Sugarland Fest kicks off this weekend in Assumption Parish

Parish of the Ascension — Sugarland Fest kicks off for the first time the first weekend of August in Assumption Parish.

The event is organized by the Assumption Foundation for the Arts, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting music and the arts within the parish.

“We started a nonprofit music and arts organization in Assumption Parish,” said Joshua Hebert, a representative of the foundation. UWK. “This festival will be our biggest fundraiser of the year. This is the first year we’re doing this.”

The Assumption Foundation for the Arts has been in existence for about two years and its mission is to support and fund student groups in the parish, including musicians, artists, dancers and theater students.

“Our parish lacks opportunities for the arts. Students often have to travel to Thibodaux, Baton Rouge or Houma for anything arts related that is not part of a school program. We stepped in to provide those opportunities locally,” Herbert said.

The foundation’s plans include community programming such as concerts, art galleries and exhibitions. They also plan to hire master class technicians to teach children and provide community lessons.

The foundation has already received significant support, raising nearly $25,000 in just a few weeks.

Sugarland Fest will take place on August 3 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the parish community center. “It will be 12 hours of music, mostly indoors, with the main stage in a large gymnasium,” the representative said.

The festival will feature an art market where local artists, vendors and craftspeople will showcase their work. There will also be a smaller stage for student performances, adding a grassroots feel to the event.

Attendees can look forward to a live painting session by Alvin Baptiste, a renowned folk artist, along with an auction and a variety of food trucks. Many elected officials also contribute by cooking and donating food, with all proceeds going back to the foundation.

In addition, an entertainment company provides the attractions and bouncy castles, making it a fun event for all ages.

“This is really the first festival of this type that the parish has ever had. We have small church festivals and similar events, but nothing like this,” Hebert noted.

The foundation hopes that Sugarland Fest will become an annual highlight for the community and help foster an arts culture in Assumption Parish.

Visit SugarlandFest.org for more information.

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