St. Eds Spring Fair marks 50th anniversary

By Claudette Olivier
Claudette.Olivier@eunicetoday.com
This weekend will mark the 50th anniversary of the St. Edmunds Catholic School’s Spring Fair, and one local alumnus recalled how the fair has grown since it was first started in 1965.
“I was a sophomore the first time we had a fair,” said Harry Summerlin. “Sister Mary Albert said we needed to raise funds for the school. Students came up with games or activities to charge other students for, and each class — freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors — had to come up with something.”
“We had the fair in one afternoon on the playground. There were no rides or concessions, just games, like a field day without the competition. It was fun and games for all involved.”
This year’s fair will be 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Friday and Sunday armbands are $20, and weekend armbands are $45. Regular armbands will be sold on Friday from 6 to 10 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. The ticket booth will open at 5:30 p.m. Friday.
Summerlin, who retired from St. Eds after working as teacher, coach and principal at the school, said it was only a few years after he graduated high school that the fair came to include rides.
“D.V. Tanner Sr. was instrumental in getting the rides from Miller Rides,” he said. “That turned it into a real fair. The rides were a hit at the school, in the community and with out of towers. It’s got to be a good thing if it has lasted for 50 years.”
“Everyone enjoys the fair,” Summerlin continued. “Sister Joel (Miller) and Monsignor (J. Robert) Romero even take part in the fair. It’s a family thing with good food, camaraderie and community support. Everyone from the mayor to the street department helps with the event.”
This year’s fair will feature live music with JoJo Reed and a DJ throughout weekend, the Blue Jay Boutique and food including boiled crawfish, barbecue hamburgers, shrimp etouffee, fried catfish, candies and sweets, cotton candy, funnel cakes and snow cones.
There will be regular bingo from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Big Bingo will be Saturday at 9 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m., and the cost is $100 for nine games at and one Black-Out with $500 both days. On Sunday, there will be a 5K Fun Run and one mile walk. Registration is at 7 a.m., and the event starts at 8 a.m. There will also be a live auction at 2 p.m. Sunday in the parking lot, weather permitting.
Like Summerlin, Student Council Vice President Drew Richard also has fond memories of the Spring Fair.
“The fair means everything to us,” Richard, a senior, said. “We grew up coming to the fair. This year we even brought back some of the old games.”
“We see how the money raised helps the school, and the fair beings everyone’s spirits up.”
PTA president Angelle Driggs and Assistant Principal James Wallett also weighed in on what the event means to the school and the community.
“This is our most successful and unique fundraiser,” Driggs said. “It’s a big community event, and it brings whole community together.
“Parents, students, alumni, teachers, volunteer and the community are involved in the process of making it so successful for the last 50 years. It’s a 72 hour long fundraiser.”
“This fair has been going on 50 years, and it is vital to the school,” Wallett said. “The more money we raise, the more we can do for the school. It’s a great benefit to the children.”
“Come out and see us at the event. We want to see all the alumni and kids.”