Happenings this week

Don’t forget to shop locally for your gifts for Mother’s Day which is Sunday, May 9.  All of our gift shops have a wide selection of gifts that Mom would love.  Beautiful potted plants from one of the garden stores would also be appreciated.  Can’t think of what to get?  How about a gift certificate from one of our many great restaurants?  Or give her a “girls’ weekend” overnight stay at one of our awesome B & Bs.  Whatever you decide, Mom will love you for shopping local!

 

Channel 9 Live from St. Francisville

Next Friday, the morning crew from WAFB Channel 9 will be airing their morning show live from Parker Park from 5 am until 7 am.  All you early birds are invited to join us as we welcome Matt, Jeanne, Diane, Johnny and Greg to St. Francisville.  They have some great guests lined up, cooking demonstrations and musical entertainment so come on out to see how they put this show together.  Let’s give them a great West Feliciana welcome!

 

Live Music

This weekend the music plays on.  Friday night at the Magnolia Café, come out and listen to the music of Flatbed Honeymoon.  On Saturday night at Georges Feliciana, Fox Fire is set to entertain you.

 

Louisiana Literature at the Library

The West Feliciana Parish Library will host a six-week series of readings and discussions about Louisiana literature, entitled “Encounter in Louisiana:  Conflict and Confluence in Literary Currents.”  The program is free and open to the public, and will be held on Tuesdays from 9:30 am until 11:30 am, from May 4 to June 8.  Since space is limited, please register in advance by calling the library at 784-0260.

 

Market Day at the Methodist Church

On Saturday, May 8 from 9 am until 8 pm, the St. Francisville United Methodist Church family is hosting Market Day.  There will be delicious meals served – breakfast, lunch and dinner – and auctions, too.  A silent auction starts at 9 am with the bidding ending at 5 pm.  The live auction will begin at 6 pm, and expect to find antiques, furniture, household furnishings and lots of other exciting items.  There will a garage sale at 9 am, too, and homemade baked goods, free child care while you shop, a baking contest, and arts & artistry!  For more information on all the events of this day, call the church at 225-635-3763.

 

Nature Day

Audubon State Historic Site presents nature programs all day on Saturday, May 8.  At 10am and again at noon, visitors can participate in an Animal Discovery program which introduces them to a few of the site’s resident creatures.  At 1:30pm and again at 2:30 pm, visitors will have the opportunity to go on a guided nature walk around the park led by one of the site’s park rangers.  There, they will discover the different plants and habitats found within the park.  Beautiful weather and interesting guides make this a perfect day to get out with the family.  For more information, call 225-635-3739.

 

Mother’s Day

May 9 is the day set aside to honor and celebrate our mothers.  The gift shops and garden centers of West Feliciana and St. Francisville have many gifts to choose from, or will give you men some great ideas for what Mom really wants!

 

No Kitchen Duty

Mom should have the day off on May 9, and our local restaurants are happy to provide a delectable array of choices to please any palate.  Carriage House Restaurant, Eight Sisters, Magnolia Café, The Oxbow, South of the Border, and The Bluffs Restaurant are all open and offering something very special for the Moms.  A special Mother’s Day Happenings will follow with detailed menus for all.

 

Old West Florida

Each month, Audubon State Historic Site offers programs to celebrate the Bicentennial of the West Florida Republic.  On Sunday, May 9, at noon and again at 2 pm, there will be a talk on the leaders of the West Florida Rebellion.  Led by a park ranger, these talks will introduce the visitor to a few of the Spanish colonists who led the rebellion against their government in 1810.  For more information, call 225-635-3739.

 

Black Bear Conservation Celebrates!

On Friday, May 14 at Hemingbough, the Black Bear Conservation Coalition celebrates 20 years of black bear restoration.  This celebration will include a silent auction with artwork from Murrell Butler, CC Lockwood and many other talented artists, a golf package, a National WWII Museum package and other “bearly” believable items.  Master of ceremonies is Leo Honeycutt.  To purchase tickets phone 225-763-5425.

 

Community Market Day

St. Francisville Main Street and Arts For All are opening Parker Park every month on the Third Saturday from 9am until 1pm for Community Market Day.  Saturday, May 15, the market will feature locally grown produce, organic lettuce, sprouts, onions, greens, homemade mini pies, vegetables, bread, quilts, dresses, photographs, jewelry, soaps, canned goods and so much more.  Kevin Johnson will play music in the gazebo between 10 am and noon.  Come spend the morning in Parker Park.  For more information, call either Lynn at 635-3665 or Laurie at 635-3873.  The Community Market is brought to you by St. Francisville Main Street and Arts for All.

 

Tea and Sensibility

Also on Saturday, May 15, from 10 am until 4 pm, Audubon State Historic Site presents this spring gala.  Visitors will get a chance to experience life for the wealthy during the Empire, or Federal, period which was from 1790 to the 1820s.  Focusing on Jane Austen’s guidelines for social etiquette, visitors will learn about what was in fashion, English tea traditions, a woman’s role in society, favorite games and dances of the period and so much more.  For information, call 225-635-3739.

 

Lost Arts at Rosedown

Every third Saturday of the month, Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site presents demonstrations of the “Lost Arts” of the 19^th century.  On May 15 from 11 am until 3 pm, the program will feature the “lost art” of medical practices of the 19^th century.   For more information, phone 225-635-3332.

 

Spring Garden Stroll

Experience four unique local gardens at this self-guided garden tour in historic St. Francisville on Saturday, May 15, from 9 am until 1 pm.  Highlighted this year are the gardens of Melissa Higgins on Ferdinand Street; Tom and Susie Tully right next door; Mitch and Julie Brashier’s on Royal Street; Buddy Metz’s form on Stirling Road off of Bains Road; and Imahara’s Southern Gardens on Mahoney Road.  Advance tickets ($10) are available at the West Feliciana Extension Office or on the day of the tour, at the tour headquarters at Town Hall.  All proceeds of the tour go to local 4-H scholarships and our local Farmer’s Market.  Ticket holders are eligible for door prizes and admission to other local attractions.  For more information, phone 225-635-3614 or email abrock@agcenter.lsu.edu.

 

Meanwhile, Back at Café du Monde . . .

This unique, festive food story/monologue event about the second universal language – food – and how our lives revolve around it will premiere at The Myrtles Plantation on Sunday, May 16.  The event begins with a cocktail party at 5:30 pm with music by Steve Bing and The Bayou Hot Shots with showtime at 7:00 pm.  Created, directed and produced by Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, originally from Baton Rouge, tickets can be purchased by calling 800-809-0565.  Ticket price is $55 and includes 2 drinks (beer or wine), cocktail buffet with heavy appetizers, dessert and the show.  A portion of the tickets will benefit the West Feliciana Parish TRIAD Program for the Elderly.

 

Please remember those men and their families who lost their lives in the oil well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico.  We hope that the efforts of the local fishermen combined with the resources of the Coast Guard and other entities will bring this catastrophe to a close very soon with limited damage to our fragile coastline.  Have a great week!