Page 4, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Plenty to see and do at Bear and Birding Fest... Continued from Page 3
Depending on weather conditions and the number of hikers we may have to change the location of the hike at the last minute. If the group is small and we have adequate transportation you may be asked to ride with us to the hike location. If you are coming as a large group, you may meet us at the Fairfax Foster Bailey Boat Landing providing you have notified us before April 14. Motorcycle ‘Bear’ Poker Run Entry Fee $10 ($5 for an additional rider) Starting at Lake End Park, Morgan City, 8 a.m. Saturday with registration and first draw. Departure will be at 9:15 a.m. STOPS: Patterson Truck Stop, 2nd Draw; Lockett Center, Four Corners, 3rd Draw; Baldwin Police Station, 4th Draw; Main Street Café, Franklin, 5th Draw. Motorcycle Show Downtown Franklin, starting at 1 p.m. Saturday. For more information:
Courtney Williams, 337-207-2466 or Gary Stevenson, 985-397-2253. Photography Contest (Non-Professional) Show and Sale Registration: Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the corner of Main and Willow. Entry Fee Adults, (13 yrs and over) $3 per entry, limit three entries. Entry Fee Children, (12 yrs. and younger) free, limit three entries. Prizes: Non-Professional Adult First Place $100, second $75 and third place $50. Non-Professional Children first, second and third place ribbons in three divisions: Pre-K and kindergarten, first through third grades and fourth through sixth grades. All entries must be have a wire hanger on the back. Entries will be eliminated if these requirements are not met All entries must be picked up before 4 p.m. Sunday. Entries not picked up will be taken to AGU Gallery in Morgan City For questions: Laura Zuniga, 337828-0811
Boat tours sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Running of the Bears 5K Run/Walk Hosted by Teche Action Clinic on Saturday. Starts at 9 a.m. with runners and walkers at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse Square. Registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. at $25 per person. Contact: Alfreida Edwards 985-397-1096 aedwards@tabhealth.org Souvenirs Festival shirts, hats, posters and more will be sold throughout the festival weekend. Teddy Bear and Friends Repair Clinic (Free Zone) Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sit in the waiting room located in the Cub Club Arena on the corner of Teche Drive and Willow Street while Dr. Donna Tesi and her surgery staff repair your favorite stuffed animals no matter what type. We saved several snakes last year, a couple of elephants, a giraffe, and a few bears. Our staff extends utmost pride to provide your loved ones with gentle care and loving
hands and it’s free. Teen Zone Friday through Sunday on Main Street. Contact: Judith Allain 337-828-5739 jcallain@cox.net Ticket Price Per Entry: TBA Bayou Teche Wooden Boat Show On Saturday and Sunday view a collection of antique and newly built watercraft on display, all constructed of wood. Some will be plywood, but many will employ traditional boat building methods ranging in style from the Pacific Northwest to the bayous of Cajun Country. The exact number and type of boats on display is being assembled, but will include cypress-framed skiffs and bateaus, elegant yachts from yesteryear, cedar canoes or mahogany runabouts. These are beautiful, classic craft from days gone by, and can be seen on the bayouside near Teche Drive and Adams Street. The show begins at 9 a.m. Saturday morning and concludes at 6 p.m. Sunday. More info, Roger Stouff, webmaster@banner-tribune.com or call 828-3706.
