Larc’s Acadian Village, with over a million lights, carnival rides, pictures with Santa Claus, and Bonnie Breaux’s Santa’s Kitchen, is the most wonderful place in Acadiana during December.
LARC CEO Brian Hensgens feels the same way, as the largest fundraiser for the mission of LARC throughout the year the event is a lifeblood of the mission of LARC. With volunteers from various organizations through the season the event is able to raise the much needed funds for LARC.
While the breathtaking presentation has transformed in recent years to almost all LED Lights, the entertainment under the pavilion each night and even some items in Santa’s Kitchen have remained the same. The entertainment is supplied by some of the areas school bands and dance studios. The popcorn is from Santa’s Kitchen, and the hot chocolate prepared by volunteer elves will give you the Christmas spirit.
Each night, Freedom 95.1 afternoon guy Eric White walks around under the pavilion when the entertainment is on break and asks the kids what they want for Christmas.
“Sometimes you just don’t know what they are going to say,” Eric chuckled, “I walk up and they tell me what the want, the other night a little girl took my microphone and started singing, her mom told me that she is non verbal, but she was singing, and at that moment sounded like an angel to me. As she finished I said thank you and Merry Christmas, as I was walking away she said ‘Thank You’. It was truly a WOW!!!! moment for me. I went to the kitchen to share the story with the volunteer kitchen staff, it’s moments like that are the reason everybody from the volunteer car parkers to the dishwashers show up. It was like hearing bell of Christmas”
