After much prayer and study, I have concluded that it will not be in the best interest of the Parish to have a Music Festival this year. Some of the reasons are as follows:

·         The BP oil spill has hurt many families who would normally support our event. This includes those whose support employment has been affected by the spill.

·         Avondale shipyard has begun to lay-off workers.

·         Our local, state and national economy is still in recovery mode and many families have less discretionary funds available to them as compared to other years.

·         There is a great uncertainty regarding the amount of income taxes families will have to pay next year.

·         Even those Parish fairs and festivals that did not charge an admission fee did not do as well last year as in previous years, and some have also cancelled their events.

·         Our Parish School Crawfish Festival was also affected with a lower than expected gross amount. 

·         Last year, we did not break-even. We incurred a loss and had to use monies left from the fair before Hurricane Katrina. 

·         We do not have the ability to cover expenses of entertainment for the bands if we held the Festival and did not do well.

·         I have also been informed that there is an LSU game in Baton Rouge that weekend as well which would impact Festival attendance negatively.

            Therefore, we forfeited the deposits which we made last year to hold a band for this year. However, we did so in hopes of avoiding a greater economic loss. We pray that the situation in which so many families, including the Parish, improves in the remaining months of this year and into next year. I will certainly miss having a festival or fair in which I was able to see so many Parishioners at one time enjoying the good music, good food and fun. But, we are in the midst of planning smaller events such as Adult Dances, Spaghetti Dinners, etc. Should you have any suggestions for similar events, please contact us. We welcome your ideas.

            Please let us pray to Mary who is the Immaculate Conception to help us in every way as we begin this new year of solution.

God Bless you, and I do appreciate your interest and good will for our Parish in all the ways that you participate.

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Very Rev. Warren Cooper

Pastor