This coming Friday and Saturday, July 15 and 16, the town of Grand Isle, Louisiana will host its first annual Island Strong Beach Fest in support of local recovery from Hurricane Ida.
Why Supporting Grand Isle Matters
Grand Isle— an island town 50 miles south of New Orleans, and Louisiana's only inhabited barrier island— was among the areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ida when it first made landfall on the Gulf Coast in late August of 2021. Facing winds up to 150 mph and water surges up to 10 ft tall, each and every structure on the island was thought to be damaged in some way following the Category 4 storm. Of these roughly 2,800 buildings, nearly a fourth were deemed entirely destroyed or utterly unsalvageable.
Ever since, the small coastal community, mostly comprised of workers in the seafood and oil industries, has fought hard to regain its footing and clean up the destruction left in the wake of Hurricane Ida. However, this effort has been no easy feat, and in many ways, the island town is in need of more assistance and support than ever— especially as the 2022 hurricane season reaches its height this summer.
The Island Strong Beach Festival
Spearheaded by Grand Isle Councilman Brian Barthelemy, Dana Barthelemy, and Matt Rivere, The Island Strong Beach Fest is meant to capture and celebrate the shared strength and resiliency of the Grand Isle community while simultaneously continuing to raise funds for the town's post-hurricane recovery. Offering live music, local fare, and Louisiana crafts, the festival will donate all its proceeds to the effort of rebuilding Grand Isle's recreational areas and facilities, restoring public spaces and creating centers of joy and meeting for local residents.
This Friday and Saturday, July 15 and 16, the Island Strong Beach Fest will be hosted on the beach directly across from the Grand Isle Community Center.
Kicking off at 5 p.m. on Friday, and going all day Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., those near and far are encouraged to go to the beach to enjoy the festival's live music and extensive other offerings. Scheduled bands include Rockin' Dopsie & The Zydeco Twisters, Nashville South, Aaron Foret, JR. Lacrosse & Sumtin Sneaky, Shorts in December, and Velvet Sky. Attendees can expect all the favorite local foods, including po' boys, crawfish burgers, jambalaya, and more.
While Grand Isle relies on fishing and oil, it also stands a staple of tourism on the Louisiana coast. Hurricane Ida, of course, also did unmeasurable damage to this particular industry. Choosing to support the cause and enjoying a weekend on the barrier island could be the perfect way to give back to the state and the Gulf region as a whole— and have fun while you do it.
To learn more, donate, or stay up to date on Grand Isle recovery events and fundraisers, see the link here. To experience the specialness of the town firsthand, attend the Island Strong Beach fest this weekend.
