Choctaw Fireman’s Fair: Food, music, fun for a great cause

Other than weekly bingo games, the Choctaw Volunteer Fire Department relies on one event to raise the needed funds to keep its operations going.

On March 9-11, the Choctaw Firemen’s Fair kicks off at the Choctaw Fair Grounds, just off La. 20 north of Thibodaux.

The three-day event will feature great Cajun cuisine, music and dancing, and a carnival midway.

Best of all, there’s no gate fee.

Fair organizer Craig Rink said the 24th Choctaw Firemen’s Fair has continued to grow over the years. In large part, the bigger crowds have kept pace with improvements to the fair grounds.

In addition to live entertainment and a variety of Cajun and fair favorites, the event will feature about 8-10 carnival rides supplied by Cajun Rides, Inc.

Rink said the festival serves as the main fund-raiser for the all-volunteer department’s operations. The CVFD has two trucks and one rescue truck.

“This is a strictly volunteer department, so this festival provides our only means of income,” he said.

The CVFD currently has 38 paid memberships and 24 active memberships, Rink said. “We’re doing pretty good right now fire-wise. We’ve only had about four fires a year in our area, and those were brush fires. Last year, fortunately, we didn’t have any structural fires.”

On Friday, the fair kicks off at 6 p.m.

A deejay, Optical Illusions, will provide musical entertainment from 6 to 8 p.m.

From 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., Good Feelings will perform cover hits dating from the 1950s to today’s hits.

Saturday’s performers include Morgan Blanchard, a swamp pop, country and western band. They’ll play from 4 to 8 p.m.

And from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., the Treater Band will keep the crowd rocking.

On Sunday, at 10 a.m., the annual Firemen’s Parade will roll from Sixth Ward Middle School to the fairground. Several fire departments from surrounding areas will participate, along with local festival queens and the Sixth Ward Middle School marching band. And Way Down South will perform a variety of music at the fairgrounds up until the 7 p.m. closing.

For more information, contact Rink at (985) 438-0401.