Around Ascension for Oct. 5, 2012

“On the Radio” is the theme for this weekend’s annual Festival of Friends School Fair hosted by St. Theresa and St. John’s Catholic schools.

The fair, held on the campus of St. Theresa, 212 E. New River St., in Gonzales, kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday with a country store, silent auction, rides and food.

Carnival ride $20 pay-one-price specials are from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Admission is free and the festival is alcohol-free.

On Saturday, the festival starts at 8 a.m. with the St. Theresa/St. John Trek, a race sponsored by St. Elizabeth Hospital.

The mini-pot jambalaya cooking contest for students starts at 10 a.m., and the kitchen opens at 11 a.m.

Saturday’s menu includes chicken and sausage gumbo, jambalaya, chicken spaghetti and fried fish.

Food will be sold starting at 11 a.m. Sunday, and students will perform from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The quilt raffle and money winners will be drawn at 6:15 p.m.

For information, call (225) 647-8035.

Recycling event Saturday

Ascension Parish residents can drop off recyclable items from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the monthly Recycling Road Show in the Walmart parking lot in Prairieville.

For information, call Terance Irvin at (225) 621-5722.

Scavenger hunt under way

The River Region Art Association is holding a scarecrow scavenger hunt to promote its Scarecrows Swamp Gonzales Contest and Awesome Arts on the Bayou Festival, association spokeswoman JoAnn Eiswirth said.

Thirty-three Gonzales-area businesses have recruited employees, family members and school and civic groups to create life-sized scarecrows at their business sites.

Residents are encouraged to join in the fun by taking part in a scarecrow scavenger hunt. Entry forms are available at participating businesses.

Winners of the scarecrow contest will be announced at the opening ceremonies of the Awesome Arts on the Bayou Festival at 10 a.m. Oct. 13 on the Jambalaya Park stage, 1015 E. Cornerview Road, in Gonzales.

The scavenger hunt prizes will be awarded at the closing of the festival on the Jambalaya Park stage at 5 p.m. Oct. 14.

For a complete list of the business locations, go to http://www.argumbo.org or email Kathy Bourgeois at 321arts@gmail.com.

Food program planned

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank and Ascension Parish Health Unit’s quarterly food distribution is set for Tuesday and Wednesday, officials said.

Distribution will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday at the Lemann Memorial Center, 1100 Clay St., in Donaldsonville; and at the same times Wednesday at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center on St. Landry Road in Gonzales.

Contact Darlene Denstorff: phone, (225) 336-6952; fax, (225) 644-5851; email, ascension@theadvocate.com. Deadline is noon Wednesday.