Travel Articles

1) What: Le Feu et l’Eau Rural Arts Celebration (Fire and Water)
Experience our FLOATING FIRES.
Facilitated by the Arnaudville Area Chamber of Commerce
When: DECEMBER 12-DECEMBER 14, 2008
Friday, 4pm-Midnight;Saturday, 9am-Midnight; Sunday, 10am-5pm
Where: Junction of LA 93/31, Downtown Arnaudville, LA 70512
How Much: Most of the events are FREE
Contact: George Marks or Brandy Perdikas
Email gmarkspainter@yahoo.com
Call: 337-754-5316/337-754-9898
Visit: www.fireandwater.homestead.com for daily updates including performances, times and locations as well as art vendor, cook-off and fiddle competition applications
2) PERFORMANCES INCLUDE:
Friday, December 12, 2008--The Figs, T-Bone Jones, Feufollet, Cedric Watson. FREE ADMISSION. Music begins at 6 pm. Frederick Stage, NUNU's. Organic Acoustic Jam at Tom’s Fiddle and Bow. 4 pm-7 pm. FREE ADMISSION
Don Hayes at Cypress City. FREE ADMISSION. Music starts at 6:30 pm-8:00 pm
Saturday, December 13, 2008--Carol Fran, David Egan and Twenty Years of Trouble, Joe Hall and the Louisiana Cane Cutters, Lost Bayou Ramblers. Music begins at 5 pm. $10 Donation. Frederick Stage, NUNU's. Bluegrass Jam at Cypress City. FREE ADMISSION. Jam begins 10:00 am-1:00 pm
Sunday, December 14, 2008--Music of Acadiana Perfromance Series featuring the Magnolia Sisters and Terry and the Zydeco Bad Boys. Music begins at Noon. FREE ADMISSION. Frederick Stage, NUNU's. Organic Acoustic Jam at Tom’s Fiddle and Bow. 1 pm-til. FREE ADMISSION
Why: What began as an opportunity for artists to sell their work following the wake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Le Feu et l’Eau Rural Arts Celebration has continued feeding the flames of their signature floating fires. This year, it has grown into a 3 day celebration with next year celebrating it’s 5th year anniversary.
3) Quotes:
Marie Orgeron, Arnaudville Area Chamber of Commerce President--"It has been very gratifying to see the economy of our community become increasingly diversified and to watch the influx of visitors to our town. Every small rural community is struggling to compete with major shopping centers and find a way to promote the quality of life in their area. We are proud to be part of such a successful effort."
Celeste Gomez.--St. Landry Parish Tourism Director--“Fire and Water has become one of St. Landry Parish’s signature festivals over the course of five short years!”, says Celeste Gomez, St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission Director. “Attendance continues to grow due to the diversity of events offered by this quaint French Louisiana community during the holiday season. It’s one of the many wonderful ingredients that makes St. Landry Parish a gumbo for your Soul!”
Dona Degeteyer, St. Martin Parish Tourism Director--Fire and Water offers such a wide array of cultural sensations with the beauty in the art, the music, the food and the scenery of the bonfires on the bayous. Bringing all these components together in this celebration is a reflection of all the talent in our area. Arnaudville is to be commended in organizing such a unique experience for locals and visitors.
Kelly Guidry, Artist--Not only does it provide a great venue for the local artists and crafters to make sales at the height of the gift giving season, it also acts as sort of an expo that allows you to network with the other artists and a broad cross section of the community in ways that often lead to valuable business information, future opportunities, and future sales.
George Marks, Le Feu et l‘Eau Rural Arts Celebration Director--Why shop at events like Fire and Water? Because, money spent is reinvested in that particular community. In this case, the cultural community of Louisiana. Obvious benefits of course are employment, maintaining our infrastructure and raising our quality of life and improving on education. If we all take a moment and look around, we will find a lot of people that own an independent business or create some type of good or service. That doesn’t mean, of course, that we should hold firm to only buying locally or nationally but being aware of these homegrown offerings provides an opportunity for us to directly impact the economy that directly effects each of us.
