Easter events scheduled in Avoyelles this week

COTTONPORT EGG POCKIN' ON THE BAYOU

The Cottonport Mayor’s Women’s Commission will host the annual Cottonport Pockin’ on the Bayou Festival this Saturday (March 31).

The day will begin at 9 a.m. with a 5K run/2 mile walk. Walk-up registration will begin at 8 a.m. in front of the CYO building, next to St. Mary’s Assumption Catholic Church on Front Street. Cost is $25 to enter the run/walk. To pre-register, contact Dodi Carrier at dodicarrier@gmail.com or call (318) 359-8324.

The festival grounds will open at 10 a.m. in downtown Cottonport on the grounds surrounding the Cotton Queen. There will be fun, food, arts and crafts and music provided by the Paul and Pete band.

At 10 a.m., the National Anthem will be sung by Andrea Laborde on the Cotton Queen stage. Following that, there will be an opening prayer by Father Jose Robles and Father Derek Ducote, both of St. Mary’s Assumption Catholic Church. A yellow ribbon ceremony and introduction of the festival queens will follow the prayer.

At 10:30 a.m. the Easter Egg hunt will begin with separate egg hunts for all ages. An Easter bonnet contest will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by a children’s wagon parade at noon with the arrival of Peter Rabbit.

At 12:30 p.m., a crawfish eating contest will be held followed by a boudin eating contest and an egg toss at 1 p.m.

At 1:30 p.m., the Cottonport Mayor’s Women’s Commission will hand out boiled eggs for ages up to 13 for a “Just for Fun” egg knocking. No winners will be named in this contest, it is only for sport. At 2 p.m. the official egg knocking contest will begin. There will be no age divisions with only chicken and guinea egg contests.

The day will end with the pirogue races on Front Street at 4 p.m.

A car and motorcycle show will accompany this year’s festivities. Registration for the show is $20 with entry from 8 to 11 a.m. Judging will be at 12 noon. The Avoyelles 4-H team will also hold live rabbit demonstrations during the day. Central Louisiana Technical Community College Ward A Nash Campus will have a virtual reality 18 wheeler simulator on the festival grounds.

Festival T-shirts are currently available at Lacombe Custom Monogramming in Cottonport. Cost is $15 each.

For more information on the car show or to enter, call Clay Normand at (318) 447-4511. For more information on the festival or vendor space, visit Cottonport Mayor’s Women Commission Facebook page or call Cottonport Mayor’s Women Commission President Karen Mayeux Guillory at (318) 201-7355.

MARKSVILLE EGG KNOCKING AT THE COURTHOUSE

The City of Marksville will host its 62nd annual Easter Egg Knocking Contest on Easter Sunday around the Avoyelles Parish Courthouse Square. The annual event began in 1956.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. T-Toddler (ages 7 and under) knocking begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by adult divisions of chicken and guinea egg knocking. Prizes will be awarded in all divisions for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place. Every child will receive a gift from the Easter Bunny.

In the event of inclement weather, the knocking will be held in the courthouse atrium next to Maglieaux’s Downtown Grille. Organizers look forward to a good turnout for the family-friendly event and promise a “Pocking good time!”

For more info., contact Earl Adams at (225) 229-2003 or (318) 306-3457.

EASTER ON RED RIVER

The 13th annual Easter on the Red River will begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday (March 31) at Ben Routh Park in Vick. The annual Easter festival is sponsored by the Ward One Community Foundation.

An invocation at 10:30 a.m. will be followed by registration for all contests. Egg Knocking contestants must register prior to the contests.

For the children’s contest, fresh hard-boiled eggs will be provided. For the adult contests, participants must provide their own three hard-boiled eggs. All other types of eggs will be disqualified and all eggs will be broken after the contest.

The Easter Bonnet/Hat contest will begin at 11 a.m. with four categories: children up to 6, 7-12, 13-adult, ladies and mens. Participants must have their names on the bonnets/hats and parade on stage for judging. There will be prizes in each category with $100 awarded to 1st place in each category.

A cake walk and silent auction begin at 11 a.m. and continue throughout the festival.

At 12 noon the children’s egg knocking contest for younger children will begin. Participants must register before the contest begins and three eggs will be provided to each child. There will be first, second, third and fourth place prizes.

There are three age categories for the egg decorating contests- ages up to 6, 7-12 and adult (13-up). For children there are the divisions of “Mom & Dad Can Help” and “Only I Decorated This Egg.” All eggs must be to submitted to the judges by 1 p.m. The top four eggs in each division will receive a prize. There will also be an award for Most Original in each division.

At 12:30 p.m., the children’s egg hunt will begin with over 1,000 eggs. Participants must bring their own baskets.

Categories will include: ages one to three (only one person will be allowed to help each child in this category only); ages four to six and ages seven to 12. Prizes will be given for 1st through 4th place, golden egg and most eggs.

The Egg Toss contest will be at 1 p.m. The contest is for teams of two and eggs will be provided. First place team wins $50.

The announcement of all contest winners in contests mentioned above will be at 1:30 p.m. This will be followed by the adult (ages eight and up) egg knocking contest at 2 p.m. followed by the open class guinea egg knocking contest at 2:30 p.m. Each contestant for these competitions must provide their own three hard-boiled eggs and must be registered prior to the contest to participate, all others will be disqualified. Prizes will be given for first through fourth place.

Along with the contests, concessions and vendors booths will be open. Booth set up is at 8 a.m. For booth information contact (318)305-0589. The Easter Bunny and Easter chicken will also make an appearance at the event. Photos with the Easter Bunny will be taken by Gale Photography.

For more information call Marsha Wiley at 613-2274.