Events/Eventos: ISLEñOS NEWSLETTER/PRESS RELEASES
LOS ISLEñOS HERITAGE & CULTURAL SOCIETY

March-April, 2013 NEWSLETTER      

Well, it’s almost that time.  March 16 & 17, 2013 our 37^th Annual Isleno Fiesta is progressing nicely.  Everyone, please pray for good weather.  Remember extended Fiesta hours are 11 to 11 on Saturday and 11 to 10 on Sunday.

MARCH MEETING DATE AND LOCATI0N CHANGE

Our regular March meeting date has been changed from the second Tuesday to Thursday, March 14, 2013 and will be held at the Docville Barn.  Rita and Floyd Gue have offered to host  a Mimi Timple Concert and dinner at 7:00 P.M. for the Society.  We will wrap up Fiesta logistics and get a prevue of our Canarian entertainment.  Because the Gue’s have offered to feed us, it is NECESSARY that you let us know if you plan to attend by March 7, 2013.  Call me at 504-554-8412 or at 504-523-2245 to R.S.V.P. so that they will know how much food to prepare.   Please come and be prepared to volunteer. Volunteers will be given Parking Passes for the Fiesta at the meeting to be able to park on the Mangano property next door to the Museum.  We also need muscle volunteers on Thursday morning at 10:00 A.M. to help set up the various booths.  Call Rhonda at 504-615-9322 to help.

CANARY ISLAND ENTERTAINMENT:  This year’s Canarian Entertainment will feature Domingo Rodrigues Oramas, well known in Spain and throughout Europe as “El Colorao”.  He is one of the most famous Timple players in all of Spain along with Benito Cabrera who visited us a few years ago.  Domingo performed at our Fiesta several years ago and is looking forward to being here again.  He will bring with him a guitarist, Pedro Manuel Calero and a singer, Althay Paez Ramos.  Arriving on the 14^th will be Jose Rodriguez Quintana, a decimero, a decima singer, from the University of La Laguna.  This gentleman met Irvan Perez when Irvan visited the Islands.  This is very fortunate for the Society as decimas are a dying folk art in our community today.  The last decimero in St. Bernard was Irvan Perez to whom the DUCKS, DECOYS AND DECIMAS EXHIBIT is dedicated. The group will perform in area schools as usual.

Domingo Rodriguez Oramas and his group will arrive at the airport on Tuesday, March 12, 2013 at 5:00 P.M.  From the airport we will go directly to Churro’s restaurant as we usually do.  Vivian and Jose Nieto will prepare dinner for the group and anyone who wishes to join us.  If you are planning to attend, please call me so that they will know how much to prepare.  Again call me at the numbers above.

FIESTA 2013 ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

SATURDAY, MARCH 16, 2013

11:00 A.M. – 11:20 OPENING CEREMONY

11:20 A.M. – 12:00 SENIOR HERITAGE PROGRAM

12:30 P.M. -    3:30 BOBBY CURE AND THE SUMMERTIME BLUES

4:00 P.M. -   5:30 DOMINGO RODRIGUEZ ORAMAS AND JOSE RODRIGUEZ QUINTANA

6:00 P.M. -   9:00 THE TOP CATS 

SUNDAY, MARCH 17, 2013

11:00 A.M. – NOON ISLENITOS AND JUNIOR HERITAGE PROGRAM

12:30 P.M. - 3:30 JULIO and CESAR

4:00 P.M. – 5:30 DOMINGO RODRIGUEZ ORAMAS AND JOSE RODRIGUEZ QUINTANA

6:00 P.M. -  9:00 HARVEY JESUS AND FIRE

THE ISLEÑO VILLAGE:  The historic Isleño Village will once more be the setting for a series of living history demonstrations featuring folk crafts, historic lifestyles and the cultural identity of the Isleño community in St. Bernard.  Representatives of the Houma Nation will again figure prominently in Fiesta ’13, interpreting the history, culture and folk traditions of the Houma Tribe.  Each building will be utilized for displays which will include farming, trapping, trawl making, lace-making and quilting.  The Isleño Center will be the site of interpretive presentations including decoy carving, decimas folk remedies and more.

RIDES:  Rides will be available in the Museum entrance area.  Half Day (11:00 to 5:00) and (5:00 to 11:00) tickets will be sold for $15.00.  Individual ride tickets will also be available. There will be one ticket booth to purchase ride tickets near the rides.  Food tickets will also be also sold be sold from that booth.  Two other ticket booths for food will be placed near the Food Court.

PARKING:  Only Volunteers and crafters will be able to park next to the Museum on the Mangano’s property.  To enter from Bayou Road you must arrive before 10:00 A.M.  After that time you will have to enter from the Judge Perez Extension to park in the Volunteer Parking area.    You must show your pass to the Deputy at the gates to gain access.

