Some festivals canceled, state parks closed as TS Nate approaches

Leigh Guidry
The Daily Advertiser

Some events have been canceled and Louisiana state parks closed as Tropical Storm Nate is expected to make landfall this weekend.

Couples dance to Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas at the 2010 Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival in Plaisance.

The Mandeville Trailhead Concert is canceled for Saturday and will be rescheduled, according to organizers. 

"We pray that everyone stays safe with the impending storm," they said in an email announcing the cancellation.

The "Bike MS: Dat's How We Roll" event that takes riders from Hammond to Percy Quinn State Park in Mississippi over the weekend has been canceled. There are no plans to reschedule at this time.

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Four state parks in the southeastern part of the state are closing this weekend due to potentially heavy rains and winds accompanying the storm, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser announced.

  • Grand Isle State Park closed Thursday at 5 p.m.
  • Fontainebleau State Park closes Saturday at noon
  • Bayou Segnette State Park's cabins and boat launch are closed starting noon Saturday at noon
  • St. Bernard State Park is closed Saturday at 5 p.m.

"We will continue to monitor the track of Tropical Storm Nate, as it tracks through the Gulf of Mexico," Nungesser said in a statement. "The safety of our visitors and our staff is a primary concern, so we are taking these precautionary measures of park closures."

Another, Fairview-Riverside State Park, closed Monday due to high winds and heavy rains in the northshore area. It will remain closed until Nate passes.

Gulf Coast forecasters keep wary eye on Tropical Storm Nate

Reopenings are dependent upon the amount of damage sustained by each park, according to the Office of State Parks.

All other parks continue to operate as usual. The state office will issue further information on closings should they arise.

More information can be found at LaStateParks.com and the office's Facebook page.

Others are following forecasts closely before they make final decisions.

Flambeau Fest organizers wrote online that a final decision on the festival in Ascension Parish will be announced Friday afternoon.

"The Flambeau Fest team is continuing to consult with with local and national weather authorities as the morning progresses," the post reads. "... As always, we are highly focused on the safety of our crew, Artists, and fest goers.”

Tangipahoa Parish Fair team reported the same. At this point, nothing is canceled, it said.

The Que Pasa Fest in Metairie is to go ahead Friday, according to its Facebook page. Any changes for Saturday will be posted there, organizers said.

La Fete Des Vieux Temps, the Festival of Old Times, in Lafourche Parish still will open at 6 p.m. Friday. Organizers are meeting to make a decision on Saturday and Sunday, according to the event's Facebook page.

The Camellia City Smooth Jazz Festival will move its Saturday show indoors to the Northshore Harbor Center in Slidell due to impending weather, according to its website. The festival will go on.

The annual Angola Rodeo has been canceled this weekend by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections due to the impending tropical storm landfall. Ticket holders will be issued refunds, and a process is being worked out to get money returned to ticket holders.

The Rodeo continues October 15, 22 and 29. Visit angolarodeo.com for more information.