|
|
|
La. Fur & Wildlife
Festival History
(Note:
Earlier history via written documentation is not available. Founding
information and earlier history is from verbal accountings from those that
participated.)
Cameron, Louisiana
The
idea for the Louisiana
Fur and Wildlife Festival in Cameron was originated in 1955 by the late
Congressman T. A. Thompson who represented the area.
On
a challenge from the Congressman in Cambridge,
Maryland, Representative
Thompson sent fifty-two year old Leon Hebert, a 25 year trapper, from Cameron
to the National Outdoor Show to compete in the National Fur Skinning
Contest. Mr. Hebert placed fifth in the nation that year. (Leon
Hebert won the Louisiana title at the first annual Fur and Wildlife Festival
on December 2-3, 1955 by skinning five muskrats in 53 3/5 seconds, nosing out
John Broussard by five seconds.)
A
small group of people met during the summer of 1955 in the old Police Jury
meeting room in the Cameron
Courthouse Building
(where the Sheriff's tax office is now located), to make plans for the first
festival. Whitney Stine was the chairman of the meeting and
enthusiastically endorsed having the festival. Many community
organizations were represented at this meeting. Those attending
included: Whitney Stine - Cameron Lion's Club, Edward Swindell, Sr. -
Cameron Lion's Club, Hadley Fontenot - County Agent, Alvin Dyson - State
Representative, Ray Burleigh - Cameron Lion's Club, Joe O'Donnell -Cameron
Lion's Club, Mrs. Iva Free - Home Demonstration Agent, Roberta Rogers - Home
Demonstration Club, Geneva Griffith - Home Demonstration Club (retired from
festival duties in January 2004, after 48 years of volunteer service) and Sam
Tarlton - Lake Charles Television and Radio Station.
From
this grassroots group of organizers came one of the oldest, most successful
festivals, the Louisiana
Fur & Wildlife Festival.
In
spite of the bitter cold weather in December of 1955, and operating on a
"shoestring" budget the festival was a huge success. Funding
was provided by the Cameron Parish Police Jury and private donations.
J.
B. Jones, Jr. served as master of ceremonies for the program which was the
festival climax. The program was presided over by Hadley Fontonet,
Festival President 1955.
Miss
Vida Bess Brown, a seventeen year old beauty from Abbeville, was crowned
"Miss Outdoor of Louisiana" by Ted
O'Neal, Chief of the Fur and Bottoms Division of the Louisiana Wildlife Commission. She was
presented with a nutria stole, a bouquet of roses by the Cameron Service
Garage, and an expense paid trip to the National Outdoors Show in Cambridge, Maryland.
The
Cambridge, Maryland National Outdoor Show became a
"Sister Festival" with the Cameron Festival and the two exchanged
fur skinners and festival queens each year. The tradition of exchanging
festival representatives continues to the present time.
Miss
Meredith Giles (Montie) was named "Cameron Parish Queen" and won
the title from a field of 34 contestants. She was crowned by Hadley
Fontenot.
Ted
O'Neal told the audience (a Cameron Elementary full house) that night, that
"Nutria skins are saving what would have been a vanishing fur industry
for this area." He also pointed out that in the previous year
Cameron Parish trappers netted $400,000.
Eleven
year old J. A. Miller captured the Louisiana
Junior Duck Calling contest that year. In years to come he grew to
become the World Champion Fur Skinner, following in the footsteps of his
father Fletcher, and teaching his daughter Selika the art with her becoming
the Women's Champion. His wife, Mary Jane Miller, held the Local and
National Women's title many times.
The
second annual festival was held on January 11-12, 1957 and $5000.00 in cash
and trips were awarded along with fur coats to the Fur Queen contestants.
Nancy
Precht (Nunez) was crowned Fur Queen by Louisiana Representative Alvin
Dyson. She represented the festival at the Mardi Gras Ball in Washington, D.C.
where she was presented to Vice-President and Mrs. Nixon. This
tradition continues to the present time. Her crown bearer was Lurchell
Fontenot (Whittler) and her flower girl was Cheri Kay Griffith (Giblin).
In
a report by visiting news media that year it stated, "Little in size,
about 2500, Cameron likes to do things in a big way -- Fur fashion, shows,
parades, water carnival, pirogue races, trap and trap shooting, duck calling,
skinning, a parade and Miss Fur Queen contest, and the town was filled up,
and estimated 7000 people."
