Shrimp & Petroleum Festival to kick off Thursday

The 82nd annual Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival will kick off Thursday with a ribbon-cutting under the U.S. 90 bridge in downtown Morgan City. Festival activities will continue through Monday with carnival rides, music, food, arts and craft booths, parades and more.

Festival organizers have made a few venue changes due to the rainy weather the area has experienced from Tropical Storm Harvey. Chances of rain will be 20 percent Thursday night and Friday, 30 percent Saturday, 50 percent Sunday, and 60 percent Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

Officials will cut the ribbon around 5 p.m. Thursday followed by the start of carnival rides under the bridge. There is no charge to enter the festival grounds, but there are fees for carnival rides and carnival games.

Organizers plan to move the music stage to the corner of Second and Everett streets just outside of Lawrence Park to minimize damage to the park, Festival Executive Director Darby Ratcliff said. Musical performances begin at 6 p.m. Friday and continue through Monday.

Due to the moving of the stage, the gazebo in Lawrence Park will no longer be the viewing site for the Best Seats in the House winners. Winners will still receive festival merchandise, but will not have a designated spot to watch the performances, Ratcliff said.

Also on Friday, the 40th Annual Arts & Crafts Show and Sale will begin at 5 p.m. under the U.S. 90 bridge and continue each day through Monday.

Festival officials still plan to hold the Children’s Village on Saturday in Lawrence Park, Ratcliff said.

The only “walking traffic” festival organizers expect to have inside the park is to and from the Children’s Village, Ratcliff said.

“Everywhere else should be accessible via sidewalk,” Ratcliff said.

Nonprofit vendors with the Cajun Culinary Classic will still be set up along the outskirts of the park by Third Street.

However, the children’s games, which are scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, will likely be moved to the former M.D. Shannon Elementary School building, Ratcliff said.

The Children’s Day Mini Street Parade will start at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Street and Lawrence Park.

The Cypress Corvette Club’s car show is scheduled for 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday on the grounds of the former M.D. Shannon Elementary.

From 3-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the musical acts will perform at the Fellowship of Love Gospel Stage in the former M.D. Shannon Elementary building.

Sunday will feature Mass from 8:30-9:30 a.m. at Holy Cross Catholic Church, instead of Lawrence Park because of the weather. The Blessing of the Fleet and boat parade will take place from 10 a.m.-noon Sunday on the Morgan City side of Berwick Bay. The Rev. Freddie Decal of Sacred Heart Catholic Church will be the celebrant for the Blessing of the Fleet.

A street parade through Morgan City’s downtown historic district will follow at 3 p.m. Sunday. There will be one change to the usual parade route. The parade will turn left from Second Street onto Freret Street, instead of Everett Street. Police will close the Federal Avenue exit for a short period of time, and all traffic will be directed to the La. 182 exit.

Fireworks will be shot off at 9 p.m. over the Atchafalaya River. KQKI 95.3 FM will play music synchronized to the fireworks.

The La. 182 bridge will close from 9 a.m.-noon Sunday for the boat parade and 8 p.m.-10 p.m. Sunday for the fireworks.

The festival will conclude Monday with more music, carnival rides and arts and craft booths.

According to Morgan City police, there will be some slight modifications to this year’s festival in regards to parking and traffic flow.

—No parking allowed around Lawrence Park whatsoever.

—No traffic flow in either direction on Everett Street from Third Street to Alabama Alley.

—No traffic flow in either direction on Second Street from Railroad Avenue to Brashear Avenue.

—No traffic flow on Third Street from Freret Street to Everett Street. Only residents living in that area and vendors will be allowed on Third Street.

—No traffic flow on Greenwood Street from Third Street to Front Street.

—No traffic flow on the unprotected side of Front Street from Brashear Avenue to Railroad Avenue. Only pedestrian traffic will be allowed in this area.

