Fourth of July Celebration begins Wednesday night in Erath

ERATH — The Erath Fourth of July Celebration is back and it gets underway today.
After a year of absence due to COVID-19, the celebration is back. It will be a five-day celebration that starts today and ends on Sunday.
Erath Mayor Taylor Mencacci is happy to have the celebration return to Erath.
“Having the 4th of July Festival back on our streets in downtown Erath brings great pride to be an American and a citizen of Erath,” said Mencacci. “Thanks to the volunteers of the Erath 4th of July Association and Jimbo Miller with Cajun Carnaval rides for continuing the tradition of being one of Louisiana’s only true street fairs with free live music and a great fireworks display on July 4th.”
The festival gets underway tonight with the Cajun Carnival Rides. Tonight is bracelet night ($25).
DJ Wesley Lemaire will play from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
On Thursday, the Fais Do Do begins.
Starting at 7 p.m., Poisson Rouge will play from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
At 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Cody Boullion will perform.
Thursday will also be bracelet night ($25) from 6 to 11 p.m.
Friday night will have entertainment from Lane Toups (7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.) and the 10-man band, Souled Out, from 10 p.m. to midnight.
The carnival rides will be from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. and it will be bracelet night again on Friday.
Saturday’s fais-do-do will feature Louisiana Red (7:30 p.m to 9:30 p.m.) and The Chee-Weez (10 p.m. to midnight).
The carnival rides will be from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Sunday, Fourth of July Day, is the biggest day of the celebration.
It will start with the 20th annual Fun and Walk at Erath High School.
The 5-K run and one mile walk will start at 8 a.m.
An hour later at 9 a.m.., the water fights will take place between area fire departments.
At 5 p.m., the parade will take place through Erath.
The final fais-do-do is from 7:30 p.m to 9 p.m. and will feature the band, “Three Thirty Seven.”
The carnival rides will start at 1 p.m. and bracelets will be honored from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The fair will close at 10:30 p.m.
The close of the festival will be its “Giant Fireworks Display.” The fireworks will start at 9 p.m. on the east side of Erath.

History of the Celebration

Erath started celebrating the Erath 4th of July Celebration in 1936. The festival was founded by Roy R. Theriot and originated as a fundraiser for Erath High School.
In 1937, the New Orleans Times Picayune newspaper published an article about the Erath Independence Day Fete. The article stated that the event was sponsored jointly by the Erath 4th of July Association and the Erath High School Alumni Association.
Roy Theriot was the general manager of the celebration, and all money earned benefited Erath High School.
A June 11, 1939 New Orleans Times Picayune article announced that Edward Landry had been named general chairman of the Erath 4th of July Celebration. The celebration was described as one of Louisiana’s major Fourth of July Celebrations, and included a street fair, parade, speakers, and a dance at the Erath High School Auditorium.