The eighth annual Zwolle Loggers and Forestry Festival takes on a new look this year, when it spreads its wings in the new community park just down the street from the Zwolle Town Hall.

Festival dates are May 10-11, and sponsors are looking forward to a bigger and better event because of the new space, which was acquired last year in a joint arrangement with the Zwolle Tamale Festival Association, and the Town of Zwolle.

Preliminary events have already begun, with the annual Queen's Tea held on Sunday afternoon, April 28, hosted in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Lela and Huey Malmay, one of the community's many logging families. The 2001-2002 Queen, Elva Ezernack, meets with the mothers and contestants in the 2002 beauty pageant, which will be held Saturday, May 4 at 4 p.m. at the Zwolle High School Auditorium.

The current Queen, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dorothy and Edwin Ezernack, is a student at Centenary College in Shreveport. She has represented the Festival and the forest industry well at various events locally and around the state. A first for the Zwolle Festival Queen this year was attendance at the Queen of Queens pageant in Baton Rouge.

Festival vice president Wanda Ezernack said, "She represented us well. We are very proud of her."

The Festival limits competition to girls with a Zwolle or Noble, Louisiana address, Mrs. Ezernack pointed out, to assure that the winner has an interest in representing the local industry.

After selection of the new Queen, the Festival begins on Friday, May 10, at 5 p.m. with events at the new Festival grounds. The Queen and her Court are presented, Festival Poster contest entries are unveiled, and entertainment and exhibits run until 11 p.m.

A highlight of the Friday evening events is a street dance beginning at 7 p.m. (See program information, page 16.)

Opening events for Saturday begin with the 5k run at 7:30 a.m., followed by formal opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. at the Festival grounds.

Blessing of the community's log truck fleet will begin at 11 a.m., by Fr. Favid Richter of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, followed immediately by the annual Festival parade.

Logging and forestry skill contests, equipment displays, food and craft booths, and music entertainment, continues through 6 p.m., and the day ends with a dance on the Festival grounds from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Several new events are on the program, allowed by the new space. These include an antique car and truck show, a cheerleader dance line competition, treasure hunt, and a turtle cook-off which is a not-to-miss attraction.

For information, contact Festival president Robert Brandon at 318-256-5910 or 256-3394.

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