Education AND fun activities
Lorrainne Deslatte Sauls, Artist Wooden boat show held adjacent to the festival grounds
Music and dancing in the streest
Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival, Page
Page 2, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Listen to the music all weekend at BearFest 2011
Events for one and all; arts, crafts and food, too
Music is a main stay of any south Louisiana festival, and this year’s Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival has plenty on tap. Here’s the schedule of musical entertainment for the weekend. Friday 6 – 8 p.m. - Flash Back Old school R&B band that plays a wide selection of old school and blues music with a total of eight members. 8:45-10:45 p.m. - Chubby Carrier and Bayou Swamp Band One word to describe the swampdelic sounds of Chubby Carrier and Bayou Swamp Band? Fun. Pure Louisiana Zydeco fun with a hot sauce chaser. Anybody who has doubts about the accordion as an instrument will be swayed the right way with Carrier’s passion and fire on the instrument. Chubby Carrier started out as twinkle in Roy Carrier’s eye. The Carriers are one of the great musical families in Louisiana. There’s Poppa Roy, Chubby, Chubby’s brother Troy (aka Dikki Du and The Zydeco Krewe), Roy’s nephew Dwight Carrier and The Zydeco Ro Dogs. There’s also Chubby’s Aunt Laura Maria Doolittle (aka Zydeco-T) who plays with Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies. A documentary about the family has been filmed. There’s traditional roots in Chubby’s Zydeco, but expands the sound for all ages. Live and in studio he’s taken songs like B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby,” Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round in Circles,” The Who’s “Squeeze Box”, War’s “Cisco Kid” and the Grateful Dead’s “Fire On The Mountain” and dragged them through the swamp with beautiful results. It’s adding Louisiana spice to popular tunes that help Carrier build the bridge between Zydeco and the rest of the world. Mardi Gras can happen 365 days a year. Saturday 1-2 p.m. -– A Dime A Dozen Teen group from Berwick 3-5 p.m. -– Rick Lorenzo Acoustic pop and easy listening. 5:45-7:45 p.m. -– John Trahan A lot has happened since John Trahan’s debut disc 17 years ago, including a career move to Dallas and a recent relocation back to native Vermilion Parish. But one thing’s for sure: He never lost his accordion chops or beautiful tenor voice. That’s certainly in evidence here on such standards as “Madame Bozo” and “Convict Waltz,” where his accordion playing is as beefy as ever. He more than gets by with a little help from his friends, an A-list set of players that includes BeauSoleil’s Michael Doucet, Mitch Reed and Jimmy Breaux. But since the album took three years to complete, the focus slowly shifted
Activities abound at the Eighth Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding festival this weekend. Here’s the lineup of events scheduled for the festival weekend. Arts and Crafts (Free Viewing Zone) Date: All weekend Location: Along Parc sur La Teche. Time: Friday, 5:30-10:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Contact: Judith Allain, jcallain@cox.net, phone 828-5739, 337578-4145 Delores Stewart dlrs_stewart@yahoo.com, phone 337940-1156, 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 will handle all sales Entry Fee: $3 per entry, limit three entries per artist Location: Corner of Main and Willow Street. Requirements: —All entries must have wire hanger on back —All entries must have artist name, telephone number, medium and title on registration form. Price for sale placed onto art. —Entries will be eliminated if these requirements are not met All entries must be picked up before 4 p.m.. Sunday. Entries not picked up will be taken to AGU Gallery in Morgan City. For questions: Laura Zuniga, phone 828-0811 Bear and Egret Raffle Location: Main Stage Bear Raffle is Saturday 7:25 p.m. and Egret Raffle is Sunday 2:45 p.m. $1 per ticket or $5 for six tickets Contact: Delores Stewart dlrs_stewart@yahoo.com, phone 940-1156 Boat Trips into the Bayou Teche Wildlife Refuge (Free Zone, however you must register) Date: Saturday Registration Location: Bear-Y –Patch, former Blevins building Time: 8 a.m. and every 30 minutes after Guided tours of public and private lands in the vicinity of Franklin. To include Bayou Sale Ridge on La. 317, and the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge. Guided by LSU Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Advanced reservations required, groups will be limited in size for optimal viewing experience. Contact: Donovan Garcia needtopaddle@yahoo.com Black Bear Obstacle Course Sponsored In Kind by the US Fish
