Father’s House Church will open its grounds to the community this weekend for its first fall festival, bringing together 40 vendors, food trucks, a corn maze, hayride, games and other family activities.
The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 10 and Oct. 11 at Father’s House Church, 16976 U.S. 90 in Des Allemands.
Kristen Curole, the church’s children’s coordinator and fall festival media director, said months of preparation have come together with help from church members, local businesses and others in the community.
“Preparations and behind-the-scenes work have been amazing, and when I say amazing, I’m not meaning it lightly,” Curole said. “We have faced very few challenges, and the ones we have, the Lord has quickly arranged a solution.”
Curole said organizers have received equipment and other donations, while volunteers have stepped forward to help with the event.
The festival will feature 40 vendors each day, offering items ranging from baked goods and home décor to wreaths, jams and jellies. A children’s cake station and DIY slime bar will also be available.
Food options will include Backyard Boil Seafood, 2 Fat Guys & a Pot, Sneaux House, Vanacors Seafood and Da Crab Guy, who Curole said will prepare a large jambalaya.
The festival’s activities will include a corn maze, hayride, sack races, tug of war, bottle toss, duck fishing and other games. Children can also play in a large corn-filled sensory tub and ride a small train made from barrels.
A bee expo will teach visitors about the bees on the church property.
One addition Curole said she is particularly excited about is a prayer tent, which will include a box where visitors can leave anonymous prayer requests.
“Bring your burdens, your worries,” Curole said. “Someone will be there to love on you and pray over you.”
Admission is $15 per child and includes unlimited activities and one pumpkin. Adults accompanying children are admitted free, as are children 2 and younger. Adults attending without children will pay $15.
Visitors can pay with cash or electronically through the church’s Tithely account. A QR code will be available at the admission table for visitors who want to pay by credit card or Apple Pay.
A parking team wearing bright orange shirts will direct visitors when they arrive. Guns, alcohol and fireworks will not be permitted at the festival.
Money raised through the event will support Father’s House Church ministries, including its children’s ministry, youth groups, homeschool co-op and The 41 House, a recovery home located on the church grounds.
The idea for the festival originated with longtime church members Ludy and Mark Dufrene and grew from the church’s desire to use its property for community outreach.
Curole said organizers do not have a specific attendance estimate for the inaugural event but are preparing to welcome whoever comes through the gates.
“We hope that they come and feel loved and know that they are so special and have purpose in our community and just in life in general,” she said.
That message is reflected in a phrase organizers have placed on the festival’s promotional materials: “Everyone is welcome at the table.”
Curole said the church has what members call a “unity tree” on its property, where a cypress and oak grow together. She said the trees have become a symbol of the church’s vision for the community.
“We all have something we can bring to the table,” she said. “We are all in unity together.”
As the first festival approaches, Curole said organizers are most looking forward to welcoming families onto the church grounds.
“We can’t wait to see all of the smiling faces, the family and, of course, the fun,” she said. “He is in it all.”
