Yambilee Festival facts for kids
.jpg)
The Yambilee Festival was a special event that used to happen every year in Opelousas, Louisiana. It was a fun celebration that started on a Wednesday in late October and lasted all weekend long.
Contents
What Was the Yambilee Festival About?
Why Did the Festival Start?
Two friends, J.W. "Bill" Low and Felix Dezauche, created the Yambilee Festival. Felix was a yam shipper, meaning he helped move sweet potatoes from farms to stores. They wanted to celebrate the important sweet potato farms in their area.
The main reason for the festival was to help the state of Louisiana and its farmers. They especially wanted to show off Louisiana's sweet potatoes, also known as yams. The festival also aimed to bring fun entertainment and get people across the country excited about Louisiana yams.
How Did the Festival Begin?
The very first Louisiana Yambilee Festival happened on October 9 and 10, 1946. A group of people called the Board of Directors helped organize it. This group included J.W. Low, J.F. Dezauche, Anthony Chachere, and many others. The Opelousas Chamber of Commerce, city leaders, and lots of volunteers also helped make it happen.
The first queen of the festival was Jean Horecky from Church Point. There were also two "Co-Mr. Yams," Jack Herbert and Alfred Lagrange, both from Opelousas. The festival crowned its first king, R.J. Castille, during the second year of the event.
Why Did the Festival End?
The Yambilee Festival stopped happening in 2012. It ended because there wasn't enough money to keep it going. Also, not enough people were coming to support the festival anymore.