from being a tribute to his accordion heroes (Shirley Bergeron, Iry LeJeune, Lawrence Walker) to unveiling material from area songwriters, such as Johnnie Allan (“La Valse de Marier”) and Ivy Dugas (“The Queen of the Broken Heart.”). While most selections are in French, Trahan includes some Englishsung Cajun Americana that, as Doucet points out in the liner notes, “reflects the view of an exiled Cajun.” The Eddy Raven-Jimmy C. Newman-penned “My My Louisiana” couldn’t be more perfect — a song extolling various locales of the Pelican State that was almost prophetic of Trahan’s return. More importantly, Trahan accomplishes the unusual here, a rare blend of tradition and contemporary material that works as an artistic signature. 8:30-10:30 p.m. -– Johnny Chauvin’s Mojo Band Johnny Chauvin has been living and breathing music since early childhood. Born and raised in Franklin, Johnny started playing the guitar at the age of 12. He then furthered his musical talents by picking up the banjo at 14, then the mandolin at 16. It was in 1990 that Johnny wanted to try an instrument that had always fascinated him, the Cajun accordion. He purchased his first accordion, a Falcon, the same brand played by the greats like Wayne Toups, etc. Johnny had found a new outlet for his musical expression. He went on to do spot jobs with various artists like Waylon Thibodaux, Wild Rice, La Red, Don Rich and many more. It was in 2001 that Johnny decided to venture out on his own, starting the Mojo Band. Together with a talented group of serious musicians, Johnny found the sound he’s been looking for. His charisma on stage is infectious; he will definately put you in a great mood before the first song is done! Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Band are southern Louisiana’s coolest Zydeco band. Their sound is a lot like gumbo: a mixture of R&B, rock and roll and soul all cooked up with that Zydeco spice that’s guaranteed to make you move your feet. Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Band became somewhat of a local legend over the past decade, with his raucous Zydeco Cajun style and smooth infectious singing voice winning over all who had the opportunity to hear them. When the Saints began their mercurial run to glory Chauvin released two songs that have become anthems for the team’s march to success, with the first, “Watching Them Play,” becoming a local radio, then national sensation. Sunday 11-12:30 p.m. – Gospel Chimes 1:15-3:15 p.m. -– Johnny Firmin and American Heart
This band is based out of Franklin featuring Johnny Firmin, an inductee into the Louisiana Hall of Fame, Entertainment Division, and a recording artist with Juicy Pear Productions. The band is dedicated to keeping Louisiana Swamp Pop alive with a touch of classic rock, funk, country, oldies and much more. Collectively, they have one of the most versatile groups to hit Cajun country. 4-6 p. m. -– Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie Geno Delafose is a standard-bearer for traditional Zydeco, the popular
music of the Creoles, or black Francophones, who have lived alongside the Cajuns for centuries. In an evolution that parallels what has happened in the Anglophone South, black French music has seen a startling and imaginative evolution over the last century that often left the white French music looking rather stolid and conservative by comparison. Delafose’s father, John Delafose, helped set off the latest wave of Zydeco, bringing people back to the rhythmically unstoppable button accordion.
In addition to the festivities, visit the Bayou Teche Refuge
Besides paddle tours and boat tours, visitors to the Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival can take a couple of hikes into the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge. A short, easy walk to the boardwalk is available, as well as a nearly two-mile hike 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 the cypress-tupelo area, and the Palmetto Trail follows bottomland forest. To reach the boardwalk, take La. 182 or U.S. 90 to the Centerville exit and head south. Just past the railroad track, turn right on Alice C. Road, proceed about a mile and cross a small canal. The trail is on the left, there is a parking area and kiosk. Follow the levee to the right and the boardwalk is visible on the left less than 100 yards in. For the Palmetto Trail, go to the end of Willow Street under the U.S. 90 overpass and take the service road to the east. About two and a half miles down, look for 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 Wildlife Service area at the festival.
