Bonfires, football most popular

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 27, 2010

By Robin Shannon

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – With the biggest fall event in St. John the Baptist Parish – Andouille Festival – in the books for another year, residents of the River Region have now turned their attention to other late year activities – most prominent of which include fire and football.

With all of the late year activities and festival options scheduled in St. John, St. James and St. Charles parishes in the coming months, the majority of our readers who responded to last week’s poll question said they are most looking forward to the Festival of the Bonfires along the Mississippi River levee, a decades-old tradition in the region, and the prep football playoffs, which are likely to feature a plethora of River Parishes teams.

The annual Christmas Eve bonfires were the top vote getter in this week’s poll, grabbing 40 percent of the total vote. The fires barely edged out high school playoff action, which got 33 percent.

Other voters said they are more excited about some of the events coming up at some of the area plantation homes. Twelve percent of the vote went to the Destrehan Plantation Fall Festival, held Nov. 13 and 14, and another eight percent went to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra’s appearance at San Francisco Plantation, which is happening Nov. 7. The remaining votes went to events surrounding the 150th anniversary of the community of Reserve.

A full breakdown of responses follows:

• 40 percent of respondents chose “The Festival of the Bonfires/Christmas Eve bonfires along the levee.”

• 33 percent of respondents chose “Prep football postseason action.”

• 12 percent of respondents chose “The Destrehan Plantation Fall Festival.”

• 8 percent of respondents chose “The Louisiana Philharmonic playing at San Francisco Plantation.”

• 8 percent of respondents chose “Reserve150 events (fun day, cemetery walk, movie premiere, etc.).”