Donna Keating / L’Observateur / December 9, 2000

LUTCHER – The 11th annual Festival of the Bonfires continues today and tomorrow at the Knights of Columbus fairgrounds, 1905 W. Main St. inLutcher.

In St. James Parish, the lighting of bonfires has been a holiday tradition sincethe 1880s. It was most likely introduced to the area by Marist priests innearby Convent who built the fires on the batture next to the river to entertain their students. No one is sure why the why the bonfire lightingswere moved from New Year’s Eve to Christmas Eve. However, the mostpopular explanation is they lit the way for PaPa Noel, the Cajun version of Santa Claus, as he paddled his pirogue to deliver gifts to Cajun children.

There are others who claim that the tradition was started to provide navigational signals to help guide religious travelers to midnight mass. It mayhave been a celebration of the Epiphany, the 12th Night, when Christmas trees were taken down and burned.

Each night will feature a bonfire lighting at 7 p.m. The festival will feature Cajun food, the Festival of the Bonfires pageant, live entertainment by local bands Snazz and Bits ‘N’ Pieces, crafts, Santa’s Very Merry Forest, a Bikers’ Poker Run, a Million Mutt March (a dog walk to benefit C.A.A.W.S.), a magic show featuring Irwin Royes “The World’s SmallestMagician” and a Christmas parade featuring a celebrity grand marshall.

Children’s activities will include children’s crafts, face painting, animal exhibits, amusement rides throughout the weekend, story telling and photos with Santa.

The schedule of events will include: Today: 8:30 a.m. – 5K and one mile run/walk 10 a.m. – festival opens, Bikers’ Poker Run 11 a.m. Jamie’s Dance Dimensions performance noon – Performing Arts Dance Center performance noon to 3 p.m. – children’s activities, Aquarium of the America’s Aqua Van 1 p.m. – Rhonda’s Dance Dimensions performance1-3 p.m. – Photos with Santa2 p.m. – Cothren’s Tae Kwon Do demonstration3 p.m. – Yvonne’s Directions in Dance performance4 p.m. – The 2000 Miss Festival of the Bonfire pageant5 p.m. – Dixie Cloggers6-11 p.m. – Music by Snazz7 p.m. – bonfire lightingSunday: 9 a.m. – The Million Mutt March dog walk10 a.m. – festival opensnoon – The 2000 Christmas parade 1:30 p.m. – music by TARC Christmas Bells and Band3-4 p.m. – Abracadabra magic show3-5 p.m. – children’s activities4-6 p.m. – photos with Santa4-8 p.m. – music by Bits ‘N’ Pieces7 p.m. – bonfire lightingThe daily admission fee is $2 for adults and children 12 and under are admitted free.

For more information call (800) FOR-STJAMES or visit the website at www.festivalofthebonfires.org.

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