Changes At Contraband Days

          Contraband Days Festival is in full swing at the Lake Charles Civic Center.  And this year, festival organizers have made lots of changes, for example the elimination of parking fees.  But are those changes bringing more people to the festival?  Attendance is slightly down.  But organizers still describe it as normal.  Other changes are the layout of the festival itself.  The carnival is now on the north side of the Civic Center.  And the new promenade allows festival goers to sit back and relax for a while.  Organizers are anticipating big crowds this final weekend.  Contraband Days runs through this Sunday.  What do you think?  Will the changes bring more people into Contraband Days?... Or do you think cost is still an obstacle?

Comments

[ALLEN]

WOW, DROPPED THE PARKING FEES.LET US SEE THE TRUE NUMBERS WHEN CONTRABAND IS OVER ? NOT SOME MADE UP NUMBERS TO MAKE IT LOOK SUCCESSFUL !!!!!!

[bb]

I say get rid of contraband days all together...It cost WAY too much to bring your family to have fun..Plus to many gansta wannabes/white trash walking around.....

[bill]

They dropped the parking fees but raised the gate fee to 10 bucks and you cannot bring a single thing in with you. That means you have to buy everything once you get it. It just cost way too much and it's killing the festival. Attendance is not slightly down, it's way down. It's nothing like it used to be. I mean it was practically dead for the landing of Jean Lafitte. You sure don't have to worry about finding a place to park. Plenty of room.

[chuck]

It is ridiculous to pay $10 to get through the gate to walk around the prominade and then pay an arm and a leg for rides and snacks and games. I drove there last night thinking that it was free night again but I was wrong, so we turned around and went home.

[Sanc ti money]

don't like the prices, don't go...They will get the message. they will lower the fees are close the doors. Shame too. Money has to dictate so nuch of our Calcasieu heritage. I used to go with my dad in the late 50's and early 60's every year to watch the boat races. Brought my family also. We still go and watch the fireworks when they have them from the North beach. So many memory's going down for family's of today. Contraband, are you trying to break even or make money? Most family's don't want to expose their children to the going's on behind the civic center now days. To much alcohol and not to mention the way people dress during this festival. Churches, why don't we all get together and have our own festival? Don't go is the answer. Maybe they will see the hand writing on the wall. Maybe not?????? Lafayette and new Orleans or having festivals this weekend also. I think it's called the JAZZ festival. HMMMMM? competition????

[kyle]

I to went to contraband days but early 70's I dont think there was such a thing in the 50s and 60s and I was alive and living here then. Anyway yes it is a rip off and way to exspensive. Two kids going tonight $100 bucs. If the rides are like normal a big scam. I was wondering when we would hear an admission of waterboarding works by the news media that were sad to be an American when Bush did it. Makes you wonder also who really got the info to kill this terrorist. Unemployment went up on no . Good job Pres. Food has almost doubled. Gas 2 bucs more than when Bush was in office.

[thomas]

let's not forget who's in charge of the festival. no wonder. Here's a hint: Tax Assessor's office.

[Shut it down]

Nooooo Never ever again will me and my family and out of town friends will ever come to this thing again

Girls on boats lifting tops showing boobs and wearing thongs. Girls humping girls on boats partying to music.

Hey, I understand you want to have fun, but come on. Then across from Waffle House, you have a sex shop and a ship in the ghetto.

Nasty beaches, nothing to do for anyone unless you like to gamble or go to bars. We left the next day.

Horrible town.

[hmmmm]

I agree- way too expensive! The booths were horrible (except for the food booths) Everything was JUNK! Certainly not what it use to be- We will never go back

[Tailspin Harry]

Don't have it next year and see if anyone notices. What a silly little grubby town.

[curly]

we still have Contraband Days?

[Sid]

Get rid of it all together. It is nothing but a trash festival, if you can call it a festival at all. There is really nothing of any value to see during Contraband Days, unless you can call it a value of just going to the Civic Center and watching the trash walk around and around and around. It's just a money maker. I can't believe they even advertise it outside of this pathetic city. Time to stop having it. If you want people to come to this city, then give them something worth while to come see.
Contraband Days is way past it's prime and needs to stop. No one will miss it at all, except the trash and drunks,and who cares what they think anyway.

