Tri-parish fair once was popular area event

The tri-parish fair in Eunice was one of the top highlights of the year until the early 1950s. The Weekly Gazette reported on September 1, 1928, that the fair’s 100-page catalogue, listing all of the events and schedules for the fair, was available.
That year, the fair was held on four days, October 18 to October 21, instead of the three days it was held in previous years. The Gazette reported on October 20, that fair organizes expected 50,000 people to visit the fair.
The exhibits, contests, and the sporting, dancing and the largest collection of carnival rides in the South took place on five acres and there were 10 acres set aside for parking.
Accordionist Joe Falcon, who had released a Cajun music record through Columbia records, performed that year. During the summer of 1928, Columbia released the album, “Allons a Lafayette,” recorded by Falcon and his wife Cleoma, in New Orleans, resulting in tremendous sales.
The fair was packed with activities, including football and basketball tournaments and many contests in which people -- businesses, farmers, schools and other organizations would vie for first, second and third place. Those competing in the contests came from Evangeline, Acadia and St. Landry parishes, but visitors came from many places around the state and beyond.
The article reported a “sister plane” of the plane Charles Lindhberg flew across the Atlantic Ocean non-stop for the first time the year before was parked a quarter mile from the fairgrounds. Many fairgoers had their first flying experiences, getting a bird’s-eye view of the fair in the process.
The Gazette reported on October 20, 1918, that participation in the agricultural, textile and culinary contests doubled and the number of people bringing in cattle to be judged tripled.
“There will be prizes for everything from dogs to canned goods,” according to the article.
But the writer of an article in the October 20, issue of The Gazette seemed to have his eyes on one particular contest. A significant portion of the story was about the “bathing beauty” who won the first place trophy, Hazel Manuel Landreneau, from Evangeline Parish. “This speaks for itself of the pulchritude of the Evangeline girls,” according to the article, adding, “These young ladies were all a splendid example of our Southern beauties.”