1 week Ago By Lil Mirando
Small-town Ponchatoula is a big event city. Not a week passes without some public happening – Friday Night Live free monthly concerts, Antique Trade Days twice a year, the Christmas Lighting ceremony, the Citywide Yard Sale, Swamplight Theatre performances, artistic events at Twin Steeples and Krewe of Erin festivities. There are parades.
Flag-raising observances are held on all patriotic holidays. The list goes on and on. The biggest event of them all is the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival.
The question “When is the Strawberry Festival?” always gives me pause because, frankly, when is it not? We might say this weekend is the peak. HAPPENING – My crystal ball, viewed before deadline Friday, indicates if you are reading this column online early Saturday, Downtown Ponchatoula is bubbling with excitement. Marchers and riders are taking their places to start parading at 9:30.
Spectators are choosing their spots along the main street. Meanwhile at Memorial Park, volunteers are stocking their booths in hopes of raising lots of money for worthy causes. Carnival workers are cranking up the rides; they open at 9 a.
m. Musicians are tuning their instruments and equipment. Lindsey Cardinale opens on the south stage at noon, and NOLA Rouge opens on the north stage at 11:45.
Law enforcers are at their posts, and festival board members are scurrying about attending to details. In neighborhoods, families are firing up their grills and barbecue pits to welcome friends and relatives from near and far. At shopping areas all along LA-22 and US-51, last-minute shoppers are buying weekend supplies.
Painted strawberries and strawberry-themed merchandise adorn store-front windows. Restaurants are gearing up. Traffic is building.
On the other hand, if you are reading this after the paper arrived in your mailbox Saturday, the festival is now going full blast. The carnival rides are swirling. The music is booming.
Traffic is swelling. The crowds are pressing to buy, eat, drink, dance, sing, compete, ride and revel in the fun. But if you are one of my friends who reads today’s Daily Star at the library Monday, Ponchatoula is into cleanup mode.
Folks may take a bit of a break, but the Strawberry Festival is too big for Ponchatoula to rest for long, if at all. PERSONAL FAVORITE – My personal favorite time is festival setup week. It’s interesting to watch the neighborhood park being transformed into the throbbing heart of a major celebration.
Last weekend, one of the first indicators I noticed was Ponchatoula Public Works Director Jacob Stevens carrying a container to a spot in Memorial Park’s freshly mowed grass. I asked, “Wha’cha doing?” He explained he was spreading ant poison. Rain was in the forecast, and the poison would soak into the ground.
Thanks, Jacob! Monday, a truck hauled in the port-a-potties. Tuesday, I spotted several people assembling a large platform near where the south stage is usually located. This was curious to me because I had not noticed the platform in years past.
“Wha’chall doing?” I asked. Festival Chairman Tristen Miller, Chairman-elect Reuben Auter and Site Coordinator Stephen Pugh kindly explained they were putting together a reviewing stand for dignitaries, royalty, visiting festival queens and even family members of performers. Contest winners can receive their ribbons and prizes there too.
Boo Ragan said the reviewing stand is not new this year, but maybe it’s more noticeable because it’s bigger than in previous years. Also, Boo assured me that – same as last year – the volume from the south stage will not get above 80 decibels in the direction of my house. This information is especially interesting to the Professor and me as well as our cats.
(I give them Calm pills.) Tuesday afternoon, loud synchronized yelling sent me rushing to my window to see the latest development. The wheels of a big rig were spinning in the mud near the reviewing stand.
A large assemblage of strong young men in hard hats were yelling in unison as they pulled and pushed the heavy truck through the mud. This was the truck hauling the south stage. Their exuberant effort was exciting to watch.
Wednesday, busy workers and volunteers assembled rides, booths, stages, fences and barricades. I ventured Downtown and saw the “Welcome to Ponchatoula” flags flying along the main street. Vendors were setting up their stands.
Strawberry decorations flanked the entrance and exit of Sonic where a worker wearing a strawberry headband delivered a strawberry-flavored Dr. Pepper to my car. Thursday, Ponchatoula was a beehive of activity.
The professor and I had an appointment in Hammond. Making our way down Sixth Street, I looked for the police station and could not see it for all the booths and decorations filling the corner, but rest assured it’s there. Under construction, Education Square looked interesting.
“No parking” signs lined neighborhood streets in the northeast quadrant. Reuben Auter and Resident Coordinator Kelly Wells made their rounds to deliver a token of appreciation to park residents. Thanks, guys! Much appreciated! As of this writing at 7 a.
m. Friday, we have awakened to voices of people setting up tents at the south stage. My cats run to hide at the sound of the Waste Pro truck pumping the portable toilets.
A voice over a loud speaker tells everyone to move their vehicles from the park. HUNKER DOWN – Police Chief Bry Layrisson’s advice to the park neighbors this weekend is “hunker down or get out of town.” Everyone at my house prefers the first option.
After all, the weather is gorgeous. The music is no more than 80 decibels at our house, and the Professor has earplugs. A lot of people have worked hard and a lot of expertise has gone into ensuring the 53rd annual Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is safe and fun.
This should be a great weekend. Lil and Joe Mirando are retired and have lived at the Strawberry Festival for 42 years. Email lilmirando@gmail.
com or stop by to say hi if you see them this weekend..
