Every Labor Day weekend, we go down to Morgan City where my husband is from. Why Labor Day weekend? The Shrimp & Petroleum Festival. (and fortunately, it's also about the same time the redfish are biting...)
This year was the 75th anniversary of the Festival. It is the oldest chartered festival in the State of Louisiana.
It began in as a celebration of the shrimp industry. And in 1967, they began celebrating the oil industry as well. The Morgan City/Berwick area relies heavily on these two commerces.
One of the traditions (that date back over 70 years) is the blessing of the fleets. The Father blesses them, for safe passage on the waters and pays homage to those fallen.
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| Jake enjoyed the rides |
They KNOW how to party. Big time. There is music, a carnival, crafts fair, a parade, a firework show... It's all one huge, long party.
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| Ron's Mom and our grandson Hayden |
On a personal note, my in-laws have a ceramic store in Berwick (Berwick & Morgan City are much like Shreveport & Bossier... only seperated by a river). So every year my mother and father-in-law have a booth at the festival. She paints faces and they sale many Louisiana themed ceramics.
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| Jake flying high! |
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| Hayden Paul... said "This is the BEST Shrimp Festival EVER!!" I have to agree with him. We had a lot of fun! |
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| A great Firework display on Sunday night! |
Did I mention them Coonazzes know how to throw a party? :) See ya next year!
There is something at least semi-ironic about a Shrimp and Petroleum festival this year. I thought for a bit, one was gonna kill the other.
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