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The Cattle Festival Grand Parade will roll in Abbeville this Saturday at 1 p.m.

Cattle Festival starts Friday

Event runs all weekend; parade is Saturday at 1 p.m.

The fun is about to begin.
The 68th Annual Louisiana Cattle Festival will officially kickoff this evening, with opening ceremonies set for 6 p.m. on the main stage near the Vermilion Parish Courthouse in downtown Abbeville. Entertainment, the street fair and booths will all get underway following the ceremony.
“We’re excited,” Cattle Festival President Francis Plaisance said Thursday morning. “This is the time we look forward to all year.”
One of the highlights each year is the Grand Parade. The event will roll at approximately 1 p.m. on Saturday. It will take its route from Charity Street to State Street in Abbeville.
“We are expecting a real big crowd,” Plaisance said. “One of the reasons for that is that a lot of the political candidates are in the parade because it’s so close to the (Nov. 8) election. We are anxious to welcome all of them to our city.”
Vermilion Parish Tax Assessor Gabe Marceaux will serve as the grand marshal of the parade. Marceaux, along with several other honorees, were recognized during last night’s Cattle Festival Banquet.
“We have a very good group of honorees this year,” Plaisance said. “These are some really good people that we are going to be highlighting during the parade.
“People can come and see them and welcome them.”
The parade will feature a lineup of 25 floats, as well as bands and other attractions.
“One of the things we are really excited about is that the Tabasco kids are coming back,” Plaisance said of the dance group. “They have been away for a while and now they are returning to the festival.
“We are happy to have them back.”
While the parade will start at 1 p.m., Plaisance is encouraging people to line up well before that.
“We are asking people to tailgate,” Plaisance said. “That’s the thing I enjoy seeing the most along the parade route.
“It’s fun to see that people are making a family fun day out of it.”
The weekend will be full of music, too.
Corky Mire will take the stage Friday at 6 p.m. Warren Storm, Willie Tee & Cypress, with special guest TK Hulin, will follow at 7:30 p.m. Chris Ardoin will close Friday at 10 p.m.
Things will get going again Saturday morning with Alligator Blue at 11 a.m. Timbo will perform at 5 p.m. 5 O’Clock Shadow (4 p.m.), Charley Rivers (7 p.m.) and the Chee Weez (10 p.m.) will all entertain on Saturday.
“We try to have something for everyone,” Plaisance said.
That idea goes beyond music. Magdalen Square will be filled with arts and crafts vendors.
“We have vendors from all over,” Plaisance said. “We are to the point that it will be spilling into the street.”
There will be plenty of food, too.
“There will be a really good variety,” Plaisance said. “Again, that’s what we try to do with the entire festival, have a variety for everyone.”
Plaisance did stress that no outside beer or alcohol be brought to the festival. Festival organizers sell a $5 wrist band to that allows visitors to be able to purchase beer at the festival.
“That’s how we make money to keep the festival free to attend,” Plaisance said. “We ask that people to please not bring beer to the festival.”
The festival will conclude on Sunday.
“We invite everyone to come out and enjoy the weekend with us,” Plaisance said.

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