and Wildlife Service Go through a year in the life, learning the food and denning habits of bears in Louisiana Date: Saturday. Location: Former Blevins Building. Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact: Deborah Fuller 337-2913124, deborah_fuller@fw.gov Cajun Horse Shoes - Old Fashioned 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 participate. Contact: Tricia Luke 337-578-9259. Canoeing, Paddling through the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge Bayou Teche and Refuge Paddle in conjunction with Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival. Set for Friday through Sunday. The event will feature three days of paddling along Bayou Teche and through the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge. Kayakers and canoe enthusiasts will be able to participate in guided trips. Paddlers can choose the days they would like to join the group or paddle for all three days. On Friday the group will put in and paddle from Jeanerette City Park down Bayou Teche to the Baldwin Town Park where camping will be available. On this 15 mile trip you will see a historic plantation home built around 1830 with a stop for lunch in Charenton, the home of the Chitimacha Nation. On Saturday, paddlers will travel about 12 miles down Bayou Teche to Franklin and pass the site of the Civil War Battle of Irish Bend. This trip will put in at Baldwin City Park and take out at Roseville Boat Landing in Franklin. On Sunday, paddlers will paddle from Roseville landing in Franklin. They will pass the festival and enter into a 100-year-old canal which became the first Intracoastal Waterway in Louisiana. Paddlers will then enter the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge to explore its bayous, canals and wildlife. A small fee is charged for the above trips. You must have your own boat. For further information or an entry form, contact Donovan Garcia, Bayou Teche Refuge Paddle, P.O. Box 249, Jeanerette, LA 70544; or call (337) 9239718; or send e-mail to needtopaddle@yahoo.com BEARS Radio Event On Saturday, there will be a ham radio event sponsored by the Bayouland Emergency Amateur Radio Ser-
vice, or BEARS. The home base for the club is Morgan City, however membership is made up of ham radio operators from throughout St. Mary, Iberia, Lafayette and Acadia parishes as well as members from Texas and Florida. The club’s purpose is emergency preparedness and to keep members current with current activities, a special Amateur Radio Emergency Service, or ARES net, is held every Sunday for members and non-members to check into for the latest information. In the last three months, club members have been activated on three different nights, monitoring extreme weather approaching St. Mary Parish. The club has been recognized for over 25 years service as an American Radio Relay League Affiliated Club and has also been recognized as a Special Service Club by the ARRL. This means the club is active in community affairs and makes itself available when help is needed. It is also available to help anyone interested in becoming a ham radio operator by sponsoring classes and test sessions, as testing is required to obtain a ham radio license. There are 26 members of the club. Longevity of member licenses ranges from less than a year to over 50 years as a licensed ham radio operator. Saturday, the station will be set up on the bayou side directly across from the Young Sanders Center. The purpose of the station is to first, show the public what can be achieved at a portable station, talking strictly on a wire antenna. In addition, publicizing the Black Bear Festival across the country to ham operators who will be calling in to the station on the bayou. Also, an Echo Link station will be receiving calls and will be able to show the public just how many stations worldwide are listed on Echo Link. This is a combination of digital communications tied in with VHF radio. The public is invited and urged to stop by and visit the station which will operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Message forms will also be available in the event you would like to send someone a message via ham radio. Cub Club Arena Children will have their own festival area complete with storytelling, puppet and magic shows, music, games and more! 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 be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children will have their very own festival area complete with, face art, balloon artists, Zoo Zoom, a parade,
3