The
annual Fur Festival Parade was always a high point of the festival, always
held at 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, starting from the west end and traveling
through town to the east, on Highway La. 27-82. Each civic organization would
spend days and many hours planning and making the beautiful floats and
competing for the honor of winning in the various categories. They were
usually constructed in the warehouses of the local menhaden plants, mud
houses, garages, or anywhere workers could get out of the cold. Roland
"Bolo" Trosclair was in charge of the parade at that time. A long
line of civic minded citizens were to follow him over the years in charge of
the parade including Deil LaLande, Roland Trosclair, Jr., Hayes
"Pete" Picou, Jr., Oscar Reyes, II and Freddie Richard.
Fontonet
continued to serve the festival as President until he was transferred from
Cameron Parish in 1966. A concerted effort was made to find someone to
assume the leadership position. J. B. Jones, Jr.agreed to take it with
the condition that each phase and contest of the festival be taken over by
various community members. Jones revamped the Board of Directors,
bringing in people from all over the parish to help out and the festival grew
even larger. He held the Presidential post until he chose to give it up
in 1980. Braxton Blake was elected President. Mr. Blake held the
office until 1988. Hayes "Pete" Picou, Jr., was elected
as President, replacing Mr. Blake. Clifton Hebert was elected
President, replacing Mr. Picou after he retired from the office. Mr.
Hebert serves as President until the present.
Hadley
Fontenot, J.B. Jones, and Braxton Blake, serve as President Emeritus for the
festival.
A
mascot for the festival was chosen. A contest of the area school
children determined the name. The raccoon (mascot) was named Sha-oui
and is a big hit for children each year.
The
39th festival chose Adrienne Picou as its 1995 Queen Fur XXVI. She was
presented a fur coat (donated by the La. Fur
and Alligator Council) by Joe Herring, Secretary of Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Hayes
"Pete"Picou served as President. Billy Doxey served as King
Fur XXVI representing the oyster industry. The 1995 Miss Cameron
Parish was Jennifer Leigh Broadus representing the festival at the Outdoor
Show in Cambridge, Maryland. The 1995 Little Miss Cameron
Parish was Courtney Conner and Little Mr. Cameron Parish was Kaleb Trahan.
Sarah Ann Vaughn was the Jr. Miss Fur Queen. Representative Randy Roach
interview Miss Outdoors during the Saturday Night Program.
The
40th festival was held January 11-13, 1996 and honored the Mehaden
Industry. It has had great impact on local and state economics.
The
41st La.
Fur and Wildlife Festival honored the fur industry. A king was chosen
from this industry. Michelle Trosclair from Grand Chenier served as the
reigning Miss Cameron Parish and Marie DesOmeaux from Abbeville is the 1996
La. Fur Queen. The parade was at 12:00 noon and it started on the east
end of Cameron. Hayes "Pete" Picou served as President.
The
42nd annual festival honored the cattle industry. A king was chosen
from that industry. Hayes "Pete" Picou served as
President. There was a carnival on the fairgrounds, food booths,
dances, and outdoor events.
The
43rd annual festival honored the oil industry. A king was chosen from
that industry. Hayes "Pete" Picou served as Past
President. After giving up his post, Mr. Picou was replaced by Clifton Hebert as
President. John LeBlanc replaced Eddie Benoit as Director of the fair
grounds. There was a carnival on the fairgrounds, food booths, dances, and
outdoor events.
The
44th annual festival honored the shrimp industry. A king was chosen from that
industry. Clifton
Hebert served as President. There was a carnival on the fairgrounds,
food booths, dances, and outdoor events.
*The
45th annual festival, January 11-13, 2001, honored the rice industry.
Mervin (Possum) Chesson was chosen from the rice industry and crowned king on
Friday, January 12, 2001. Miss Courtney Tatman of St. Charles Parish was also crowned Fur
Queen 2001. Shannon Surratt was crowned Miss Cameron 2001 on Thursday 11, 2001.
The Executive Officers include Clifton
Hebert, President; Freddie Richard, Vice-president; Sue Mhire,
Secretary; and Stephanie Rodrigue, Treasurer. In addition to the
Executive Officers, is a Board of Directors that governs festival
decisions. A group of over 200 community volunteers work to see that
the festival is a success. As is the past, a cookbook, featuring
various local recipes and information/pictures from last year's festival will
go on sale in January. Various pageants will choose royalty to
represent the festival for the upcoming year. A carnival, parade, food
booths, outdoor events, and dances will complete the package. Saturday,
January 6, 2001 began the selection of festival royalty. Miss Deb Fur
Queen is Christian McCall, Miss Teen Fur Queen is Cassandra Trahan, and Jr.
