The parish announced three special guests for its “Let Freedom Ring” concert on April 18 at the Lafon Arts Center in Luling. The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra performance will feature guest conductor Kalena Bovell, guest vocalist Claire Shackleton and guest narrator Mark Romig.
Francesca Blanchard, a spokesperson for the parish, said the parish is thrilled to have a mix of local and national talent participating in the patriotic concert, which celebrates the 250th anniversary of American independence.
“Most households know Mr. Romig as the voice of the New Orleans Saints, but we also have immense talent joining us here in St. Charles Parish for this concert, which is the only one of its kind in the region,” Blanchard said.
Tickets cost $25 each and are available for purchase online at lafonartscenter.org.
Attendees can expect to hear classics like The Star-Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful, as well as a salute to the Armed Forces and some deeper cuts that will add to the patriotic theme of the concert, Blanchard said.
“The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra has prepared a show for us that has everything from patriotic marches to songs you know from American classic movies,” Blanchard said.
The concert, which is sponsored by Dow, IMTT, Shell and Valero, will also feature historical readings.
Amanda Bohren, producer with the LPO, said the concert will last 90 minutes, with a 20-minute intermission. The concert celebrates America and the Southern region, Bohren said.
“The program offers a lot of diverse works which aptly describes our beautifully diverse country,” Bohren said.
In December, the parish formed the St. Charles Parish America 250 Committee to lead local efforts celebrating the country’s founding.
As part of those efforts, the parish announced commemorative T-shirts designed to showcase community pride during the historic milestone. The limited-edition shirt is $25 and can be purchased through April 30 online.
Shirt pickup will take place at the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center in May. Purchasers will receive an email with pick-up instructions.
The shirts are being offered at cost to encourage widespread community participation.
Blanchard said the parish wanted to commemorate the anniversary with a T-shirt design that is patriotic and local.
“The bridge with the flag waving in the background is something we hope our residents will wear with pride through the anniversary and beyond,” she said.
The St. Charles Parish America 250 Committee’s final event will be the parish’s annual July 3 celebration with a larger patriotic fireworks display. Last month, the parish reduced the cost of commemorative bricks at Veterans Memorial Plaza from $150 to $50 to honor more parish veterans at the memorial site, which is located next to the Edward A. Dufresne Community Center in Luling.
Residents, organizations, and businesses interested in participating in or learning more about America 250 initiatives in St. Charles Parish can visit www.stcharlesparish.gov/america250. For more on the nationwide America 250 program, visit The Daughters of the American Revolution’s webpage, www.america250.org.