putt-putt golf, bear painting, pin the tail on the bear, sand pit, inflatables air jump bounce, bear bean bag toss, fishing pond, hula hoop, duck ponds, storytelling, educational areas. Contact: Diane Alexander 828-3349 or email: ellaja.m.8104@yahoo.com Educational Seminars at the Teche Theatre on Saturday 11 a.m. – Recovery efforts for the Louisiana Black Bear, Paul Davidson, Executive Director of Black Bear Conservation Coalition 12:30 p.m. – Habitat Conservation and Restoration Goals in Louisiana, Melanie Driscoll, Director of Bird Conservation, 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 should meet at 7:30 a.m.. in front of the St. Mary Parish Courthouse to coordinate trips to the Bayou Teche NWR. Trips led by Melanie Driscoll, National Audubon Society, and students from the LSU Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Feeding Grounds (Civic Food Organizations) Date: Friday through Sunday Location: Teche Drive Time: 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 booth Delores Stewart dlrs_stewart@yahoo.com 940-1156 or Judith Allain 828-5739 jcallain@cox.net Feeding Grounds (Commercial Food and Merchandise) Date: Friday through Sunday Location: Teche Drive Time: 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 Booth Contact: Delores Stewart 940-1156, email dlrs.stewart@yahoo.com or Judith Allain 828-5739 jcallain@cox.net Fireworks on the Bayou Teche Date: Saturday Location: On the Bayou Teche behind the Blevins Building Time: 8:30 p.m. Hiking on the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge Lead by: Louisiana Hiking Club Contact: Nancy Hall nanhall5@yahoo.com Must be registered by April 14! Will leave from the Blevins Building located at the festival site at 4 p.m. sharp Friday and Saturday. Please arrive 30 minutes early for instructions. Continued on Page 4
Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival, Page
Page 2, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Listen to the music all weekend at BearFest 2011
Events for one and all; arts, crafts and food, too
Music is a main stay of any south Louisiana festival, and this year’s Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival has plenty on tap. Here’s the schedule of musical entertainment for the weekend. Friday 6 – 8 p.m. - Flash Back Old school R&B band that plays a wide selection of old school and blues music with a total of eight members. 8:45-10:45 p.m. - Chubby Carrier and Bayou Swamp Band One word to describe the swampdelic sounds of Chubby Carrier and Bayou Swamp Band? Fun. Pure Louisiana Zydeco fun with a hot sauce chaser. Anybody who has doubts about the accordion as an instrument will be swayed the right way with Carrier’s passion and fire on the instrument. Chubby Carrier started out as twinkle in Roy Carrier’s eye. The Carriers are one of the great musical families in Louisiana. There’s Poppa Roy, Chubby, Chubby’s brother Troy (aka Dikki Du and The Zydeco Krewe), Roy’s nephew Dwight Carrier and The Zydeco Ro Dogs. There’s also Chubby’s Aunt Laura Maria Doolittle (aka Zydeco-T) who plays with Mojo and the Bayou Gypsies. A documentary about the family has been filmed. There’s traditional roots in Chubby’s Zydeco, but expands the sound for all ages. Live and in studio he’s taken songs like B.B. King’s “Rock Me Baby,” Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round in Circles,” The Who’s “Squeeze Box”, War’s “Cisco Kid” and the Grateful Dead’s “Fire On The Mountain” and dragged them through the swamp with beautiful results. It’s adding Louisiana spice to popular tunes that help Carrier build the bridge between Zydeco and the rest of the world. Mardi Gras can happen 365 days a year. Saturday 1-2 p.m. -– A Dime A Dozen Teen group from Berwick 3-5 p.m. -– Rick Lorenzo Acoustic pop and easy listening. 5:45-7:45 p.m. -– John Trahan A lot has happened since John Trahan’s debut disc 17 years ago, including a career move to Dallas and a recent relocation back to native Vermilion Parish. But one thing’s for sure: He never lost his accordion chops or beautiful tenor voice. That’s certainly in evidence here on such standards as “Madame Bozo” and “Convict Waltz,” where his accordion playing is as beefy as ever. He more than gets by with a little help from his friends, an A-list set of players that includes BeauSoleil’s Michael Doucet, Mitch Reed and Jimmy Breaux. But since the album took three years to complete, the focus slowly shifted
Activities abound at the Eighth Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding festival this weekend. Here’s the lineup of events scheduled for the festival weekend. Arts and Crafts (Free Viewing Zone) Date: All weekend Location: Along Parc sur La Teche. Time: Friday, 5:30-10:30 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Contact: Judith Allain, jcallain@cox.net, phone 828-5739, 337578-4145 Delores Stewart dlrs_stewart@yahoo.com, phone 337940-1156, 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 will handle all sales Entry Fee: $3 per entry, limit three entries per artist Location: Corner of Main and Willow Street. Requirements: —All entries must have wire hanger on back —All entries must have artist name, telephone number, medium and title on registration form. Price for sale placed onto art. —Entries will be eliminated if these requirements are not met All entries must be picked up before 4 p.m.. Sunday. Entries not picked up will be taken to AGU Gallery in Morgan City. For questions: Laura Zuniga, phone 828-0811 Bear and Egret Raffle Location: Main Stage Bear Raffle is Saturday 7:25 p.m. and Egret Raffle is Sunday 2:45 p.m. $1 per ticket or $5 for six tickets Contact: Delores Stewart dlrs_stewart@yahoo.com, phone 940-1156 Boat Trips into the Bayou Teche Wildlife Refuge (Free Zone, however you must register) Date: Saturday Registration Location: Bear-Y –Patch, former Blevins building Time: 8 a.m. and every 30 minutes after Guided tours of public and private lands in the vicinity of Franklin. To include Bayou Sale Ridge on La. 317, and the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge. Guided by LSU Chapter of the Wildlife Society. Advanced reservations required, groups will be limited in size for optimal viewing experience. Contact: Donovan Garcia needtopaddle@yahoo.com Black Bear Obstacle Course Sponsored In Kind by the US Fish
