Smoked Meat Festival organizers announce schedule

When there’s smoke, it must be time for Le Festival de la Viande Boucanée! For two decades le Festival de la Viande Boucanée (the LA Smoked Meat Festival) has been smoking, with fabulous food, magnificent music, frolic and family fun, and lots of smoke. The 2015 festival will be held Friday and Saturday, June 26, and June 27, at the Ville Platte Civic Center and grounds located at 704 N. Soileau Street, Ville Platte. This year’s celebration is being dedicated to “Veterans from all Branches of the Military” in honor of their service to our country. A brief run-down of scheduled activities includes:
•Thursday, June 25 - Beauty pageant to select younger courts - ages birth to 13 years - Northside Civic Center - 6 p.m.
•Friday, June 26 - Gates open at 4 p.m. and music begins at 6 p.m. Scheduled entertainers are: Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie, Richard LeBouef and Keith Frank and the Soileau Zydeco Band.
•Other activities include: Beauty pageant to select Miss Le Festival de la Viande Boucanée (ages 17-23 years); Teen Miss Boucanée (ages 14-16 years); and Ms. Boucanée (ages 23 and older).
•Saturday, June 27 - Gates open at 8 a.m. and music begins at 10:30 a.m. At 12 noon, opening ceremonies honoring all veterans of all branches of the military will be held. Scheduled entertainment includes: Don Fontenot et Les Amis, De La Louisiane, Ferral Manuel and Wild Rice, Ashton Dupre, Charlie Rivers, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Jaryd Lane and Category 6.
Other activities are: the World Championship Smoked Meat Cookoff, petting zoo and face painting.
At 3 p.m., Smoked Meat Cookoff winners will be announced.
Admission to the festival will be $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. IDs will be required. No ice chests or pets will be allowed, but lawn chairs are welcome.
For more information, contact Renee Brown (1226 Huckleberry Lane, Ville Platte, LA 70586) at (337) 224-3248, FAX (337) 363-2798.