Fiesta 2008

Canary Island Entertainers - from Gran Canaria - Princesa Dacil
Held April 5 and 6 in 2008

We're back!! Isleños Fiesta will be held April 5th and 6th at the Islenos Museum Complex! The Museum grounds is located at 1357 Bayou Rd. in St. Bernard, Louisiana (70085).

For directions to the Fiesta - click here

The 32nd annual Isleños Fiesta which will be held April 5th and 6th because of Easter, celebrating the Canary Islanders who settled in St. Bernard beginning in 1778 and presented by the parish’s Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society.

Hours are noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, and
noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday,  April 6.

The Canary Islands Visitors will again contribute to the celebration, with performances by a folkloric dance and music troop. About 35 singers, dancers and government officials from the Canary Islands will attend. There will be food and drink booths, mini-museum, souvenir sales, children area and more.

Craftsmen and women are needed as volunteers to demonstrate traditional crafts identified with the Isleños community. There will be no $1000.00 Raffle this year because of the lateness and logistics of selling tickets. Instead Whisky and Wine Basket Raffle will take place on the festival grounds and one with an item of interest to children. Also, there will not be a cooking contest this year.

A shuttle will also be available during the Fiesta to provide visitors a tour of the museum complex and St. Bernard Cemetery.

Support is needed to return the museum complex to its former position. The Los Isleños Heritage and Cultural Society is soliciting donations of funding, folk crafts and desserts for the Fiesta. Fiesta chairpersons are Rhonda Hannan, Nelson Nunez and Bill Hyland. Rhonda can be reached at (504) 615-9322 or (504) 273-6145 to volunteer services or to make donations. Los Isleños Society is a non-profit organized recognized by the Internal Revenue Service.

We are in need each year for festival crafters. If you are aware of interested crafters, please have them call Celie Robin at (504)-682-9124 or Isleños President, Dot Benge at 504-554-8412. The cost for crafters is $50.00 for both days. There is no discount for one day. We will make every effort to direct festival goers to the craft area because we believe that crafters are a vital part of the Fiesta. A meeting to discuss this year's plans was held on March 5.

To learn more about damage sustained by the Isleños Museum complex, refer to www.canaryislanders.org, the website
maintained by the Canary Islanders Heritage Society, a sister organization in Baton Rouge.

Isleños events schedule:

Saturday, April 5
Noon - opening ceremony
* Bill Introduction and Heritage Programs with Junior and Islenitos
1PM - 2PM - Princesa Dacil - Canarian Musicians
2PM - 5PM - Benny Grunch and the Bunch
5PM - 9PM - Fredy Omar con su Banda

Sunday, April 6
Noon - The Senior Heritage Program (over) 55
12:30PM - 3PM - OVI-G and the Froggies, "Los Ranas"
3PM - 4PM - Princesa Dacil - Canarian Musicians
4PM - 8PM - The Topcats