Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           www.selu.edu/NewsEvents
    Date: 3/13/98
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  5

AZALEA FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS THE ARTS
     HAMMOND -- There are just about as many activities at Hammond's annual Azalea
Festival as there are colors of the exotic spring blossom.
     The March 27-29 festival boasts a downtown gallery stroll, a fifties-style outdoor dance,
a farmer's market, a strawberry cooking contest, floral and gardening demonstrations, a home and
garden tour -- and even a parade for pooches.
     The festival opens at noon March 27 when the Hammond Arts Awards will be presented
in the areas of dance, design, literature, music, theater, visual arts, arts education, patronage and
volunteerism. The awards will be given out at a special luncheon at noon at the Hammond
Regional Arts Center (the Levy Building), 217 E. Thomas St. 
     Honorees in the arts are photographer Julia Sims; Southeastern dance professor Martie Fellom; floral designer and
teacher Linda Ryan;  Southeastern's Louisiana Literature editor David Hanson; Southeastern
music professor and opera program director Scharmal Schrock; and playwright, director and
former Southeastern English professor Larry Gray. Ponchatoula High School teacher and artist
Kim Howes Zabbia  will receive the arts in education honor, while Effie Mazzeno of Hammond
will be given the award for outstanding volunteerism. Marietta Schneider, also of Hammond,
will be recognized as "Patron of the Arts."
     The Lifetime Achievement Award will go to Harriet Vogt, artistic director of
Southeastern's Fanfare arts festival.
     Tickets for the luncheon are $15 and proceeds benefit the Hammond Regional Arts
Center. Reservations for the luncheon are available through the Hammond Regional Arts Center 
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AZALEA FESTIVAL -- Add One
at 504-542-7113.
     The Azalea Festival, now in its third year, is a joint project of Southeastern Louisiana
University's Cultural Resource Management Program, the Hammond Regional Arts Center, the
Hammond Downtown Development District and the Tangipahoa Parish Tourist Commission.
     Cultural Resource Management students are providing the organizational manpower,
supervised by the program's director, Don Marshall.
     The three-day festival's schedule includes:
     Friday, March 27
       Downtown galleries and business will host the Azalea Art Walk from 5-9 p.m.,
featuring Youth Art Month and Hammond Art Guild exhibitions in downtown galleries and
business.
       There will be "Dancing in the Streets," fifties-style, beginning at 9 p.m., next to Lee's
Drive In at  401 W. Thomas St.,  in Hammond. The David Mondebello Band will provide live
music and a classic car display will show off the prize vehicles of the Golden Oldies Car Club. .
Saturday, March 28
       The Azalea Farmer's Market will encompass three markets in one, offering produce,
antiques and other collectibles and plants -- in one. The markets will be open from 8 a.m. to 1
p.m. in the Cate St. mall between Charles St. and Morris Ave. 
       Area cooks can test their favorite strawberry recipes in a special cooking contest with
categories for pies, cakes and desserts from 10-11 a.m. at Cafe Ole on the corner Charles and
NW Railroad Ave. First, second and third place prizes will be offered with a $100 grand prize.
Entries should be delivered to Cafe Ole from 9-10 a.m., and the awards will be presented at 11
a.m.
       A series of floral and gardening demonstrations will be presented by area experts from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hammond Regional Arts Center. Linda Ryan will show how to make live
topiaries at 10 a.m. Pat Newman will tell all about azaleas at 11:15 a.m. At 12:30, Mary Lake
will give a demonstration of "silken, dried and preserved florals," and at 1:45 p.m. Dan Gill will
offer spring gardening tips.
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AZALEA FESTIVAL -- Add Two
       Saturday's final event is the "Krewe of Rex Pooch Parade," a fun benefit for the
Friends of the Shelter. Participants can show off their favorite pooches during a stroll through
Hammond, beginning at Cate Square at 1 p.m.. Back at the downtown park at 2 p.m., the Azalea
Festival Pooch King and Queen will be crowned and prizes will be given out for best costume
and "Look-a-Like." Registration is $5 and begins at noon at Cate Square.
Sunday, March 29
       The Hammond Garden Club will sponsor a tour of the area's fine homes from 1-5 p.m.
Tickets, $10, are available in advance at the Hammond Chamber of Commerce and can be
purchased at the tour homes on Sunday.
     The tour will feature the homes of Mr. and Mrs. John Halbert, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew
Gasaway, Mr. and Mrs. Sam Signorelli, Drs. Sid and Anne Guedry and Dr. and Mrs. Jeff Liner
and the Bottolfs Manor bed and breakfast of Garnett and Kathy Bedenbaugh.
     For additional information about the Azalea Festival, call the Southeastern Cultural
Resource Management Program, 504-549-5080/2193.
                                 - SLU -
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