Los Islenos Events

Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society

Irish-Italian-Islenos Parade 2008

This year's celebration will be held on Sunday, March 9th at 1:00 p.m.

This year's parade will consists of 48 floats and over 2000 total riders and about 300,000 lbs. of produce, bringing a tremendous boost to St. Bernard Parish's recovery. It's the largest parade organization in St. Bernard Parish. It will start at the parish Civic Center on Judge Perez Dr. at Jean Lafitte Pkwy and proceed westward to Rowley Blvd, then U-Turn and head back eastward to Campagna Dr. Finally, it will U-Turn and head westward again ending up at the Civic Center where it originated. Throws in the parade will include Irish and Italian beads as well as the customary produce. This year's feature again will be the "Wooden Nickel" which can be redeemed for 8 ounces of pickle meat at Main's Market. There also will be special cups and T-shirts. As usual, shopping bags are a must to carry the produce back home!

Parade captain for 2008 is Walter Boasso who will be on the Captain's Float.

There will be the Irish-Italian Marching Group which leads as marchers giving away cane flowers.
The marching club hits the street at 12:00 noon, immediately preceding the parade. Al Claude, the marching club captain will lead its 50 marchers on their walk of giving out the flowers. YouTube's 2007 parade

Fiesta 2008

Canary Island Entertainers TBA
Held April 5 and 6 in 2008

We're back!! Isleños Fiesta will be held April 5th and 6th at the Islenos Museum Complex! The Museum grounds is located at 1357 Bayou Rd. in St. Bernard, Louisiana (70085).

The 32nd annual Isleños Fiesta which will be held April 5th and 6th because of Easter, celebrating the Canary Islanders who settled in St. Bernard beginning in 1778 and presented by the parish’s Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society.

Hours are noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, and
noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 6.

The Canary Islands Visitors will again contribute to the celebration, with performances by a folkloric dance and music troop. About 35 singers, dancers and government officials from the Canary Islands will attend. There will be food and drink booths, mini-museum, souvenir sales, children area and more.

Craftsmen and women are needed as volunteers to demonstrate traditional crafts identified with the Isleños community. There will be no $1000.00 Raffle this year because of the lateness and logistics of selling tickets. Instead Whisky and Wine Basket Raffle will take place on the festival grounds and one with an item of interest to children. Also, there will not be a cooking contest this year.

A shuttle will also be available during the Fiesta to provide visitors a tour of the museum complex and St. Bernard Cemetery.

Support is needed to return the museum complex to its former position. The Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society is soliciting donations of funding, folk crafts and desserts for the Fiesta. Fiesta chairpersons are Rhonda Hannan, Nelson Nunez and Bill Hyland. Rhonda can be reached at (504) 615-9322 or (504) 273-6145 to volunteer services or to make donations. Los Isleños Society is a non-profit organized recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

We are in need each year for festival crafters. If you are aware of interested crafters, please have them call Celie Robin at (504)-682-9124 or Isleños President, Dot Benge at 504-554-8412. The cost for crafters is $50.00 for both days. There is no discount for one day. We will make every effort to direct festival goers to the craft area because we believe that crafters are a vital part of the Fiesta. A meeting to discuss this year's plans was held on March 5.

To learn more about damage sustained by the Isleños Museum complex, refer to www.canaryislanders.org, the website
maintained by the Canary Islanders Heritage Society, a sister organization in Baton Rouge.

Isleños events schedule:

Saturday, April 5
Noon - opening ceremony
* Bill Introduction and Heritage Programs with Junior and Islenitos
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. - TBA
4-5 p.m. - TBA
5-9 p.m. - TBA

Sunday, April 6
Noon - The Senior Heritage Program (over) 55
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. - TBA
1:30-4 p.m. - TBA
4-8 p.m. - TBA

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* Isleños Christmas
Caroles, Bonfire, Santa, Treats
December, 2008 (TBA)
5:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.

1357 Bayou Road
St. Bernard, LA 70085

This annual event features Christmas Caroling around a huge bonfire on the grounds of the Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society's Museum Complex. For the Children, there will be a visit from Santa along with rides on the Los Isleños Express. For everyone, there will be apple cider punch and cookies.

Information: 504-554-8412 or 504-524-1659

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