October

Celebrations abound on the Cajun Coast in the month of October.
October is the traditional time when events kick up again after the long—and in this year’s case—wet summer.
From one end of St. Mary to the other, there are numerous venues in the preparation stages for all ages.
Harvest Moon Fest, presented by the Franklin Main Street Merchants Association, will be held Oct. 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Franklin’s Main Street.
In addition to special shopping promotions by downtown merchants, a full day of activities are planned. A 5K Run/Walk will kick off the day. “Under the Lampposts” Car Show will feature rat rods, classic cars and trucks, bikes and special interest vehicles.
Children will have lots of fun with great activities including games, a train ride and face painting.
Dogs are welcome. Bring man’s best friend down for the annual “Mutt Strutt” Costume Contest at 12 noon.
Other activities include the Bayou Bake Off, a dessert baking competition sponsored by the Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau that will be held at the Lamppost.
Teche Growers Association and the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries will host demonstrations throughout the day.
Musical entertainment for the day includes 5’Oclock Shadows, Flashback and Ricky Lorenzo & Friends.
“Come spend the day with us in Historic Downtown Franklin for the Harvest Moon Festival,” Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard said. “Enjoy some beautiful fall weather, good food and great music and the many local arts and crafts vendors set up along Main Street. You can get some of your Christmas shopping done as you stroll through the locally owned shops as well. We look forward to seeing you there.”
Categories for the Bake-off include brownies, candy, cake/cupcakes, cookies, and pie/cobbler/custard. Check in is 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Judging will begin at 11 a.m. Winners will be announced at 1 p.m. Winners must be in attendance.
Scoring will be based on presentation, appropriate texture, taste, consistency and overall impression. Contestants must be amateurs and all ages are encouraged to participate. Entries must be home cooked and not store-bought. More than one entry is acceptable. Desserts must be prepared in a sanitary manner, completely cooked and no items must need refrigeration. Six items are needed for candy, cupcakes, brownies, and cookies. Pies, cakes, cobblers and custards must include the entire dessert.
Entries must be clearly marked with contestant’s name and name of dessert in a sealed container with a recipe. Containers should also be labeled. With permission, recipes may be used for promotions of the Cajun Coast or Harvest Moon Fest. If permission is not granted, it will not affect your opportunity to win. Contestants may work as a team but only one award will be given to the team. Desserts may be picked up after the awards. Any leftovers after 2 p.m. become the property of the Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau and Harvest Moon Fest.
The bureau reserves the right to use photos, names, images, videos and relevant quotes in promotion of the parish and Harvest Moon Fest.
For a complete list of rules, visit www.cajuncoast.com/event/annual-franklin-merchants-association-harvest-m...
Also upcoming, the 5th annual Chitimacha POWWOW 2018, presented by Keta Group LLC, will be held Oct. 20 from noon to 10 p.m. at the Pavilion at Cypress Bayou Casino in Charenton. Doors open at 11 a.m.
The powwow is a celebration of Native cultures through song, dance and fellowship. The public is invited. General admission is $5 and kids under fiveare free. The event will include competition dancing, food and craft vendors. Grand entry will be held at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Gourd dances will be held at 12 noon and 6 p.m. Dancer registration is $5 and will be held from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Drums are welcome with day money to the first three groups.
The public is invited to experience the sights, sounds, and tastes of powwow. Interested dancers must show proof of membership in a federally recognized tribe. There are opportunities for audience participation during social dances.
Louisiana Public Broadcasting will screen several Native American films at 4:30 p.m. during the competition dancing break. Immediately following the screening, Patrick Moore of the Pawnee and Otoe tribes and Tonya Moore of the Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribes will play host and given an introduction to powwow. The audience can expect to learn the meaning of powwow, why dancers dress the way they do, what the movements of each dance style represent, and much more.
Guests can also enter to win a Chitimacha Basket, Kimberly Walden, Cultural Director, Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana, said.
Fit, Fun & Fabulous, Louisiana’s first health and wellness festival, will be held Oct. 4.
Former New York Nick and Atlanta Hawk Durand “Rudy” Macklin will speak at a 7:30 a.m. breakfast at The Lamp Post. He is the director of the Governor’s Council of Physical Fitness and sports. Tickets are required, but free.
Health care screenings will be offered throughout the day, as well as a senior adult health program, both at The Lamp Post from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Medical agencies will pair up with local businesses to over a downtown walking tour, and there will be a children’s area, fitness demonstrations and hands on activities from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Chez Hope’s Unity Day Luncheon will be held at the Forest Restaurant at 11:30 a.m., featuring Michael “Beer Man” Lewis, a New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame Wide Receiver and Punt Returner.
From 5 p.m. to dusk on Teche Drive at the main stage will be a Walk For Christ, a one-mile walk, gospel choir entertainment, a Bully Free Rally by Chez Hope, Chitimacha Recreation Department fitness activity and the Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble Band.
A kick-off party is set for Sept. 27 at the Teche Theater with the 5 O’Clock Shadows playing. It is a fundraiser for the St. Mary Parish Council on Aging. Entry fee is $10.
