Negotiations ongoing between S. Hollywood landowners and parish
October 7, 2014Teachers can receive gifts up to certain values
October 7, 2014
One of the biggest reasons why it’s great to live in the USA is the prospect of the American Dream.
It’s the idea that no matter where you come from, no matter how humble your beginnings, you have the opportunity of limitless potential.
So it was only fitting that a small costume party in the little town of Houma has grown to receive the admiration and acclaim from, of all publications, USA Today.
Last Tuesday, USA Today named the upcoming third-annual Rougarou Fest among America’s 10 best Halloween costume parties.
It’s an amazing honor considering the concept began as nothing more than a birthday party from the “Hostess with the Mostest” Summer Skarke to her near-lifelong friend Jonathan Foret.
“We’ve been best friends since we were three. We met in swimming lessons, and we’ve just always been friends. We don’t give each other gifts for holidays or birthdays. We do something for each other,” Skarke explained. “I do a poetry night, and he comes and decorates the stage for me. My gift to him is I host a costume contest, so this is just something I did as his friend. It was like, ‘Happy birthday. I’ll host a costume contest.’”
That costume contest concept grew into the Rougarou Fest bringing hundreds of guests to downtown Houma and now praise from the widest circulated print newspaper in the United States.
Yep, that’s the American dream, folks.
“So not only is Houma one of the happiest places, but we’re in the top 10 of costume contests,” Foret said. “We’re really excited about it, because this is going to be our third festival. Really, with only having two festivals under our belt, it was really an honor for USA Today to recognize us as one of the coolest things to do as far as Halloween around the country.”
Both Foret and Skarke thank the power of social media for the honor from USA Today.
Now it’s up to the festival to live up to the hype. And the event organizers have no doubt that it’ll be yet another family-friendly, thrilling, good time.
Of course the costume contest is the headliner of the event. There are six categories including Pets, Most Creative, Funniest, Scariest, Movie Characters and Kids’ Costumes (10 and under). Each category is limited to 100 contestants.
“They had amazing costumes that first year, so the second year we did it we were ready and even more people came out, and I feel it’s such an honor that out of the whole nation the little town of Houma has been acknowledged for a costume contest at Halloween,” Skarke said.
Even those not participating in the contest are encouraged to wear a costume to the festival.
Other events at Rougarou Fest include The Rougarou Run, a challenge course plagued by zombies and swamp monsters, the Krewe Ga Rou Halloween Parade, a Cajun-infused food court and a new feature this year – a haunted house called Hurricane Z.
“The storyline is that there’s a hurricane coming at the same time as the zombie apocalypse, and so the Waterlife Museum has been set up as a shelter of last resort,” Foret explained. “So people that are coming to the Waterlife Museum are seeking shelter from the storm but then also from zombies, but the zombies have infiltrated the museum so the people who are coming through the haunted house have to make their way through without being attacked by the zombies… I think it’s an interesting concept, and it’s one where the hurricane part is very relevant. Let’s hope that the zombie part isn’t quite so relevant to south Louisiana.”
The festival serves as the primary fundraiser supporting the South Louisiana Wetlands Discover Center, and Foret feels the rougarou is the perfect mascot to represent the event and the fundraiser.
“The reason why we use the rougarou as our mascot I guess is sort of the same reason Smokey the Bear is telling you ‘Only you can prevent forest fires,’” Foret said. “The rougarou is sort of our character we use to raise awareness about coastal land loss, because if the rougarou doesn’t have a place to live then we don’t have a place to live either, so we have the month of October which plays really well into spooky and scary things.”
The third-annual Rougarou Festival takes place Oct. 25 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. in downtown Houma.
“One thing that’s really important is to recognize all the volunteers that it takes to make this happen, and we’ve got just a stellar group of people that come together with wonderful ideas and a work ethic that is incomparable,” Foret said. “It’s a dedication of those people that has gotten us to be on that list and we’re certainly thankful for it.”
Visit rougaroufest.org for more information.
Pictured are participants in last year’s Rougarou Fest costume contest. Up to 100 people per category will be allowed to participate in this year’s contest.