Volunteers located in the Isleño Village should drive to their area and unload entering from the Judge Perez  Extension.  Once you unload you must move your vehicle to the outer edge of the Village on the shell road along the tree line behind the houses and park there.  You will need a parking pass to park in that area.  All others will park at the Old Courthouse parking lot on Bayou Road or at Gauthier School on Judge Perez Extension.  There will be shuttle service (2 busses and 1 trolley) available.  The two St. Bernard Parish busses are handicapped equipped. The shuttles will travel from Creedmore with drop off at the Isleño Museum Entrance where you can purchase you entry wristband for $3.00 (BLUE FOR SATURDAY AND ORANGE SUNBURST FOR SUNDAY). The shuttle will continue down Bayou Road and pick up at the Courthouse, then continue to the caution light and turn there and turn again at the extension.  The shuttle will pick up at Gauthier School and continue to the back entrance to the Isleño Museum and drop off or pick up there as the case may be.  There will be an entrance area set up on the Museum Road where you can purchase your wristband. The shuttle will continue to Creedmore and turn there to repeat the cycle.  Wristbands cost $3.00 each day for all who are older than 12 years.  Twelve years and younger are admitted free.  Volunteers are not required to pay, but they must sign in to receive a wrist band, everyone on the grounds MUST have a wristband.  The wristbands will help us determine the number of festival goers.

HERITAGE PROGRAMS:  Shannon Joachim is in charge of the Heritage programs.  To register call Kathy Serpas Ziegler at 504-494-5848 for a registration Form.  You must register by March 8^th .  Participants must be of Canary Island descent and must wear traditional dress.  Boys and men may wear black pants, white shirts and a red sash around the waist or traditional dress from the Islands if available.  We have some outfits at the Museum that you may sign out for the event.  If signed out they must be returned cleaned by a professional cleaner.  Ages for the different categories are as follows:  Senior Program both men and women – 20 years and up; Isleñitos both girls and boys -5 to 12 years; Juniors- 13 -19 years.  Call Dot if you need to borrow an outfit.

CRAFTERS:  Crafters should register by March 8^th. Call Kathy Serpas Ziegler for forms and information. Space is limited so call early.  Crafters will set up on Friday, March 15^th from noon to 5:00 P.M.  Spaces will be assigned in advance.  Parking passes will be issued on Friday.  Parking for Volunteers and crafters is provided on the Mangano property next to the Museum. 

SWEET BOOTH:  REMEMBER TO DONATE HOMEMADE BROWNIES, LARGE COOKIES, KRISPY TREATS AND MUFFINS FOR THE SWEET BOOTH.  This has always been a money maker.  You can call Suzie Esteves at 504-451-3201 if you have questions.  Suzie and Judy Borne always handle this booth.  They have it down to a science, but they need your help to stock it.

FIESTA FOOD:  Rhonda Hannan has agreed to serve as co-chair for this year’s Fiesta.  She has come up with a SCHEDULE FOR US AS FOLLOWS:    

March 9  10 A.M.  Isleño Center   -   Chop Fruit for Sangria

March 14 2:00 P.M.  Isleño Center  -   Prep slice tomatoes, Chop parsley and garlic, bread pudding, Rum Sauce, portion cocktail sauce, slice lemons, cheese and chorizo

March 15 Noon   Isleño Center -      Desserts, grilled oyster sauce, Finish prep from Thursday.

BOOTH CAPTAINS:  Booth Captains need to be on the grounds Friday March 15 between 2 and 5 to set up their booths.  Please have names of Volunteers as soon as possible so that Lena Nunez can make badges that will allow them to eat at the Volunteer food tent.  You can e-mail your names or list to lenanunez@att.net.

ANTIQUE CAR SHOW REMINDER:  Second annual car show will held on the Museum Complex grounds on Saturday, April 27, 2013.                                            

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

WE NEED VOLUNTEER NAMES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  Lena Nunez will prepare tags to identify volunteers.  You can e-mail your volunteer list to lenanunez@at.net. This tag will enable you to park next door to the Museum on the Mangano Property.  You will be able to enter from Bayou Road go through the parking lot next to the Isleño Museum until 10:00 and turn into Mangano property avoiding the rides that will be set up on the rock parking lot  off Bayou Road.  This will entitle you to free food at the Volunteer food tent.  The tag will also enable you to enter without paying the $3.00 admission fee unless you choose to pay. Your donation of your time and talent and $3.00 admission fee is greatly appreciated.   When you enter you will be given a blue wristband for Saturday and an orange sunburst wristband for Sunday.  These wristbands will help us count attendance and will identify those who have paid to get in.  

Let’s all get together and make this a memorable Fiesta.  If you have any questions, please call me 504-554-8412 or Rhonda 504-615-9322 or anyone mentioned in the various categories of the Fiesta.

Please remember to call if you plan to attend the arrival of our Canary Island guests on March 12th at 5:00 P.M. and eat at Churros or if you plan to attend the meeting at Docville Barn on March 14 at 7:00 P.M.

PRAY FOR SUNSHINE

2013

March: LOS ISLENOS FIESTA - Los Islenos Museum Complex - March 16th – 17th, 2013 Date tentative as of 4/26/2012

April: ISLENOS ON THE BAYOU - Pitot House, New Orleans - April 13th – 14th, 2013 or April 20—21, 2013