THIBODAUX – The Chauvin Sculpture Garden picnic and Blessing of the Fleet celebration are scheduled for 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 15.
The picnic will be held at the Chauvin Sculpture Garden and Nicholls State University Art Studio, located on Bayou Petit Caillou at 5337 Bayouside Drive in Chauvin. Free and open to the public, the picnic is held in conjunction with the traditional blessing of the fleet, an annual boat parade along Bayou Petit Caillou during which a local priest blesses shrimp boats before the start of shrimp season.
The sculpture garden, featuring folk art by Kenny Hill, provides a convenient location from which to observe the blessing of the fleet, scheduled to begin around 12:30.
Festival guests are invited to bring a picnic lunch, meander through the many sculptures on display and visit the art studio, showcasing an exhibit by Bayou Grace Community Services titled “Why Should We Save Coastal Louisiana?”
Guided tours through the sculpture garden will be hosted in both English and Cajun French.
For additional information about these events, contact Michael Williams, Nicholls assistant professor of sculpture, at 985-493-2500.
The Chauvin Sculpture Garden picnic and Blessing of the Fleet celebration are part of the 14th annual Jubilee: A Festival of the Arts and Humanities at Nicholls – held every spring to raise the level of awareness in the arts and humanities. For a detailed schedule of Jubilee events, including times, locales and descriptions of activities, go to www.nicholls.edu/jubilee/.
