Accepting the Challenge
March 13, 2019
Cantrelle files suit against Parish Council
March 15, 2019
Bring your family and friends to Bayou Lafourche— along La. 1 in Downton Thibodaux — this Saturday to celebrate St. Patrick s Day with Friends of Bayou Lafourche’s (FOBL) 2nd Annual St. Patrick’s Day on the Bayou event.
“When we first started to organize this, we recognized that there was nothing else going on in the Houma-Thibodaux area to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day.” explained Ryan Perque, Executive Director of FOBL. “So we saw it as an opportunity to the host an event for Saint Patrick’s Day. when there’s nothing else going on in the Houma-Thibodaux area while also promoting our organization.”
In 2016, the charitable nonprofit FOBL was formed by a group of citizens from Bayou Lafourche Freshwater District. “The mission of FOBL is to raise the awareness of the importance of Bayou Lafourche and its revitalization, through education and informational outreach, and by the creation of recreation and beautification opportunities along the bayou,” stated the organization in a recent press release.
The organization, Perque said is hoping—in their recreational efforts—to build more launches, parks, clocks, pavilions, etc, down Bayou Lafourche.
“The second portion of that recreational pillar that we have is to give people the opportunity to use the bayou through events.” Perque said. “And that’s something we are doing with Saint Patrick’s Day on the Bayou, where we’re giving people that opportunity to utilize the bayou from a recreational standpoint.”
This year’s unique celebration— which garnered great attendance its inaugural year—features, once again, the Cardboard Boat Race Contestants will build a boat made out of just cardboard and duct tape and then compete in a 100-yard boat race down Bayou Lafourche.
Prior to that now locally famous race, other paddle enthusiasts will compete in a one-mile and three-mile races, in which regular kayaks, paddleboards, canoes and pirogues are accepted.
In addition to watching the entertaining races, attendees who pay $5 to enter the event area will get access to the festivals food and drink vendors and live music by Russ Cheramie and Soul Survivors.
For adults, nearby establishments will be serving alcoholic beverages that festival-goers are allowed to walk the event grounds with.
More information cot the event and registration forms for the races can be found at https://bayoulafourche.org.-st-patricks-day-on-the-bayou/.
“We wanted to show people that the bayou can be used as a source of recreation in our area. We want people to view the bayou as just being a drainage ditch; it’s much more than just that,” Perque expressed. “It’s source of drinking water for 300,000 people. It plays a pivotal role in coastal erosion for our region It’s a source of recreation that often goes underutilized. So by having this event. we’re able to show people that you can be used recreationally.”
