Crowns, gowns and shrimp abound in St. Mary Parish

The Shrimp & Petroleum Festival Pageant and Ball are scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 28, at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.

The pageant is from 7:30 to 9 p.m. and is immediately followed by the ball, which ends at 1 a.m.

Young women, ages 18 to 23, who live in the area, have been out of high school for at least one year and are not married, are able to compete for the title of festival queen. The contestants are presented to the audience, along with several visiting queens from around the state.

Lee Delaune, executive director of the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, said that in celebration of the festival’s 75th anniversary, former kings and queens have also been invited to partake in the event.

“We’ve invited all of the past royalty, and the ones who have returned their invitations stating that they will be there and they want to be presented, we are going to present them at the pageant,” he said.

The 2010 royalty is chosen prior to the event, but their identities are kept secret until the night of the pageant. That evening, the 2009 king and queen Gregory Roussel and Ashley Bahry (pictured) will relinquish their crowns to their successors.

Features of the ball include dancing, live entertainment by Bits and Pieces and finger foods, hors d’oeuvres and of course, shrimp. Both events are open to the public and tickets for the pageant are $5 and for the ball are $20. For more information call (985) 385-0703.