from being a tribute to his accordion heroes (Shirley Bergeron, Iry LeJeune, Lawrence Walker) to unveiling material from area songwriters, such as Johnnie Allan (“La Valse de Marier”) and Ivy Dugas (“The Queen of the Broken Heart.”). While most selections are in French, Trahan includes some Englishsung Cajun Americana that, as Doucet points out in the liner notes, “reflects the view of an exiled Cajun.” The Eddy Raven-Jimmy C. Newman-penned “My My Louisiana” couldn’t be more perfect — a song extolling various locales of the Pelican State that was almost prophetic of Trahan’s return. More importantly, Trahan accomplishes the unusual here, a rare blend of tradition and contemporary material that works as an artistic signature. 8:30-10:30 p.m. -– Johnny Chauvin’s Mojo Band Johnny Chauvin has been living and breathing music since early childhood. Born and raised in Franklin, Johnny started playing the guitar at the age of 12. He then furthered his musical talents by picking up the banjo at 14, then the mandolin at 16. It was in 1990 that Johnny wanted to try an instrument that had always fascinated him, the Cajun accordion. He purchased his first accordion, a Falcon, the same brand played by the greats like Wayne Toups, etc. Johnny had found a new outlet for his musical expression. He went on to do spot jobs with various artists like Waylon Thibodaux, Wild Rice, La Red, Don Rich and many more. It was in 2001 that Johnny decided to venture out on his own, starting the Mojo Band. Together with a talented group of serious musicians, Johnny found the sound he’s been looking for. His charisma on stage is infectious; he will definately put you in a great mood before the first song is done! Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Band are southern Louisiana’s coolest Zydeco band. Their sound is a lot like gumbo: a mixture of R&B, rock and roll and soul all cooked up with that Zydeco spice that’s guaranteed to make you move your feet. Johnny Chauvin and the Mojo Band became somewhat of a local legend over the past decade, with his raucous Zydeco Cajun style and smooth infectious singing voice winning over all who had the opportunity to hear them. When the Saints began their mercurial run to glory Chauvin released two songs that have become anthems for the team’s march to success, with the first, “Watching Them Play,” becoming a local radio, then national sensation. Sunday 11-12:30 p.m. – Gospel Chimes 1:15-3:15 p.m. -– Johnny Firmin and American Heart
This band is based out of Franklin featuring Johnny Firmin, an inductee into the Louisiana Hall of Fame, Entertainment Division, and a recording artist with Juicy Pear Productions. The band is dedicated to keeping Louisiana Swamp Pop alive with a touch of classic rock, funk, country, oldies and much more. Collectively, they have one of the most versatile groups to hit Cajun country. 4-6 p. m. -– Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie Geno Delafose is a standard-bearer for traditional Zydeco, the popular
music of the Creoles, or black Francophones, who have lived alongside the Cajuns for centuries. In an evolution that parallels what has happened in the Anglophone South, black French music has seen a startling and imaginative evolution over the last century that often left the white French music looking rather stolid and conservative by comparison. Delafose’s father, John Delafose, helped set off the latest wave of Zydeco, bringing people back to the rhythmically unstoppable button accordion.
In addition to the festivities, visit the Bayou Teche Refuge
Besides paddle tours and boat tours, visitors to the Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival can take a couple of hikes into the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge. A short, easy walk to the boardwalk is available, as well as a nearly two-mile hike 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 the cypress-tupelo area, and the Palmetto Trail follows bottomland forest. To reach the boardwalk, take La. 182 or U.S. 90 to the Centerville exit and head south. Just past the railroad track, turn right on Alice C. Road, proceed about a mile and cross a small canal. The trail is on the left, there is a parking area and kiosk. Follow the levee to the right and the boardwalk is visible on the left less than 100 yards in. For the Palmetto Trail, go to the end of Willow Street under the U.S. 90 overpass and take the service road to the east. About two and a half miles down, look for 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 Wildlife Service area at the festival.
