It's a salute to the timber industry, but more than that, the Louisiana Forest Festival is a salute to a culture, Winnfield Mayor Deano Thornton says.

"Forestry has been the lifeblood of this parish for as long as most of us can remember, and most of our area economy is built around it," he said. "I always look forward to watching the festival competitions and visiting with friends that I don't get to see all the time. The festival gives us an identity as a community and lets us display the values Winn Parish was built on."

Festival president Terry Taylor, along with ex-president Joe Lang, festival board member Roger Hanson, and Adrian James will pit their talents against competitors from all over (Oregon, Idaho, West Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Texas, Arkansas, Alabama) as they participate in the first circuit show of the year for professional timber sports.

Taylor said the local guys expect to hold their own in competitions that involve timber skills once greatly respected but now fallen by the wayside.

"It's just a tradition that has basically dried up," he said. "You don't see chopping and crosscutting like you used to; even chainsaw use is rare. People don't use those methods because of new machinery, but those skills were dominant in our area before, and doing this just shows a respect for the history of the industry."

The three-day festival, spread over two weekends, will feature not only professional timber sports, but other competitions in log loading, skidding, grappling for bucks, and a truck rodeo. There will also be forestry equipment displays and related exhibits.

And like every good festival, children's activities, food, and plain old fun will abound.

Other events on the schedule:
On Saturday, April 22, the Louisiana Forest Festival Team Bass Tournament will be held .

On Saturday, April 29, the Louisiana State Woodsman's Skills Championship will be held during the festival with 4-H youth from throughout the state competing in timber-related contests such as crosscut sawing, log rolling, ax throwing, bow-saw, rope climbing, tree identification, and match splitting.
Donny Moon, county agent/4-H agent with the LSU Cooperative Extension Service, encourages more 4-H teams from other parishes (Natchitoches, Sabine, Red River, Rapides, any others) to come join in the competitions. For more information, call Moon at 318-628-4528.

Also on Saturday, April 29, the first Louisiana Forest Festival Charity Golf Tournament will be held at the Pine Ridge Country Club in Winnfield. Proceeds from the tournament will be donated to The Children's Miracle Network, which provides medical care, lifesaving research, and preventative education to help children overcome diseases and injuries.

If you would like to play, sponsor or donate, visit timbermenfund.net for more information or to access an application form; or contact Doug Wells at the Louisiana Safety Association of Timbermen in Winnfield at 318-628-6730.

COMPLETE SCHEDULE\
Saturday, April 22: Louisiana Forest Festival Team Bass Tournament
Friday, April 28: 5:30 p.m.-Parade from Main Street to the Fairgrounds, opening ceremonies, Lawnmower Mowdeo, midway activities
8 p.m. to midnight-Dance, Forestry Building; rodeo
Saturday, April 29: 9 a.m.-Festival begins: 4-H Woodsman's Skills Championship, arts and crafts, equipment exhibits, rock climbing, children's activities, goat show, petting zoo, white tigers, golf tournament, leaf/twig/bark display
10 a.m.-Truck rodeo, log loading, skidder competition, equipment exhibits
11 a.m.-Professional timber sports
8 p.m.-Rodeo

For more festival information, call 318-628-5928, email info@laforestfestival.com or visit www.laforestfestival.com

On the 2006 Louisiana Forest Festival board of directors are Terry Taylor, president; Darrell Franks, vice president; Angelia Bonnette, secretary/treasurer; Chuck Jurek; Vernon Weeks; Vicky Weeks; Roger Hanson; Joe Lang; Chad Knight; Kathy Tullos; Fredrick Bonnette; Jerry Martin; Donny Moon; Shonna Moss; and Chad Blundell.

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