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First Extraordinary Session, 2011
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 2
BY REPRESENTATIVE PUGH
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Recognizes Monday, April 4, 2011, as Ponchatoula
Strawberry Festival Day
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To recognize Monday, April 4, 2011, as Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Day.2
WHEREAS, it is appropriate to commend the organizers and volunteers of the3
Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival and to recognize Monday, April 4, 2011, as Ponchatoula4
Strawberry Festival Day; and5
WHEREAS, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Board was organized in 1971, and6
the first festival was held in April of 1972; and7
WHEREAS, the first Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival was cosponsored by the8
Ponchatoula Jaycees and the Ponchatoula Chamber of Commerce, and both organizations9
provided three members to serve on the festival board; and10
WHEREAS, the planning committee and many other interested volunteers worked11
diligently for months planning the first festival, which was located on the first block of North12
Sixth Street and only had eleven booths; and13
WHEREAS, the first Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival was a two-day event that14
started off with a baseball game between Southeastern Louisiana University and Wisconsin15
State, and later that day, the first annual parade made its way through Ponchatoula with16
sixty-five units from all over the state; and17
WHEREAS, estimated attendance for the weekend of the first Ponchatoula18
Strawberry Festival was fifteen thousand; and19
WHEREAS, the first royalty court of the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival consisted20
of Queen Sissy Dufreche, King Fred Beachamp, and Princess Sandy Smith, and the queen21 HLS 111ES-16 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 2
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and her court made several appearances on television and radio stations throughout the state1
to publicize the festival; and2
WHEREAS, during his first term in office, Governor Edwin Edwards proclaimed3
April as Strawberry Festival Month; and4
WHEREAS, from the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival's humble beginning, it has5
evolved into a Louisiana celebration second only to Mardi Gras in its magnitude; and6
WHEREAS, today, the annual Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is organized by the7
Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Board, Inc., which is comprised of a chairperson,8
chairperson-elect, treasurer, secretary, parliamentarian, and other essential positions; and9
WHEREAS, decisions of the festival board are the responsibility of the sixteen10
voting board members who represent various organizations, including the Ponchatoula11
Chamber of Commerce, the Ponchatoula Jaycees, the Ponchatoula Rotary Club, the12
Ponchatoula Kiwanis, the Knights of Columbus, Ponchatoula Youth Baseball, the Champ13
Cooper School, and the Ponchatoula Lions Club; and14
WHEREAS, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Board is a proud member of15
Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals; and16
WHEREAS, today, the official Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival grounds include17
Memorial Park and the first two blocks of North Sixth Street; and18
WHEREAS, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival continually draws a huge crowd19
that strolls through America's Antique City and watches one of the biggest parades in south20
Louisiana; and21
WHEREAS, for more than thirty years, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival has22
provided a venue as a fundraiser for nonprofit and charitable organizations, and the festival23
prides itself as being one of the only festivals in which nonprofit organizations are the only24
vendors on the official festival grounds; and25
WHEREAS, the 2011 Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival is being held on April 8,26
2011, through April 10, 2011, in Ponchatoula, Louisiana; and27
WHEREAS, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival and its organizers and volunteers28
merit a sincere measure of commendation for their contributions to the culture and economy29
of the state of Louisiana.30 HLS 111ES-16 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 2
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby1
recognize Monday, April 4, 2011, as Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Day and does hereby2
celebrate the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival as an integral part of the culture and history3
of the city of Ponchatoula and the state of Louisiana.4
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted5
to the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Board, Inc.6
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Pugh HCR No. 2
Recognizes Monday, April 4, 2011, as Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Day.