“Coffee With A Cop”, sponsored by the Franklin Police Department, is set for Oct. 3.
Running from 8-10 a.m. at The Forest Restaurant, the event is an opportunity for citizens to meet and engage with officers.
There is no agenda or speeches; just a change to ask questions, voice concerns and get to know the officers in the community.
Tour du Teche paddle race, a 135-mile race along Bayou Teche, has a layover in Franklin Saturday, Oct. 6.
Paddlers begin arriving around 5 p.m., and the deadline for paddlers to finish the race is midnight. The public is invited to Parc sur la Teche on Teche Drive for the evening.
If you live along the route, please welcome the paddlers with signs and noisemakers. “Let’s show them the hospitality that is Franklin. If you can, come out to Parc sur la Teche and witness the racers as they cross the finish line. Also, come to the Opening Ceremony, which begins at 7:15 a.m. Oct. 7 to welcome and wish the athletes well as they leave Franklin for Berwick,” Mayor Eugene Foulcard said.
South Louisiana Community College Franklin Campus will conduct a Career Readiness Workshop Tuesday, Oct. 2 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Franklin Campus, 1013 Perret Street. The Career Readiness Workshop will provide interview preparation, professional attire tips and resume evaluation.
The City of Franklin and South Louisiana Community College Franklin Campus will host the Franklin Career Fair Tuesday, Oct. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the City Park Recreation Center, 500 Shine Forquier Drive. Job seekers are asked to dress for success and to bring copies of their resume.
Businesses and organizations are invited and encouraged to participate in the Franklin Career Fair. Please contact Clifton Fox at South Louisiana Community College (337-521-8923 or Clifton.fox@solacc.edu) to become a part of the Franklin Career Fair.
For more information about the Franklin Career Fair and the Job Readiness Workshop, please contact South Louisiana Community College Franklin Campus (337-413-8146).
The Town of Berwick kicks off its annual Lighthouse Festival Oct. 5-7 on Berwick’s Riverfront.
The festival welcomes the Tour du Teche participants as they cross the finish line after an arduous 135-mile race down the Bayou Teche and the Lower Atchafalaya River from Port Barre.
The weekend fun will include carnival rides, games, arts and crafts, food and beverages and continuous live music beginning on Friday evening. On Saturday only, the Brown House, Berwick’s Heritage Museum, will showcase a special exhibit entitled “The Mighty Oaks Tell the Story of Old Berwick…If Only They Could Talk!” On Sunday only, the Cypress Corvette Club will host a car show. The Little Zoo on Wheels will also be in attendance and the awards ceremony for Tour du Teche will be held at 3 p.m.
Musical acts for the weekend include Jus Cuz, Powerhouse, Blue Collar Boys, Krossover, Lowdown and Déjà vu beginning 6:30 p.m. on Friday and ending at 9:30 p.m., 3 p.m. on Saturday, ending at 10 p.m. and resuming on Sunday at 1 p.m. ending at 6 p.m.
“We’re so excited to showcase Berwick at our annual Lighthouse Festival,” Jacki Ackel, spokesperson for the festival, said. “We’re thankful to all our sponsors and we look forward to seeing everyone there.”
The City of Patterson will celebrate its 3rd annual Main Street Festival and Historic Walking Tour Oct. 13 near Morey Park. A self-guided walking tour will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person.
Captain Caviar will have boat tours along the Lower Atchafalaya River from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 per person. There will be a Kid’s Korner from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with games and face painting as well as a Hero Bungee Jump from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Additional activities include an art show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., a silent auction from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and a Cochon (Pork) Cook-off from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with judging at 3 p.m. Music for the day includes Gone Pecan from 12 noon to 4 p.m., Déjà vu from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Kyle Daigle from 7 to 8:45 p.m. “Patterson is doing some great things and this festival is a great way to not only showcase our wonderful community, but to bring everyone together to support a great cause: the continual development of Morey Park on the Lower Atchafalaya River,” Patterson Mayor Rodney Grogan said.
The Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau is sponsoring a special promotion to get visitors and locals alike to attend all four events. Earl the Egret (a piece of yard art) has escaped the swamps behind the visitor center and will be conveniently lost at each event. Observant attendees are encouraged to take photos with Earl to earn points. Hashtags #Cajuncoast and #FeedYourSoul on Instagram will earn bonus points. Photos must be forwarded to info@cajuncoast.com by Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. to be eligible to receive a New Orleans Getaway worth over $700 along with a completed form. Complete rules are posted on www.cajuncoast.com.
While the Chitimacha POWWOW requires an entry fee, Earl will be placed in a public area. No purchase is necessary to win. The person with the most points will win. In the event of a tie, a random name will be selected.
“October is a great month to showcase the Cajun Coast,” Carrie Stansbury, Executive Director, Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau, said. “The four events featured in the promotion are all authentic to their towns and communities and a great way to showcase the parish and their respective communities.
For more information, contact the Cajun Coast Visitors and Convention Bureau at 985-380-8224 or visit www.cajuncoast.com.