and Wildlife Service Go through a year in the life, learning the food and denning habits of bears in Louisiana Date: Saturday. Location: Former Blevins Building. Time: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Contact: Deborah Fuller 337-2913124, deborah_fuller@fw.gov Cajun Horse Shoes - Old Fashioned 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 participate. Contact: Tricia Luke 337-578-9259. Canoeing, Paddling through the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge Bayou Teche and Refuge Paddle in conjunction with Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival. Set for Friday through Sunday. The event will feature three days of paddling along Bayou Teche and through the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge. Kayakers and canoe enthusiasts will be able to participate in guided trips. Paddlers can choose the days they would like to join the group or paddle for all three days. On Friday the group will put in and paddle from Jeanerette City Park down Bayou Teche to the Baldwin Town Park where camping will be available. On this 15 mile trip you will see a historic plantation home built around 1830 with a stop for lunch in Charenton, the home of the Chitimacha Nation. On Saturday, paddlers will travel about 12 miles down Bayou Teche to Franklin and pass the site of the Civil War Battle of Irish Bend. This trip will put in at Baldwin City Park and take out at Roseville Boat Landing in Franklin. On Sunday, paddlers will paddle from Roseville landing in Franklin. They will pass the festival and enter into a 100-year-old canal which became the first Intracoastal Waterway in Louisiana. Paddlers will then enter the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge to explore its bayous, canals and wildlife. A small fee is charged for the above trips. You must have your own boat. For further information or an entry form, contact Donovan Garcia, Bayou Teche Refuge Paddle, P.O. Box 249, Jeanerette, LA 70544; or call (337) 9239718; or send e-mail to needtopaddle@yahoo.com BEARS Radio Event On Saturday, there will be a ham radio event sponsored by the Bayouland Emergency Amateur Radio Ser-
vice, or BEARS. The home base for the club is Morgan City, however membership is made up of ham radio operators from throughout St. Mary, Iberia, Lafayette and Acadia parishes as well as members from Texas and Florida. The club’s purpose is emergency preparedness and to keep members current with current activities, a special Amateur Radio Emergency Service, or ARES net, is held every Sunday for members and non-members to check into for the latest information. In the last three months, club members have been activated on three different nights, monitoring extreme weather approaching St. Mary Parish. The club has been recognized for over 25 years service as an American Radio Relay League Affiliated Club and has also been recognized as a Special Service Club by the ARRL. This means the club is active in community affairs and makes itself available when help is needed. It is also available to help anyone interested in becoming a ham radio operator by sponsoring classes and test sessions, as testing is required to obtain a ham radio license. There are 26 members of the club. Longevity of member licenses ranges from less than a year to over 50 years as a licensed ham radio operator. Saturday, the station will be set up on the bayou side directly across from the Young Sanders Center. The purpose of the station is to first, show the public what can be achieved at a portable station, talking strictly on a wire antenna. In addition, publicizing the Black Bear Festival across the country to ham operators who will be calling in to the station on the bayou. Also, an Echo Link station will be receiving calls and will be able to show the public just how many stations worldwide are listed on Echo Link. This is a combination of digital communications tied in with VHF radio. The public is invited and urged to stop by and visit the station which will operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Message forms will also be available in the event you would like to send someone a message via ham radio. Cub Club Arena Children will have their own festival area complete with storytelling, puppet and magic shows, music, games and more! 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 be accompanied by an adult at all times. Children will have their very own festival area complete with, face art, balloon artists, Zoo Zoom, a parade,
