Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 3/10/99
      Contact:                           Carol Dotson 5
AZALEA FESTIVAL KICKS OFF FUN WEEKEND MARCH 19-21
     HAMMOND -- The Hammond Azalea Festival and the Hammond Irish-Italian Festival
will share a weekend of fun activities March 19-21. 
     The Azalea Festival, now in its fourth 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 Irish-Italian Festival is one of the many
events the Azalea Festival supports and helps promote said Marshall. 
     The Azalea Festival weekend schedule includes:
     Friday, March 19
      Hammond Arts Awards, Noon, Southeastern Alumni Center, 500 W. University Ave.
The awards honor leaders in dance, design, literature, music, theatre, visual arts, arts education,
patronage and volunteerism, Tickets are $15. Reservations are required. Call 542-7113. The
event benefits the Hammond Regional Arts Center.
                                                  Saturday, March 20                                
       The Azalea Sale and Gardening Demonstration 8am-noon, Railroad and Morris.
Azaleas and other exotic plants will be on sale. Azalea expert Pat Newman will share her
gardening secrets at 10 am. 
      Southeastern's Cultural Resource Management Program and several art students  will
coordinate the Children's Tent with storytelling, art projects and face painting.
                         
                                                                  (MORE) 
          



AZALEA FESTIVAL -- Add Two

      The Hammond Research Station, 21549 Old Covington Highway, will hold an Open
House from 9am-3pm. Visitors can view the Azalea plant collection and take part in herb and
vegetable garden demonstrations as well as a Plant Health Clinic with Tangipahoa Parish's
master gardeners. At the Children's Tent, kids can make a pine cone bird feeder. The event is
sponsored by the LSU Agricultural Center and the Tangipahoa Parish Master Gardeners
Association. For more information call 748-9381 or 748-5462.          
Sunday, March 21
       The Hammond Garden Club's Home and Garden Tour 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, or call 345-4457.
     The tour will feature the "Designer's Showcase," The Dameron House, Michabelle's Inn,
Pennygreen garden, the homes of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Maurin III, Mrs. and Mrs. James
Lauderdale, and Mrs. and Mrs. Donald Gore.
     For additional information about the Azalea Festival, call the Southeastern Cultural
Resource Management Program, 504-549-5080/2193.


                                          -SLU-
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