La Fete d’Ecologie moves to Morgan City

After years in Thibodaux, La Fete d’Ecologie is taking its show on the road, to Morgan City’s Lake End Park Sept. 24.

The music, culture, ecology and heritage celebration is free to the public.

“Morgan City’s been extremely supportive in helping us bring this festival to the city and we look forward to a great event,” said Shelley Sparks, media relations coordinator for the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP), which is the host organization for the day-long festival.

On the heels of Floodfight 2011, the months-long effort to keep floodwaters from the Atchafalaya Basin at bay, Sparks said residents in the northern Tri-parishes, especially St. Mary, are more aware of environmental issues facing this area than ever. The festival move is intended to take BTNEP’s educational festival west.

La Fete pays homage to the environment, rich history and unique blend of cultures found in the estuary, a 4.2-million-acre stretch between the Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers.

“This is the fastest disappearing area on earth and is one of the world’s richest natural resources,” Sparks said. The estuary provides fisheries, rich farmland and oil and gas resources to the nation. “Our hope is that by learning more about the problem and becoming involved, people will come to realize that we must act now to preserve our rich heritage and culture.”

And what a rich culture it is.

The festival blends south Louisiana cuisine, music, art and interactive exhibits to get its message across.

The band lineup includes the Moss Pickers, whose Cajun, bluegrass, folk and old country sound earned them the Country Roads’ 2009 best local musician or band title; the Pine Leaf Boys; Tommy G & Stormy Weather; and Jeffery Broussard & the Creole Cowboys.

On the menu, visitors will find native Louisiana dishes, including gumbo, beignets and homemade pies. Want something more traditional? There’s also hamburgers.

Traditional folk life artists, government agencies, non-profits and educational groups are on hand to teach people young and old about the history, culture and bounty of the environment, as well as efforts to restore Louisiana’s disappearing coast.

“We’ll have a bit of everything, how to make wooden toys or carve a duck decoy, recane a chair and make a cypress paddle,” Sparks said. “Visitors can also see how to make primitive weapons and hone the skills needed to see how to make their own cast net.”

And La Fete’s Cast Net King, the mythological king who calls the swamp his home, will once again emerge from the swamp to enter the cast net throwing competition.

“We’re excited about traveling to a new location to spread our message and share this traditional festival with St. Mary,” Sparks said. “We hope everyone who’s come to love La Fete makes the trip out to enjoy some great music, wonderful food and learn more about our fight to protect our way of life.”

La Fete d’Ecologie

Where: Lake End Park in Morgan City

When: Sept. 24

Cost: Free

For More Info: http://lafete.btnep.org/