Earl P. King, Jr., owner and operator of King Trucking, Inc., is a multi-sponsor for this year’s Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival presented by Shell. As a sponsor of the Historic Blessing of the Fleet and co-sponsor of the Children’s Village, Fireworks on the River and the U.S.C.G Foundation Golf Tournament, Mr. King has made a major investment in the festival and tradition that propels the community.
Mr. King is married to the former Linda Dudley. He is the father of Earl III, William, Darla King Chiasson and Sharla King Gallagher. Born in Dublin, Texas, King moved to Houma as an infant and lived there through his high school years. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi as a student/athlete, graduating in 1967. As a means of giving back in a way that he was assisted in his youth, King has endowed the Earl King Scholarship at Mississippi Gulf Coast College.
He is a member of the Louisiana Motor Transport Association, St. Mary Industrial Group, American Petroleum Institute and Tiger Athletic Foundation. He is also a Loaned Executive Sponsor of the United Way and serves on the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Commission as the Commercial Fishing & Fur Representative. He works in the oilfield transportation business as founder of King Trucking, Inc., which has served the land transportation aspect of the area’s petroleum industry for 35 years. Mr. King has served on the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival board since 2002, and in 2004, he was crowned the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival King.
According to Mr. King, “It’s an honor to be an event sponsor for The Shrimp & Petroleum Festival. My family and I moved to Morgan City. In November 1967, and rented an apartment on 4th Street next to the railroad. I was 23 years old, just out of college, had a baby, and was $2,700 in debt to my Father-in-
Law with an idea of starting an oilfield trucking company. Our community is a place where dreams can, and do, come true. With hard work and a lot of help along the way, my family has truly lived the American Dream. Looking back over 39 years of service to the Petroleum industry, I’d like to ‘Thank All’ that helped with our success by sponsoring The Blessing of the Fleet and co-sponsoring The Children’s Village, Fireworks, and Coast Guard/S&P Golf Tournament for our community.”
The Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival presented by Shell will be held August 31 - September 4, 2006 in Morgan City, only 90 miles from New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette. Most festivities are held within the beautiful Downtown Historic District and are free to the general public. Great food, continuous free live music, traditional events and children’s activities will highlight this five-day extravaganza.
Mitchell Brothers Carnival will kick off the children’s events, with rides and carnival games at 5 PM Thursday, August 31st and will continue through Monday. Children’s Field & Game events will begin Saturday, September 2nd at 9 AM. Children of all ages can participate in sack races, three legged races and more. At 10:00 AM, professional storytellers will entertain kids as well as their parents with their wonderful stories. The Children’s Day Mini Street Parade will begin at 11:30 AM. Decorated bicycles, wagons, strollers and four wheelers are welcome to participate. The Children’s Day King and Queen will officially open the McDermott/King Trucking Children’s Village with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 PM. The McDermott/King Trucking Children’s Village, a magical play land featuring a smoking dragon, games and free prizes, inflatables, face-painting and more, will be open from 1 PM to 5 PM Saturday- Monday.
Tempt your taste buds and satisfy your appetite at the 18th annual Cajun Culinary Classic, a showcase of local “home style” cooking featuring delicious Cajun dishes. The Cajun Culinary Classic is open 5 PM to 11 PM Friday, noon to 11 PM Saturday & Sunday, and 12 noon to 9 PM Monday. Local non-profit groups and civic organizations such as Central Catholic High School, Christ Gospel Church and Twin Gospel and many others will benefit from the proceeds.
Downtown comes alive with continuous free live music performed by local and national artists at the Petroleum Heritage Music Stage. On Friday, September 1st, Deja Vu will kick off the festival at 6 PM followed by Satisfaction…A Rolling Stone Experience at 8:30 PM. On Saturday, September 2nd, Keith Frank will begin at 1 PM followed by Foret Tradition at 3:30 PM, After 8 at 6 PM and The Molly Ringwalds at 9 PM. On Sunday, September 3rd, Jamie Bergeron & Kickin’ Cajuns will begin at 1:30 PM followed by CajuNation at 3:30 PM, Tab Benoit and his Swampland Jam at 6:00 PM and Wayne Toups & Zydecajun at 9 PM On Monday, September 4th, Knight Train will perform at 1 PM, Josh Garrett & Bottom Line at 3:00 PM, Waylon Thibodaux at 5:00 PM and Don Rich at 7:00 PM.
Listen and enjoy one of the South’s most loved and heartfelt forms of music at the Fellowship of Love Gospel Stage, located near the corner of Greenwood and Fourth Street. Entertainment is scheduled to begin Friday, September 1st and continue through Sunday, September 3rd.
The Cultural and Heritage Expo, to be held at the Everett Street Gallery located in downtown Morgan City, will feature exhibits, films, demonstrations and literature that focus on the area’s unique culture. The Expo will be open Friday 11 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM, and Sunday & Monday 10 AM to 5 PM.
Traditional activities include the Coronation Court & Pageant at 7:30 PM Saturday, September 2nd, crowning the new King and Queen. The Court & Pageant is a ticketed event. Mass in the Park begins at 8:30 AM Sunday and will be performed by Father Danny Poche of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Morgan City and will feature the 2006 King and Queen and the Knights of Columbus outfitted in full regalia. The Historic Blessing of the Fleet sponsored by Earl P. King, Jr./King Trucking, Inc. will begin at 10 AM followed by the Water Parade, which features decorated shrimp boats, pleasure crafts, offshore supply boats and some of the biggest “muscle” boats around. The annual Street Parade will be led by the U.S.C.G. Color Guard. It is set to begin at 3 PM and will feature floats, bands and more.
Other festivities include the gigantic Fireworks on the River – a must see – sponsored by Bollinger Shipyards, Central Boat Rentals, Teche Regional Medical Center, Carline Land Corporation, Earl P. King, Jr. and G & J Land Marine. An arts & crafts show and sale under cover of the U.S. 90 bridge will feature over 100 artists, the 100 Black Men 9th Annual 5-K Run/Walk, Doiron’s Landing Annual Labor Day Bass tournament, the MDA Horseshoe Tournament, Krewe of Galatea’s 35th Annual Plantation Breakfast & Style Show and the Artist Guild Unlimited 43rd Annual Judged Show & Sale at the Everett Street Gallery. The 4th Annual Shrimp & Petroleum Festival/USCG Coast Guard Foundation Golf Tournament sponsored by Amelia Belle Casino, Missy’s Supermarket/Delta Food Mart and Earl P. King, Jr. will be held August 25, at the newly opened course - The Atchafalaya at Idlewild in Patterson, LA.
The festival began in 1936 when the placid port of Morgan City and Berwick received the first boatload of jumbo shrimp, fresh from the deepest Gulf waters. The festival became the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival in 1967, when the oil industry was firmly implanted into the local economy.
The festival has grown to become one of the state’s premiere festivals. The Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival was voted 2006 Festival of the Year in Division III and the best festival in 2001, 2000, 1999 and 1998 by the Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals, a top 100 American Bus Association event, and a top 20 Southeast Tourism Society event. In July of 1991 Time magazine described the festival as “...the best, the most unusual, the most down-home, the most moving and the most fun that the country has to offer.”
Festival organizers invite you to bring your family to Morgan City for Labor Day weekend to enjoy 71 years of tradition and family fun. For more information including schedules, contact the festival office at (985) 385-0703, visit the festival’s web site at www.shrimp-petrofest.org or contact the Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau at (800) 256-2931.