By David Vitrano

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – One iconic image dominates thoughts of Christmas in the River Parishes — bonfires.

In the weeks that lie between Thanksgiving and Christmas, scores of the wooden pyramids spring up on the Mississippi River Levee. While their original purpose is the subject of dispute, their modern purpose is undeniable.

In the River Parishes, building and burning the bonfires is a matter of tradition, a way for families to spend time together on the weekends in the great outdoors away from all the diversions of modern life.

Lonnie Vicknair, Chad Dragon and Terry Strayer are three lifelong residents of Reserve who have built bonfires on the levee for decades. This year, they were the first to secure a bonfire permit in St. John the Baptist Parish.

“We’ve never been number one before,” said Dragon.

The men said they enjoy spending the weekends building the fires, and although the younger generation has not yet embraced the tradition to the extent they have, the men are sure they will come around and one day help to preserve the tradition.

While tradition is still the driving factor behind the construction of the fires, modern life has altered the way the tradition is handled in many ways.

Bonfires used to be constructed behind the levee, but that practice is now prohibited. Additionally, anyone wishing to construct a bonfire must obtain a permit.

In St. John the Baptist Parish, permits are $50 and can be obtained from the Emergency Operations Center, which is located in the P.D. Hebert complex on Airline Highway in LaPlace. In St. James Parish, where the bulk of the bonfires are constructed, the Festival of the Bonfires group handles the permitting process. Permits cost $30, and the application form can be downloaded at www.festivalofthebonfires.org/permits-xmas.htm. For more information, call 985-652-2222 in St. John or 225-869-1717 in St. James.

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