Biloxi Seafood Tradition

Thursday kicked off the 83rd annual Biloxi Blessing of the Fleet in Biloxi, Miss. This yearly event is devoted to celebrating the start of the local shrimping season with in this gulf coast town with a weekend of festivals, church masses and a king and queen coronation.

The festivities began with a mass at St. Michael’s Catholic Church, which was dedicated to the fishermen who have lost their lives while out at sea.

Friday will feature the Past Royalty Reception, where previous Shrimp Kings and Queens gather at a small gala to celebrate the impending weekend festivities and are honored for their past contributions to the shrimp industry in Biloxi.

The Fais Do-Do street party is an all-day festival that takes place on Saturday, the day before the Blessing of the Fleet. It hosts a variety of craft booths with hand-made jewelry, artwork, gifts and more. Stations are set up with different types of seafood delights, hamburgers, hotdogs, ice cream, cotton candy and barbecue. It is $5 per adult and children under 12 are free to get in the festival.

In the midst of the festival activities is a 4 p.m. mass to honor the blessing of the fleet at St. Michael Church. The coronation of the Shrimp King and Queen follows immediately after at 5:30 p.m.

A tradition since 1948, one young woman and one man is chosen as Biloxi’s Shrimp King and Queen. In order to become Shrimp Queen, the young woman must be of high school age, is required to compete in a pageant and must have familial ties to the seafood community. The winner receives prize money to be used for college expenses.

Chosen beforehand, the Shrimp King is usually an older man who has worked hard in the seafood industry for years. For one year, the King and Queen reign and help the priest and bishop conduct the Blessing of the Fleet aboard the Blessing Boat.

The main and final event of the weekend, the Blessing of the Fleet takes place on Sunday at 2 p.m. The priest of St. Michael Church (Friar Greg Barras) and the bishop of the Biloxi diocese (Bishop Roger Morin) give a blessing for each boat and wish them safe and prosperous journeys fishing in the upcoming months. This has the priest and bishop standing on the stationary “Blessing Boat” as each boat floats past. The boats are decorated and make a procession out into the Mississippi Sound, waiting for its chance to be blessed and sprinkled by Holy Water.

More information can be found at www.biloxiblessing.com and questions, concerns or suggestions can be sent to admin@biloxiblessing.com.

**Written for for Southern Hospitality In May of 2012.

100 years and counting: Riding the African Queen

For 100 years, The African Queen has remained an iconic vessel to old movie lovers and history buffs. Perhaps it’s best known as the rickety boat that Humphrey Bogart captained with Katharine Hepburn in the film The African Queen.

This year, a $70,000 project is underway to get The African Queen cruising the seas again, more than a decade after it was beached as a display in Key Largo, Fla., with mechanical, structural and cosmetic repairs.

Since late April, The African Queen has offered a variety cruises throughout the Florida Keys that includes several 90-minute day cruises, plus dinner cruises on selected nights.

Stephen Bogart, son of the famous Humphrey Bogart, said, "You know, I've never really been on many movie sets, and this is like being on a movie set, and just the fact that somebody bought it and has taken the time to restore it."

The African Queen's 100-year history began when it was built in 1912 at England's Lytham shipbuilding yard. Originally, the ship was named the Livingstone. It eventually served the British East Africa Rail Company shuttling cargo by hunting parties and mercenaries on the Ruki River, situated in the northwestern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Until 1968, the vessel was temporarily pulled from service for the film, according to Jim Hendricks Jr.

In 1982, late attorney (and Bogart buff) Jim Hendricks Sr., discovered the vessel languishing in an Ocala, Fla., horse pasture and purchased the piece of movie history for $65,000. An equal amount of funds was invested to get the boat operational. Hendricks began offering visitors rides in 1983 while the vessel was homeported at Key Largo's Holiday Inn.