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putt-putt golf, bear painting, pin the tail on the bear, sand pit, inflatables air jump bounce, bear bean bag toss, fishing pond, hula hoop, duck ponds, storytelling, educational areas. Contact: Diane Alexander 828-3349 or email: ellaja.m.8104@yahoo.com Educational Seminars at the Teche Theatre on Saturday 11 a.m. – Recovery efforts for the Louisiana Black Bear, Paul Davidson, Executive Director of Black Bear Conservation Coalition 12:30 p.m. – Habitat Conservation and Restoration Goals in Louisiana, Melanie Driscoll, Director of Bird Conservation, 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 should meet at 7:30 a.m.. in front of the St. Mary Parish Courthouse to coordinate trips to the Bayou Teche NWR. Trips led by Melanie Driscoll, National Audubon Society, and students from the LSU Chapter of The Wildlife Society. Feeding Grounds (Civic Food Organizations) Date: Friday through Sunday Location: Teche Drive Time: 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 booth Delores Stewart dlrs_stewart@yahoo.com 940-1156 or Judith Allain 828-5739 jcallain@cox.net Feeding Grounds (Commercial Food and Merchandise) Date: Friday through Sunday Location: Teche Drive Time: 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 Booth Contact: Delores Stewart 940-1156, email dlrs.stewart@yahoo.com or Judith Allain 828-5739 jcallain@cox.net Fireworks on the Bayou Teche Date: Saturday Location: On the Bayou Teche behind the Blevins Building Time: 8:30 p.m. Hiking on the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge Lead by: Louisiana Hiking Club Contact: Nancy Hall nanhall5@yahoo.com Must be registered by April 14! Will leave from the Blevins Building located at the festival site at 4 p.m. sharp Friday and Saturday. Please arrive 30 minutes early for instructions. Continued on Page 4
Page 4, Eighth Annual Bayou Teche Black Bear and Birding Festival
Plenty to see and do at Bear and Birding Fest... Continued from Page 3
Depending on weather conditions and the number of hikers we may have to change the location of the hike at the last minute. If the group is small and we have adequate transportation you may be asked to ride with us to the hike location. If you are coming as a large group, you may meet us at the Fairfax Foster Bailey Boat Landing providing you have notified us before April 14. Motorcycle ‘Bear’ Poker Run Entry Fee $10 ($5 for an additional rider) Starting at Lake End Park, Morgan City, 8 a.m. Saturday with registration and first draw. Departure will be at 9:15 a.m. STOPS: Patterson Truck Stop, 2nd Draw; Lockett Center, Four Corners, 3rd Draw; Baldwin Police Station, 4th Draw; Main Street Café, Franklin, 5th Draw. Motorcycle Show Downtown Franklin, starting at 1 p.m. Saturday. For more information:
Courtney Williams, 337-207-2466 or Gary Stevenson, 985-397-2253. Photography Contest (Non-Professional) Show and Sale Registration: Friday from 5-7 p.m. at the corner of Main and Willow. Entry Fee Adults, (13 yrs and over) $3 per entry, limit three entries. Entry Fee Children, (12 yrs. and younger) free, limit three entries. Prizes: Non-Professional Adult First Place $100, second $75 and third place $50. Non-Professional Children first, second and third place ribbons in three divisions: Pre-K and kindergarten, first through third grades and fourth through sixth grades. All entries must be have a wire hanger on the back. Entries will be eliminated if these requirements are not met All entries must be picked up before 4 p.m. Sunday. Entries not picked up will be taken to AGU Gallery in Morgan City For questions: Laura Zuniga, 337828-0811
Boat tours sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Running of the Bears 5K Run/Walk Hosted by Teche Action Clinic on Saturday. Starts at 9 a.m. with runners and walkers at the St. Mary Parish Courthouse Square. Registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. at $25 per person. Contact: Alfreida Edwards 985-397-1096 aedwards@tabhealth.org Souvenirs Festival shirts, hats, posters and more will be sold throughout the festival weekend. Teddy Bear and Friends Repair Clinic (Free Zone) Saturday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sit in the waiting room located in the Cub Club Arena on the corner of Teche Drive and Willow Street while Dr. Donna Tesi and her surgery staff repair your favorite stuffed animals no matter what type. We saved several snakes last year, a couple of elephants, a giraffe, and a few bears. Our staff extends utmost pride to provide your loved ones with gentle care and loving
hands and it’s free. Teen Zone Friday through Sunday on Main Street. Contact: Judith Allain 337-828-5739 jcallain@cox.net Ticket Price Per Entry: TBA Bayou Teche Wooden Boat Show On Saturday and Sunday view a collection of antique and newly built watercraft on display, all constructed of wood. Some will be plywood, but many will employ traditional boat building methods ranging in style from the Pacific Northwest to the bayous of Cajun Country. The exact number and type of boats on display is being assembled, but will include cypress-framed skiffs and bateaus, elegant yachts from yesteryear, cedar canoes or mahogany runabouts. These are beautiful, classic craft from days gone by, and can be seen on the bayouside near Teche Drive and Adams Street. The show begins at 9 a.m. Saturday morning and concludes at 6 p.m. Sunday. More info, Roger Stouff, webmaster@banner-tribune.com or call 828-3706.
Education AND fun activities
Lorrainne Deslatte Sauls, Artist Wooden boat show held adjacent to the festival grounds
Music and dancing in the streest