HLS 23RS-762 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 5
BY REPRESENTATIVE WHEAT
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH: Recognizes April 11, 2023, as Ponchatoula Strawberry
Festival Day at the state capitol
1 A RESOLUTION
2To designate Tuesday, April 11, 2023, as Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Day at the state
3 capitol.
4 WHEREAS, the Louisiana strawberry is the official state fruit of Louisiana; and
5 WHEREAS, for the 2022 production year, the state of Louisiana included forty-seven
6strawberry growers on one hundred ninety-nine acres of land; and
7 WHEREAS, the fifty-first annual Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival will be held
8April 14-16, 2023, at Memorial Park in historic and beautiful Ponchatoula; and
9 WHEREAS, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival was organized in 1971, and the
10first festival was held in April of 1972; and
11 WHEREAS, the first Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival was co-sponsored by the
12Ponchatoula Jaycees and the Ponchatoula Chamber of Commerce, both of which provided
13three members to serve on the festival board; and
14 WHEREAS, the intent of this committee was to host a festival that not only provided
15an opportunity for local charitable organizations to raise money for their clubs, but also to
16honor all of the hardworking local strawberry farmers and to promote their industry; and
17 WHEREAS, the committee and many other interested volunteers worked diligently
18for months planning the first festival; and
19 WHEREAS, for over fifty years, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival has provided
20a venue for fundraising by nonprofit and charitable organizations; and
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HR NO. 5
1 WHEREAS, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival attracts both young and old to its
2annual celebration of Ponchatoula's legendary delicacy, and food booths feature popular
3choices like strawberry shortcake and deep-fried strawberries; and
4 WHEREAS, the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival celebrates its unique status as one
5of the only festivals at which nonprofit organizations are the only vendors on the official
6festival grounds.
7 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
8Legislature of Louisiana does hereby designate Tuesday, April 11, 2023, as Ponchatoula
9Strawberry Festival Day in the state of Louisiana and does hereby recognize the wonderful
10activities of this exceptional festival.
11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
12chairman of the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival.
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)]
HR 5 Original 2023 Regular Session Wheat
Designates April 11, 2023, as Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Day at the state capitol.
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