According to Suzanne Holmquist, they signed a long-term lease with the previous owner’s son to restore and operate the vessel again. The Holmquists have overseen repairs and have taken pains to date it as it appeared in the film by replacing steel in the hull, replacing the boiler and oiling the black African mahogany to condition the wood.

"It's important to me because I love old movies and films, and just to see the amount of interest that this boat is still generating, even as dilapidated as she had gotten, it was incredible," Holmquist said.

She has been highly involved in the restoration of the African Queen. "I think restoring the African Queen has firmly sealed the tie and connection with the Bogart name to Key Largo."

Costs for sailing the African Queen vary. It's $39 per person and $25 for children under 12 years old.  Dinner cruises cost $89 per person and occur an hour after sunset.

For those who are interested in more information please contact 305-896-8004 or www.calypsosailing,com.

**Written for Southern Hospitality in April 2012.

Old South Takes to the Water

Thoughts of the Old South and America’s Heartland include the Civil War, Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn and sweet Southern drawls. Add a cruise to the equation and this is where the Great American Steamboat Company comes in.

Staying true to the culture of America’s Heartland, the Great American Steamboat Company uses genuine steamboats to chug up and down rivers. Each cruise has a certain theme and is between six to 13 days on the Lower Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee Rivers.

One of the themes for spring this year is Springtime on the River, which offers multiple sources of entertainment. One of the cruises featuring Springtime on the River is from Cincinnati to Memphis. Headlining the music on this cruise is the rockabilly band Paul Revere and the Raiders. For the two overnight stops in Cincinnati and Memphis, the hotels will already be included in the cruise fare. Dates for this cruise is May 7- 13.

Other spring themes include the Memphis to New Orleans cruise and the New Orleans roundtrip cruise. Both feature the Rat Pack Show, a rockabilly band that plays music of the likes of Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. These nine-day cruises include a one-night stop, which is included in the fare. The Memphis to New Orleans cruise date is May 14- 21,and the roundtrip New Orleans cruise is May 21- 28.

The history buffs will enjoy cruises such as Voyage into American History, Epic Civil War and Kentucky Derby.

American History is a nine-day, roundtrip cruise from New Orleans that gives an additional hotel night out and celebrates Memorial Day at the National World War II Museum. The Juggernaut Jug Band will be aboard playing authentic river music known as “jug music”. The dates for this cruise are May 27-June 4.

The Kentucky Derby cruise is round-trip from Cincinnati and features Dr. Elmo and Wild Blue, which showcases the origins of Kentucky bluegrass music. Patrons have the option to see Kentucky Derby parades during their stops and can even go to the Kentucky Derby itself. The dates for this cruise are May 3- 8.

Epic Civil War is a 13-day cruise that leaves from Chattanooga and debunks in Vicksburg, Miss. These special 10-night adventures provide the ultimate Civil War experience, complete with actors, impersonators, lecturers, balladeers, field trips and reenactments. Dates for these cruises are Aug. 9-19 and Aug. 19- 31.

The winter’s theme is Old-Fashioned Holidays, which will put everyone in the holiday mood. The Old-Fashioned Holidays cruise goes from Memphis to New Orleans, with excursions in towns in  Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana. These excursions are included in the cruise price. Those dates run from Nov. 24-Dec. 2, Dec. 1- 8, and Dec. 27-Jan. 3.

Old-Fashioned Holidays also continues with a New Orleans roundtrip. The Annie Moses band will headline throughout the week and this classically trained family will have everyone in the holiday spirit performing seasonal music. The overnight stop in New Orleans is included in the cruise fare and run from Dec. 8- 13, and Dec. 13- 20.

The Great American Steamboat Company offers a way to escape from reality while still exploring the beauty that America has to offer. More information about the different cruises can be seen at www.greatamericansteamboatcompany.com or can be acquired at (888) 749-5280. The company receives emails for questions and reservations at info(@)GreatAmericanSteamboatCompany.com.

**Written for Southern Hospitality in April 2012.