Fairs & Festivals for Oct. 5, 2012

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, OCT. 5-7

FESTIVAL OF FRIENDS: 6-10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sunday, 212 E. New River St., Gonzales. Hosted by St. John Primary and St. Theresa School, the event will offer a $1,000 raffle, rides, food, music, country store, games, silent auction, fun run, jambalaya mini pot cooking contest. (225) 647-8035.
GRETNA HERITAGE FESTIVAL: 4-11 p.m. Friday, 2-11 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, downtown Gretna. Music, food, German beer garden, Italian village, arts and crafts, carnival rides and games. Daily tickets: $20, at the gate; $15, online. Weekend pass: $50 at the gate; $40, online. http://www.ticketweb.com/snl/EventListings.action?orgId=106353

ST. LUKE’S FALL ARTS 7 CRAFTS FAIR: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., grounds of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 8833 Goodwood Blvd. Crafts, food. Free admission and parking. (225) 413-5906.
FALL FESTIVAL: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Antique District, Denham Springs. Free kids’ rides, 150-plus street vendors selling antiques, crafts and art, two stages featuring entertainment including Floyd Brown and Swamp People stars Austyn Yoches and Blake McDonald, arts avenue, food. http://www.denhamspringsantiquedistrict.com.
FESTIVAL OF QUILTS: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Cottonport Museum & Cultural Center, 220 Cottonport Ave., Cottonport. Display of more than 100 quilts, many for sale, vendor booths, homemade cakes. $3 admission. Display will also be open noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7; and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Saturday, Oct. 8-13. A fundraising event for the museum. (318) 359-3012.
LATIN MUSIC FESTIVAL: noon-10 p.m., Parc International, Lafayette. Live music, food, arts and crafts vendors. Free entry. Hosted by Asociación Cultural Latino-Acadiana. http://www.ACLAlaf.org

PLANTFEST!: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Hilltop Arboretum, 11855 Highland Road. Plants, trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, ferns, fruits, gingers, camellias, edibles, ornamental grasses and more. http://www.lsu.edu/hilltop.
ROBERTS COVE GERMANFEST: 7212 Roberts Cove Road, Rayne. Live entertainment, authentic German food, German beer, folklore demonstrations, children’s activities. $8, adults; free, children 13 and younger. http://www.robertscovegermanfest.com.
OKTOBER FEST: noon-9 p.m. both days, Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard, 819 Rue Conti, New Orleans. Live German music, costume contest at 4 p.m. Saturday, food and beer booths. $10, general admission; free, children. (504) 581-3866.

LIVINGSTON PARISH FAIR: Fairgrounds, U.S. 190, Livingston. Midway, rodeo, parades, exhibits, pageants. (225) 664-4189 or (225) 686-1333.

COLUMBUS DAY FESTA: 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Belle of Baton Rouge Casino atrium. Bocce ball demonstration, Italian food, vino stroll, shopping village, display of Italian artifacts, presentation of maids and their parents or grandparents, live Italian and American music by Bobby Lonero’s band. Hosted by the Greater Baton Rouge Italian American Association. Free. (225) 769-2762 or (225) 445-2781.
SUGARFEST: 11 a.m.-4 p.m., West Baton Rouge Museum, 845 N. Jefferson, Port Allen. Celebrate the sugar harvest with the grand opening of the Arbroth Plantation Store, tours of the museum and grounds, traditional 19th century folk art demonstrations, sugar cane grinding, live music, living history activities, food, sweets contest with celebrity judges. Free. (225) 336-2422.
ST. BENEDICT FALL FESTIVAL: beginning after 10 a.m. Mass, grounds of St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church, La. 1, Bertrandville. Music, sweet sales, food of all kinds, live auction. (225) 454-2006.

ANGOLA PRISON RODEO: Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola. The public can watch inmate cowboys competing in convict poker, wild cow milking, bull riding, wild horse racing and the guts-n-glory contest. Gates open at 9 a.m.; show starts at 2 p.m. crafts open until 5 p.m. $15. http://www.angolarodeo.com.

LOUISIANA COTTON FESTIVAL: North Side Civic Center, Ville Platte. Crowning of king and queen, music, pet show, carnival rides, parade, Running of Tournoi. http://www.louisianacottonfestival.com.