THIBODAUX – The Chauvin Folk Art Festival and Blessing of the Fleet Celebration is scheduled for Sunday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nicholls State University Chauvin Sculpture Garden and Art Studio.
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.
Located at 5337 Bayouside Drive in Chauvin, the sculpture garden, featuring folk art by Kenny Hill, provides a convenient location to observe the blessing of the fleet, which begins around 12:30 p.m
This year, the festival will include two screenings of the documentary “On Our Watch” at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Directed by Jonathan Evans and produced with support from the Greater New Orleans Foundation, “On Our Watch” is an award-winning, one-hour documentary that examines the origins of coastal erosion, subsidence and the impact of sea-level rise on south Louisiana communities.
Starting at 10:30 a.m., crowds will be entertained by the Cajun Music Preservation Society, a nonprofit operated by several members of Nicholls faculty and staff.
Festival guests are invited to bring a picnic lunch, meander through the many sculptures on display and visit the art studio. Guided tours through the sculpture garden will be hosted in both English and Cajun French.
For more information, contact Dr. Gary LaFleur, festival coordinator and associate professor of biological sciences, at 448-4175 or gary.lafleur@www.nicholls.edu.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 6, 2018
CONTACT: Jacob Batte, Media Relations and Publications Coordinator, 985.448.4141 or jacob.batte@www.nicholls.edu