Miss Fur Queen is Ashley Kelly.
*The
46th annual festival, January 10-12 2002 honored the duck hunting industry.
Enos "Buster" Sturlese was chosen and crowned on Friday January 11,
2002. Shannon Hinton was crowned Fur Queen 2002. Miss Marlyn LeJeune was
crowned Miss Cameron 2002 on Thursday January 10, 2002. The Executive
Officers include Clifton
Hebert, President: Freddie Richard, Vice President: Sue Mhire, Secretary; and
Sandra Smith, Treasurer. Saturday January 4, 2002 began the festival with the
crowning of Miss Deb Fur Queen, Erika Pickett; Miss Teen Fur Queen, Dixie
Desonier; and Jr. Miss Fur Queen, Tara LeBlanc. On Thursday January 10, 2002,
Kent Doxey was crowned LiL Mr Cameron and Jenna Duddleston was crowned LiL
Miss Cameron.
*The
47th annual festival was held on January 9-11 2003 and honored the alligator
industry. Charles Petifer was chosen and crowned as King Fur on Friday
January 10th. Tiffany Wing from Calcasieu
Parish was crowned La Fur Queen on Saturday January 11th. Trista Semien was
also crowned on Friday night as Miss Cameron Parish 2003. Lil Miss Marlie
Ellice Mudd, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lance Mudd of Grand Lake was crowned on
Thursday night along with Lil Mr. Madison Jade Morales son of Mr. and Mrs.
Chris Morales also of Grand Lake.
*The
48th, and most exciting of all festivals held, was one of nostalgia and
advancement. The festival grounds were filled to capacity as crowds of
festival goers enjoyed food, fun, and fur. The festival kicked off with
the opening Thursday night program which yielded our newly crowned Lil' Mr.
and Miss Cameron Parish, Tyler Nunez and Abby Miller, both representing South
Cameron Elementary School. This year's King, Mr. Jimmy Stoutes, was
selected as King Fur 2004 because of his unmatchable dedication to his
lifelong career as an oyster fisherman. Selected as Fur Queen
2004 was Miss Trista Semien, representing Cameron Parish. And, Ashley
Picou, a senior from Grand Lake High School, was crowned Miss Cameron Parish
2004 during the Friday night program. Mrs. Geneva Griffith was honored
for years of service to not only the festival but Cameron Parish and its
citizens.
*What
sportsman could resist a weekend of competition - Cameron style?
Trap shooting, retriever dog trials, duck and goose calling, nutria and
muskrat skinning, and oyster shucking contests drew record numbers of
participants and spectators alike. As the 49th Annual Louisiana Fur and
Wildlife Festival kicked off on Thursday, January 6th, outdoor competitions
were not the only thoughts lingering with festival goers. The festival
has always been known for its lavish pageants. Royalty crowned during
this year's festival were:
Little Mr & Miss Cameron Parish - Luke Miller and Callie Brevelle
Deb Miss Cameron - Jadah Primeaux
Teen Miss Cameron - Ericka Pickett
Junior Miss Cameron - Cami Savoie
Miss Cameron Parish - Ashley Kelly
2005 Fur King - James "JA" Miller
2005 Fur Queen - Cadi Brook Pedigo
The
Executive Officers for 2005 include Johnny LeBlanc, President, Clifton
Hebert, Vice President: Freddie Richard, Vice President: Stephanie Rogers,
Secretary; and Sandra Smith, Treasurer.
*The
2006 celebration of the Fur and Wildlife Festival was cancelled due to the
devastation of Hurricane Rita.
*The
50th annual Fur and Wildlife Festival had the feeling of an old
time family reunion. It was held in
Cameron on January 13th, 2007.
After the devastation of Hurricane Rita, it was wonderful to gather in
Cameron and celebrate the Fur Festival again.
Participants enjoyed many of the same activities that had brought them
out to the fair ground in past years.
The newly crowned royalty reigned over the festival in grand
style. The year’s festival
representatives were:
Little Mr & Miss Cameron Parish – Coby Blake Benoit and Jacee Camille
Miltenberger
Deb Miss Cameron – Morgan Hardie
Teen Miss Cameron – Kristin Broussard
Junior Miss Cameron – Misty Lesueour
Miss Cameron Parish – Haley Willis
2005 Fur King –Rolland Primeaux
2005 Fur Queen – Kayla Lavergne
Back to top
|
