ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, La. — On the days before Christmas, you can find Daryl Cook hard at work on the levee in St. John Parish.
“When I get halfway, I have to tie it off with some wire, make sure the poles don’t fall on nobody,” said Cook as he pointed to his partially constructed bonfire.
Cook spent Tuesday carefully stacking logs and soaking them with fuel.
“I like to use the pecan wood. It lasts longer,” said Cook. “If you don’t soak it, it doesn’t burn.”
His 12-foot-high bonfire is a 15-year tradition for his family and friends.
“Wood has got to be straight, can’t be all zigzagging. I like to have everything neat,” said Cook.
Just down the levee, Clarence Robertson is putting the finishing touches on a family bonfire to honor his late uncle.
“It takes teamwork,” said Robertson. “He started this many years ago when I was a little boy and we’re trying to keep it going.”
Whatever the reason, whether simple or more elaborate, these masterpieces are the centerpiece of a magical tradition in the river parishes.
“It’s wonderful. It brings smiles on all the kids faces and the whole River Road is packed from here to St. James Parish,” said Robertson.
A big draw every year is the ever-changing creation from the group Blood, Sweat, and Bonfires. This year, it’s an alligator gar.
“Seeing what these guys have done, it’s at another level,” said Garyville native Art Duhon.
Duhon now lives in Oregon. A family member is one of the masterminds behind the fishy design.
“We’re always looking about September through October and I’m like, ‘What hints are they dropping on what they’re going to build.’ It’s fun to watch and see what they make,” said Duhon. “It’s all about Louisiana heritage and outdoors.”
The building takes planning and work before fire helps light the way for Papa Noel Christmas Eve, while creating another year of family memories and tradition.
“Lot of joy when it blazes up everybody is jumping, happy,” said Cook.
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