[Frustrated Tax Payer]

My husband & I went to contraband last year the food and drinks were so expensive and this year it is even worse a $10.00 per adult cover charge to get in the gate what the hell is wrong with you Lake Charles it seems that you want only the rich and upitty to live in and to visit Lake Charles. We are just middle class hard working people that likes to take our grandaughter places to have fun add up what it would cost to take her to contraband and we could take her to Galveston or to the houston zoo.I can wait until after contraband is over to go see the palm trees.This morning on my way in to the city along the beach area on I-10 why was the sewage smell so strong.

[Sanc ti money]

Does anyone else remember the festival and boat races in the 50's and 60's? did I just dream that. how long has Contraband festival been going on?

[bill]

I remember the festival and boat races in the 80's. Contraband Days festival started in 1958 but I have no idea when they started boat racing there.

[Mike]

I used to look forward to Contraband Days and was a frequent visitor for many years. I loved the boat races and various contests like bathtub and bed races. There was a lot of local competition between fraternities, sororities and local industries, all vying for ridiculous little trophies and having a ball. We would spend all day at the civic center and spent a lot of money in the various booths along the seawall. All of that was slowly eliminated and replaced with...NOTHING. Over the years, the event has been degraded to little more than an expensive carnival, food booths and concerts by people I don't know or care about. Couple that with an exorbitant cover charge and you've lost me as a patron. I will not pay $10 for the privilege of looking around and deciding if I want to spend money. I used to invite out-of-town friends for a weekend at the festival but I don't even mention it anymore. For me, it's now become a non-event.

[Spectator]

Our favorite form of entertainment is to guess at people's tattoos as to what they started out as before the skin was "expanded" and/or "sagging"! Beats an over-priced and under-cooked corn-dog anyday!

[steve]

What is the $10 cover charge far?? There is nothing to do there but spend more money. I would like to just go walk around and I'll probably buy a couple of beers and some food. That would be more than $10 but I'm not paying that much for the privilge to walk around a park that my tax dollars paid for so someone can sell me some overpriced drinks and food.

[Josh]

There are lots of ways to avoid the gate charge. Contraband doesn't charge if you come by water or arrive early. The cost of everything goes up but people expect the festival to simply remain free. All the while asking for bigger name bands and more events. All I can say is there are many volunteers that work tirelessly to make the festival better as this article indicates. If the changes do not work and people do not attend then some will get there wish; there will be one less thing going on in a town that complains there is never anything to do. Lastnight was family night and there was a great crowd. Tonight is Tracy Lawrence and many other events like the firefighters challenge. I hope the community will continue to support the changes the people of contraband are making.

[elohssa]

All you deltas and gammas need to go out and enjoy your centrifugal bumblepuppy like your betters have planned for you...

(And this reference is going to soar over soooo many heads... Thank you CPSB!)

[Moi]

I will give you the only true response based on facts....this coming Monday...

Thanks for asking...

[jock martin]

I agree with many who can remember how the Contraband festival "used to be" that made it worth the time to go. Major events such as boat races, lumberjack events, Auto shows, college competitions, egg drops, bed races, etc as dumb as they were, were fun, and many other food and visuals to eat and see. Restricting what you can bring in, charges for entrance should go away and we should bring back the fun events. It is not fun watching all the carnival freaks roaming around and competing for junk in the booths. I have not gone for a few years because it is becoming a non event very quickly. Music is good however. Call Mr.Pettifer and let's get the boats back!!!

[Been there Done That]

Boat races, the first races were along Sand beach, at the Bridge, small wooden hydroplane with no launch necessary, racers would hand shove their trailer with boat into water then float off, every thing was in the water Driver would mount (wet) helpers would lift back of boat so driver could Pull start their engine then out to the buoys for the lap to get started.
Gradually got bigger and better but this City never did and to this DAY, do not have a decent LAUNCH INTO THE LAKE............I know that is one reason the BIG Boys and their racers DO NOT come here.
U GO LAKE CHARLIE, SOS