Here is the four-day Shrimp and Petroleum Festival lineup:

Schedule of Events

Thursday, Aug. 31

1-4 p.m. Artist Guild Unlimited 54th Annual Show and Sale (Everett Street Gallery)

5-5:30 p.m. Ribbon cutting ceremony – Official opening of the festival by festival royalty and officials

5-9 p.m. POP ride bracelets $25

5-11 p.m. Carnival – Mitchell Brothers Amusements

Friday, Sept. 1

1-4 p.m. Artist Guild Unlimited 54th Annual Show and Sale (Everett Street Gallery)

5-8 p.m. Information Booth (Festival office)

5-9 p.m. 40th Annual Arts & Crafts Show and Sale

5-11 p.m. Cajun Culinary Classic

5 p.m.-midnight Carnival – Mitchell Brothers Amusement

6-8:30 p.m. Kyle Wilson – Music Stage

6-11 p.m. Best Seats in the House

9-11 p.m. Krossfyre – Music Stage

Saturday, Sept. 2

8 a.m. 5K Fun Run/Walk – City Hall

Visiting Queen’s Day begins

8 a.m.-3 p.m. Car Show/Cypress Corvette Club –M.D. Shannon grounds

9-10:30 a.m. Children’s Day Activities: Field games, races and contests

9 a.m.-9 p.m. 40th Annual Arts & Crafts Show and Sale

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Artist Guild Unlimited 54th Annual Show and Sale (Everett Street Gallery)

Information Booth (Festival office)

11 a.m. Children’s Day Mini Street Parade – First Street and Lawrence Park

Noon-11 p.m. Cajun Culinary Classic

Noon-midnight Carnival – Mitchell Brothers Amusements

1 p.m. Children’s Village, Ribbon Cutting

1:15 p.m. Visiting Queen’s introduction – Music Stage

1:30-3:30 p.m. TK Hulin – Music Stage

3-3:30 p.m. Car show awards ceremony – M.D . Shannon grounds

3-9 p.m. Fellowship of Love Gospel Stage – M.D . Shannon building

4-6 p.m. Ross Grisham – Music Stage

6:30-11 p.m. Best Seats in the House

6:30-8:30 p.m. Travis Thibodaux – Music Stage

9-11 p.m. Category 6 – Music Stage

Sunday, Sept. 3

8:30-9:30 a.m. Mass at Holy Cross Catholic Church

9 a.m.-9 p.m. 40th Annual Arts & Crafts Show and Sale

10 a.m.-noon Blessing of the Fleet and Water Parade

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Artist Guild Unlimited 54th Annual Show and Sale (Everett Street Gallery)

Information Booth (Festival office)

Noon-11 p.m. Cajun Culinary Classic

Noon-midnight Carnival – Mitchell Brothers Amusements

1 p.m. Children’s Village

1:30-3:30 p.m. Waylon Thibodeaux – Music Stage

Blessing of the Fleet winners announced

3 p.m. Street Parade – Downtown Historic District

3-9 p.m. Fellowship of Love Gospel Stage – M.D. Shannon building

4-6 p.m. Snapper and the Fishsticks – Music Stage

6:30-8:45 p.m. Jaryd Lane – Music Stage

6:30-11:30 p.m . Best Seats in the House

9 p.m. Fireworks on the River – Tune radio to KQKI 95.3FM and hear synchronized music

9:30-11:30 p.m. After 8 – Music Stage

Monday, Sept. 4

9 a.m.-9 p.m. 40th Annual Arts & Crafts Show and Sale

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Artist Guild Unlimited 54th Annual Show and Sale (Everett Street Gallery)

Information Booth (Festival office)

Noon-9 p.m. POP ride bracelet $25

Noon-9 p.m. Carnival – Mitchell Brothers Amusements

12:30-1:30 p.m. KQKI Country Showdown winner Mamie Winters – Music Stage

2-3 p.m. Jus Cuz – Music Stage

3:30-4:30 p.m. Cliff Hillebran and the Anytime Band – Music Stage

5-6 p.m. South 70 – Music Stage

5-7:30 p.m. Best Seats in the House

6:30-7 : 30 p.m. Déjà vu – Music Stage