GRAND ISLE, La. — The community of Grand Isle kicked off its second year of the Island Strong Music Festival Thursday. The three-day festival promises live music, food, craft booths and various other vendors all with the same goal of supporting Grand Isle’s recovery from Hurricane Ida.
“Last year, turned out to be such a great event, and we knew we had to do it again,” said festival organizer Matthew Rivere.
The festival was created last summer in response to the devastation of Hurricane Ida.
“It’s a warm feeling to know that people from surrounding areas are down here helping and it really shows the resilience and the hope that people have for Grand Isle,” he said.
Festival organizers and city leaders say the community and beyond put their money up to help restore the tourist town.
“People are here to stay, and they are strong,” said Councilman Brian Barthelemy. “That’s why we have Island Strong Fest, the people are strong, and they want to rebuild”
The money raised at the inaugural festival was invested in rebuilding a sports complex after Hurricane Ida destroyed the city's softball and baseball fields.
Barthelemy says so far, the first phase of the complex has been completed and construction on the final phase should start soon with a scheduled completion in the summer of 2024.
This year funds raised at the festival will go to the complex and other infrastructure repairs that are needed throughout the city.
The festival is located at the Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion, 4500 Tarpon Rodeo Drive, Grand Isle, LA.
Music lineup:
Thursday, July 13:
(Gates open at 4:00 pm)
- 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm - Whiskey Bent
- 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm – Jr. Lacrosse
Friday, July 14:
(Gates open at 12:00 pm)
- 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm – Kendall Shaffer Band
- 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm – Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition
- 7:30 pm – Official Welcome Ceremony
- 8:00 pm to 11:00 – Todd O’Neill & Cat Daddy
Saturday, July 15:
(Gates open at 11:00 am)
- 12:00pm to 2:00pm – Aaron Foret Band
- 2:30pm to 4:30pm – Dustin Guedry
- 5:00 pm to 7:30 – Shorts in December
- 7:30 pm – Live Auction
- 8:30 to 11:00pm – Chase Tyler Band
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.