Planning well under way for revived Tri-Parish Fair, Festival

The founding committee or the Tri-Parish Fair & Festival announced at Wednesday’s Rotary Club meeting that the event, a revival and refinement of its predecessor, will be held in Fall 2015 on the LSU Eunice campus.
According to committee member Dwight Jodon, the inspiration for the festival were two major events formerly held in the city -- the LA Folklife Festival and the Tri-Parish Fair what drew thousands of visitors.
“Ultimately, the founding committee is motivated to spark a renewed spirit of volunteerism, outreach and hospitality, drawing neighbors together to showcase that which we often take for granted: our people and culture,” a prospectus about the event says.
Other committee members are Pat Dossman, Tony Fuselier, Lynn LeJeune, Michelle DeRouen and Celeste Gomez.
The Fair & Festival will benefit the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the Nagata Foundation and the LSUE Foundation Scholarship Fund.
“Beyond the named beneficiaries of the inaugural event, the potential for economic impact for the City of Eunice and outlying communities is enormous. It is our goal to work with local lodging businesses, restaurants and other businesses in order to maximize the impact on the local economy,” the committee notes.
The Rotary Club voted unanimously Wednesday to become a key sponsor of the event, agreeing to received, hold and disperse all funds raised by it.
Jodon in his remarks pointed out the committee envisions the Fair & Festival as a major state event, nor just a regional one, believing it will become a destination for people from the state, national and world