4) ART EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE:
Solo show by 2008 Le Feu et l’Eau artist, Kelly Guidry
Moncton Rock, Acadiana Cri: Art and Music in the Cultural Capitals of Both Acadies (1968-2008)
Two Person Exhibit featuring William Lewis and Bryan LaFaye at Turtle Cove Gallery
Group Shows through-out Arnaudville featuring visual artists and craftspeople including: Guy Arsenault, Megan Barra, Alvin Batiste, Jennifer Be¢ llanger, George Blanchette, Paul Bosse¢ , Jean-Denis Boudreau, Paul E. Bourque, Michel Brault, Eric Breaux, Julie Breaux, Alvin “Pem” Broussard, Jill Broussard, Christopher Brumfield, Herme¢ ne¢ gilde Chiasson, Sylvain Cousineau, Francis Coutellier, Damond, John Daigre, Toni Daigre, Vincent Darby, Demo Demourelle, Lisa DiStefano, Scott DiStefano, Matt Doucet, Mario Doucette, Scott Finch, Lucius Fontenot, Michelle Fontenot, Yvon Gallant, Tina Girouard, Pete Goguen, Philp Gould, Amy Guidry, Hal Guidry, Mark Gustafson, Jill Hackney, Joe Hall, Daryl Harwood, Bill Hemmerling, Lori Henderson, Michel Hudelot, Kent Hustler, Jillian Johnson, Vera Judychi, Gerald Judice, Bryan LaFaye, Ricky LaGrange, Zeralda LaGrange, Dicky Landry, Iggy Landry, Michael Landry, Rene Landry, Gerilyn LaVergne, Dano LeBlanc, Marc Xavier LeBlanc, Juanita Leonard, William Lewis, Missy Maloney, George Marks, Deanna Meche, George Meche, Erik Miklos, Jay Miller, Pat Mire, Moncton-Sable, Elemore Morgan, Jr., Natalie Morin, Earl Morrogh, Francis X Pavy, Pierre Perrault, Andre’-Alan Phelps, Zachary Richard, Jeramie Rivette, Florine Robin, George Rodrique, Toby Rodriguez, JD Schall, Hogie Siebert, Ann-Marie Sirois, Pavel Skalnik, Vernon Smith, Shine Sonnier, William Sonnier, Beth Stark, Brian Thibodeaux, George Valris, Ruth Wright, Debbie McCullough Wyatt and more…
Special student exhibits featuring work from the Arnaudville Elementary and Beau Chene High Schools
2 Bayous Art Market featuring a multitude of artists and craftspeople selling their unique one-of-a kind work including: jewelry, stained glass, fine wood crafts, pottery, handmade soap, paintings, sculpture, photography and more…
5) EVENTS INCLUDE:
Book Signing by Bill Fontenot
Half Pipe Skateboard and Bike Exhibition
Fiddles and Flames Music Competition
Mayor’s Earth, Wind, Fire and Food Open Flame Cook-Off
Organic Acoustic Jams, Bluegrass Jam and Fireside Drumming
Brown Bag Arts and Crafts Workshop for Kids
Petite NOLA Fire Up Kiln Building Workshop
Viewing of Connie Castille and Allisoin Bohl’s Films, “I Always do my Collars First” and “Raised on Rice and Gravy”
Antiques Roadsheaux
Music of Acadiana Performance Series
Language Tables including La Table FranV aise
Story Telling and Santa at the Gazebo
Art Lecture at Steeple Vue Gallery
Petite Around the Culinary World Cooking Demonstration and more.
6) CULINARY ARTISTS INCLUDE:
Brandon Broussard of Broussard’s Cajun Cookin’, Donald Thibodeaux and Rita Marks of NUNU’s Café, Myran Chautin of Myran’s Maison de Manger, Melanie Olivier and Francis Robin of Russell’s Food Center and Catering and Chef Maureen Little of Virtual Bistro Catering and more…