By: Doug Ireland
All the action isn’t downtown on the upcoming Jazz Fest Weekend.
While the 21st Annual Natchitoches Jazz and R&B Festival is happening on the riverbank April 15-16, fun-loving folks also should check out what Northwestern State coach Jay Thomas and Demon football have cooking.
The 27th Annual Joe Delaney Bowl spring game festivities provide a choice of crawfish, golf, an auction of many unique items and outings, all culminating with the spring football game. Funds generated by the events, which are co-managed by the Coaches Cabinet Association and NSU Athletics, help fund recruiting and other endeavors that are crucial to a successful Demon football program.
The annual Joe Delaney Golf Scramble is Friday, April 15th at the Demon Hills Golf Course. A crawfish boil and auction at the Demon Hills clubhouse starts at 5 Friday evening, which leaves plenty of time to get downtown for Grammy-winning zydeco artist Wayne Toups on the Jazz Fest riverfront stage that night.
The 27th Annual Joe Delaney Bowl spring game kicks at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 16th in Turpin Stadium. There’s no admission charge to check out the 2016 Demons.
That leaves all afternoon long to watch the Lady Demon softball team in a big 1 o’clock doubleheader at home against McNeese.
The golf scramble begins at 11 a.m. Friday, April 15. Four-person teams take the Demon Hills course with copious amounts of food and fun throughout the round. Prizes will be awarded at the crawfish boil.
Team sponsorships are $600 including four golf entries with carts provided, four polo shirts, four crawfish boil tickets and four Friday night Jazz Fest tickets to see Wayne Toups downtown.
Tee sponsors are $100 each with a $25 additional fee to eat crawfish.
Crawfish and auction table sponsorships are available for $600, covering a table for eight and eight Jazz Fest tickets for the Friday night Wayne Toups show.
The auction held Friday evening will include an array of sporting goods, trips, outings, and sports memorabilia. Some items are provided by NFL stars and teams, and top college coaches such as LSU’s Les Miles. Outdoors gear and items are also in the auction.
A full Delaney Bowl weekend sponsorship supporting Demon football is $1,500 including all benefits in the golf and dinner packages.
Individual crawfish boil tickets are $50 per person.
For golf entries, tickets to the crawfish boil and auction, or more information, call Norm Hicks of the Demon Football Coaches Cabinet Association at 471-8373 or the Demon football office at 357-5252.