June 17, 2004 – A big white bandstand is already set up in the center of Joseph Aubain Ballpark by midweek, and the red, white and blue decorations are beginning to appear.
Sunday being Father's Day, this weekend is the Father's Day festival in Frenchtown, an annual affair started 40 or perhaps 50 years ago — none of the founding fathers still around is ever quite sure. What they all agree on is the importance the French community attaches to the celebration. The weekend, even more than Bastille Day, is a traditional occasion for camaraderie, fun, drinks, conversation, music and whatever else seems like a good idea.
Things get hopping at 7 p.m. Friday in the ballpark, where Nishel Lawrence, a Charlotte Amalie High School senior-to-be, will be crowned Miss Carenage amid much ceremony and speechmaking by members of the Committee for the Betterment of Carnage, which sponsors the event, and assorted government officials.
Nishel, 17, is a National Honor Society student active in the Civil Air Patrol. She has her eyes on a flying career in the U.S. Air Force — after college, where she plans to major in forensic science.
This year all fathers are the stars of the fest. Usually, one member of the community is singled out — last year the Village was named "Magicsville" in honor of Teddy "Magic" Danet. But this year, Danet said, "it's for everybody, all of the fathers."
The festivities will continue throughout the weekend with live music by six different bands and lots of food and drink available from booths set up in the park. The band lineup looks like this:
Friday night — Milo's King's 6-9 p.m., Lashing Dogs 9 a.m.-1 a.m.
Saturday night – Just So Band 6-10 p.m., Imagination Brass 10 p.m.-2 a.m.
Sunday night – Sammy Watts 5-9 p.m., P'your Passion 9 p.m.-1 a.m.
The other highlight of the festivities will be the announcement of winners from the June 6 fishing tournament, on Sunday at 8 p.m.
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