Mass will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church.
The town of Berwick will be host the Blessing of the Fleet along its riverfront due to the ongoing wharf project on the Morgan City riverfront.
Following the Blessing of the Fleet will be a water parade featuring decorated shrimp boats, pleasure crafts, offshore supply boats and some of the biggest “muscle” boats of the offshore industry including supply boats, crew boats and tugboats. A Certificate of Blessing and a prayer card of St. Brendan the Navigator, patron Saint of Seafarers will be presented to each participant.
Due to the currents in the Atchafalaya River, the toast with Festival King John Armato and Queen Anna Washburn, may have to be done near the Morgan City side of the riverfront, Festival Director Darby Isham said.
Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said the Morgan City wharf is off limits to visitors during the festival because the project contractor currently has jurisdiction of the area.
Even if the Morgan City wharf wasn’t under construction, the dock isn’t in good enough condition to accommodate visitors, Grizzaffi said. However, people can still access the steps leading to the top of the Morgan City seawall, he said.
The festival Street Parade starts at 3 p.m. Sunday in Morgan City’s Downtown Historic District. The street parade begins at the corner of Second and Onstead streets and features past and present royalty along with this year’s maids, pages and visiting queens from various festivals throughout the state. Isham expects lots of participants in the street parade many political candidates riding in an election year.
The 52nd Artists Guild Unlimited Labor Day Show and Sale began Wednesday and continues through Saturday, Sept. 26, in the downtown Everett Street Gallery.
Children’s Day activities will begin with children’s field and game events at 9 a.m. Saturday in Lawrence Park. Children of all ages can participate in sack races, three-legged races and more. The Children’s Day Mini Street Parade will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday. Decorated bicycles, wagons, strollers and four wheelers are welcome to participate.
The Children’s Day King and Queen Andrew Decondris and Brenna Laubach will open the Children’s Village with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. Saturday in Lawrence Park. The Children’s Village is a play land featuring games, prizes, face-painting and more. The Children’s Village will be open from 1 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
A Cultural and Heritage Expo will be on display next to the festival office, located at 715 Second St., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Monday.
A fireworks display on the river will begin at 9 p.m. Sunday. The La. 182 bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic during the event to allow for pedestrian traffic. KQKI 95.3 will have synchronized music.
As always, the festival will conclude on Labor Day.
For more information, contact the festival office at 985-385-0703, or visit the festival’s website at www.shrimpandpetroleum.org.