Morgan City Council OKs events: Music, barbecue, 5K run, job fair and Bible reading

The Morgan City Council approved plans Tuesday for enough events to keep calendars full for a couple of months.

Those events include live music, a 5K run, a chance for former prisoners to find work and an Easter week, parishwide, Bible-reading marathon, all by May 30. The council also gave its OK for the 12th annual Bayou BBQ Bash in July.

At Tuesday’s meeting:

—The council approved a resolution supporting the East St. Mary Ministerial Alliances Week in the Word Bible reading April 3-8.

The Rev. Marty Harden of Patterson’s Bethel Pentecostal Fellowship explained that a group will read from the New Testament each afternoon at 4:30 p.m. outside a different government facility. Each reading will last about 2-1/2 hours.

The schedule (with a rainy day site in parentheses): April 3, Morgan City Hall (Shannon Elementary gym); April 4, the Berwick Lighthouse (under the U.S. 90 bridge near Town Hall); April 5, Patterson City Hall (Patterson Junior High gym); April 6, Franklin City Hall (Teche Theatre); April 7, Baldwin Community Center (moved inside if it rains); and April 8, the St. Mary Parish Courthouse (Teche Theatre).

—The first Mama G’s Swamp Pop Festival 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. May 6. Organizers hope to make the festival an annual event. They expect 17 arts and crafts vendors and four bands for what is billed as a family-friendly event.

—The ACR and ARC 5K Run/Walk. The run will begin at 8 a.m. May 20 at Lake Palourde, move into Morgan City and return to the park.

The walk/run is a project of Aviary Creature Rescue and Advocate & Rescue for Companion Animals.

—The 2nd Chance Job Fair 10 a.m.-noon April 19 at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Anne Poole of St. Mary Re-Entry said the 16th Judicial District, Probation & Patrol,
Louisiana Workforce and other entries are working together on the job fair.

Its focus will be on finding work for people who have served time in the justice system.

People who have served their time often make good workers because they have a reason to do well in the workforce, Poole said.

Mayor Lee Dragna, who owns the barge-building company LAD Services Inc., said four of his top eight supervisors have prison records.

The company has done business with Elon Musk’s Space X project, and “one, Space X won’t be without.”

—The Bayou BBQ Bash July 21-22 under the U.S. 90 bridge between First Street and Federal Avenue.
Bill Goessl of the Marine Corps League’s St Mary Detachment, which runs the event, said it will again feature a Barbecue Competitors Alliance contest that he expects will attract 40-50 entrants.

There will also be a “Kids Q” barbecue contest the morning of July 22 and live music.