The first annual Red, White and Blue Festival will kick off in Clinton, La. Friday and Saturday. The festival is a patriotic family-friendly event that celebrates the men and women who have served in the armed forces.
The Lions Club, an international organization that works to improve opportunities for the visually impaired and supports various environmental causes, is the main foundation that funds and oversees the festival’s many activities.
The first day of the festival will begin with a 5k fun run at 7:45 a.m. followed by a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m.. Later that day, the festival will feature a co-ed softball tournament and a karaoke contest where the top three contestants will perform a set of songs the following day.
A fireworks show and the band Island Fever will cap the day’s activities.
The second day of the festival will commence with two simultaneous cooking contests at 9 a.m., one for blueberries and the other for BBQ, an antique car show at 10 a.m. and a golf cart parade at 3 p.m. The DCI Band, made up from members of the Dixon Correctional Institute, will perform later that day.
Chairperson Lewis Savoie said festivalgoers can donate to veterans through the Wounded Warrior Project at donation booths set up at the festival.
Savoie said safety and maintaining a family-friendly environment are the first-year festival’s top priorities.
Savoie also said there is going to be plenty of food and drinks including soft drinks, beer, Gatorade, burgers BBQ, tamales, cotton candy, alligator on a stick, hot sausage po-boys and jambalaya.
The logo for the festival, a pineapple colored red, white and blue with fireworks coming out the top in replacement of the leaves was designed by Savoie’s daughter. The pineapple was meant to convey a sense of hospitality and patriotism.
Veterans and military personnel will be able to enjoy free homemade desserts at the hospitality tent.
Coolers will not be permitted, but Savoie encourages attendees to bring lawn chairs and tents. Savoie said the number one rule of the festival is to “come and have a great time.”
“It’s a great opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of Baton Rouge,” said Savoie.
Veterans, military personnel and their families can enter the festival free of charge, but adults will be charged $2 and kids 12 and under will be charged $1 to enter the festival. A portion of the ticket sales go to veteran programs in Louisiana.