-The Sertoma Club of Lafayette recently announced plans for the 2011 Sertoma Cajun Air Festival, featuring the United States Air Force Thunderbirds. The 2011 show is scheduled for October 29th and 30th at the Lafayette Regional Airport.

In preparation for their performance, an advance team will arrive at 4pm on Friday, November 11th. The team will consist of Captain Kristin Hubbard, who serves as the Thunderbird #8 pilot, advance pilot and narrator. She will be accompanied by a Thunderbird crew chief.

Thunderbird #8, a U.S.A.F. F-16D aircraft, will arrive at approximately 4pm. Upon arrival, Captain Hubbard will perform several aerial survey maneuvers for approximately 10-15 minutes. During these maneuvers, which will be performed between 500’ and 2500’, Captain Hubbard will visually check the airfield and surrounding areas in preparation for the team’s October performance.

Upon completion of the aerial survey, Captain Hubbard will land the F-16D and taxi to Odyssey Aviation (123 Grissom Drive, Lafayette). After deplaning, Captain Hubbard and her crew chief will be available for media interviews.

**Area media is invited to meet at Odyssey Aviation on Friday, February 11th to view the arrival of Thunderbird #8, their aerial survey maneuvers, and to interview the team.
THIS IS NOT A PUBLIC EVENT. ONLY REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MEDIA ARE INVITED.**

Opelousas, LA- With the addition of a hotel and even center, Evangeline Downs Racetrack, Casino, and Hotel has developed into an entertainment hot spot in Southwest Louisiana. Anchored by a state of the art facility, which includes a one-mile oval dirt track and a 7-furlong turf track, the racing program has become known as the “home of the biggest fields>” Races have averaged slightly more than 10 runners per race over the past four spring and summer thoroughbred racing seasons, a distinction that only Evangeline Downs can claim.

The 89-day thoroughbred racing season gets underway April 6^th, and runs through Labor Day, September 5. Post time Wednesday through Saturday is at 5:40 p.m. with a special Labor Day post of 3:05 p.m.

Highlighting the lucrative stakes schedule is Louisiana Showcase Night, a stakes-only program restricted to horses bred in Louisiana featuring six races worth a minimum of $100,000 and totaling 10 events worth almost $1 million. Louisiana leads the nation with its breeding incentive program funded largely though the slots at the racetrack program. The casino at Evangeline Downs has over 1400 slot machines generating revenue for purses and breeding incentive programs.

Other marquee events during the season will include the Evangeline Mile and the Lafayette Stakes. The “Mile”, the premier event for older horses, will offer a purse of $125,000, up $25,000 from 2010 and be run on August 13^th, while the Lafayette Stakes for Two-year-olds will be contested on its usual spot, Labor Day, September 5^th. The Lafayette this year will be run on the Turf course for the first time and at the distance of one mile.

In addition to the surface and distance change, the Lafayette Stakes will feature a $100,000 purse, an increase of $50,000 from last year. More than $1.8 million will be distributed over the 25 black-type events offered in addition to overnight purses of approximately $170,000 a night, the same level offered in 2010.

“We continue to attract a solid group of horses and horsemen with our strong overnight and takes schedules,” says Steve Darbonne, director of racing operations. “Both the backstretch and the nearby training center are at near capacity and the morning workout lists are very long and we hope to once again offer our fans the full fields and exciting brand of racing they have come to expect from Evangeline Downs.”

The Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association will host the 18th annual “Le Festival de Mardi Gras a’ Lafayette” from Friday, March 4th through Mardi Gras day at U.L.- Lafayette’s Cajun Field. The Festival will include an exciting carnival mid-way, native Cajun foods, and an outstanding line-up of live music. To make the Festival a complete Mardi Gras experience, the route for all of Lafayette’s parades will pass directly through the Festival grounds. This popular festival enters it’s 18th year with a robust line-up of live music, a gigantic carnival midway, ample parking, and terrific viewing spots for all of Lafayette’s parades.

“The Festival has earned a reputation for being a wonderful, family oriented celebration of Mardi Gras. We are constantly working to improve the event and the entertainment we offer. We’ve designed the Festival so that it offers something for everyone.

The Louisiana Lottery midway will offer a wide variety of rides, from an area specially designed for small children, to fast, exciting, and wilder rides. We have also developed several price promotions that make our carnival within everyone’s budget. The Rouses Soundstage has one of the most extensive and diverse arrays of local, regional, and national musicians ever assembled. Borden will be on hand with free rides on the popular Borden train. Plus, all of the parades pass right through the Festival grounds,” Mann said.

“Cajun Field will be transformed for the 5-day event, with the huge carnival midway, the live music soundstage and plenty of convenient parking. It’s quite a sight to see and everyone wants to be at Cajun Field for Mardi Gras!” Mann said. “We are very excited to have local restaurants and caterers participating again this year. The quality and variety the food these local vendors provide is tremendous. We work hard to make the Festival site the easiest, safest, and most convenient spot to watch the parades,” Mann added.

What’s the best part about “Le Festival de Mardi Gras a Lafayette?” — IT’S FREE! Admission to the Louisiana Lottery Midway, the Rouses soundstage, the Borden train , as well as the parade viewing areas are free. There is a $10 charge for parking at Cajun Field. All of the money generated from the Festival will be used by the Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association to develop and promote Lafayette’s Mardi Gras parades and activities. The event is sponsored by the Louisiana Lottery, Rouses Supermarkets, Borden and the Lafayette Regional Airport Commission.
The festival is hoping to announce a few surprise performers, so keep everyone is encouraged to visit the festitvals FaceBook page (search “Le Festival”), or visit www.GoMardiGras.com and sign up for the email list.

All children, except one, grow up … but there’s a bit of him in each of us. Perhaps that’s why we hold his story so dear. Lafayette Ballet Theatre is delighted to announce its next spring production, “Peter Pan,” as never before experienced in Louisiana. This full-length ballet in two acts promises to please grown ups and children of every age — complete with humor, suspense and adventure, along with all the romance of classical dance. Tickets on sale now!

This spectacular show — slated for Saturday, April 9, and Sunday, April 10, at the Heymann Performing Arts Center — will feature the acclaimed choreography of the New Orleans-born Washington Ballet artistic director Septime Webre and guest artists from the Cincinnati Ballet. This is the first time a work of Webre, one of the nation’s most sought-after choreographers, will ever be presented in his home state. Setting the choreography on the local cast will be Cincinnati Ballet’s ballet mistress, Johanna Wilt. Another plus: trust and a little pixie dust — with help from America’s best aerial effects company, Flying by Foy — will send the stars soaring beyond the crowd’s greatest expectations.

Tickets are available at the Heymann Center Box Office Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (337-291-5555) and through all Ticket Master outlets including online at www.ticketmaster.com.