By Rita Shirley LeBleu
Hundreds of festivals and fairs happen in Louisiana each year. Only one of those state-sanctioned, large-scale events is organized, produced and managed by an all-woman group, the DeQuincy Federated Service League.
Forty-six of its members met Thursday, Apr. 2, less than a week before the Louisiana Railroad Days Festival will open here.
“We make sure all committees have everything ready, and make final adjustments if needed. Everyone has a job to do, and they all know what it is and get it done,” said Sherri Breaux, 2026 DSFL president.
This ain’t their first rodeo. DSFL has the planning and production process down to an if-it ain’t broke-don’t fix-it science established by history and honed by years of experience. Many DSFLers work full-time jobs and take care of business on the home front before dashing off to meetings.
Planning for the second weekend in April begins in September. Current membership includes second, third and even fourth generation DFSLers, stewards of tradition.
The predecessor of the Louisiana Railroad Days Festival was the Country Fair. The first news mention of this event – that was found – is in a May 1968 edition of the DeQuincy News. It was hosted by the Aggressive Club, one of the clubs that evolved and combined to form the DFSL. One thing remains the same. The event’s purpose was to raise funds to help high school seniors afford college. Last year the club awarded 30 scholarships, according to member Mary Jane Barbery, the club’s longest-standing member at 41 years.
That first fair featured a penny scramble, greased pig contest, sack race and a cakewalk every half hour. Prizes were offered for the oldest grandmother, newest bride, lady with the most children, man with the biggest feet, the ugliest beard and the most handsome beard. Barbecued chicken, hot dogs, corn on the cob, homemade cakes and cold drinks were sold throughout the day.
Barberry recalled an earlier festival during the late 1960s or early 1970s. She doesn’t recall the exact date, but she does remember that temps were cool, probably an Easter cold snap. A few club members were huddled in a tiny booth trying to stay warm when a couple of men made comments that implied such an undertaking by women was certain to fail in a year or two, but no worries. They were prepared to step in to take the reins to ensure the festival’s continued success.
Paralee Smith joined the club in the early 1970s when the club had “maybe 30 members,” she said. Everybody built and operated their own booths, and a few of the women drove to Houston to get prizes and trinkets. She operated the engraving booth.
“I had a much steadier hand back then,” she said.
One of her most vivid Country Fair memories was the year club members were still in charge of supplying food. Billie Jean LeBleu gave her the Heard barbecue sauce recipe.
“I was packing out a big roaster full of barbecue out to my truck, stepped off the curb and twisted my ankle, but I didn’t spill my pot.”
It was the spring of 1984 when the event was officially recognized by the state. To be a Louisiana sanctioned event, the event has to be held at the same time each year. So, regardless of when Easter falls or despite the weather, the Railroad Festival must go on.
