By Ranna Hebert

For two decades and counting, the Banners Series at McNeese State University continues to fulfill its initial mission of bringing the best of arts and humanities to Southwest Louisiana. Therefore, it is no surprise that the main event, Rouge et Blanc — a four-hour tasting event — has sold out consecutively for 13 years.

Attracting thousands of food and wine lovers, Rouge et Blanc is set for Oct. 8 in the Quad on the McNeese campus. The main tasting event will begin at 2 p.m. and end at 6 p.m. The Saveur event starts an hour before the main tasting.

Rouge et Blanc is a flagship fundraiser that celebrates food and wine. Those who join the event will have the opportunity to meet various wine experts and renowned area chefs who volunteered to share their expertise.

“Banners is currently enlisting distributors from different areas of Louisiana,” said Randy Partin, assistant director of Banners. “These distributors represent wines from around the world, and all the food sampling will be provided by local restaurants and chefs.”

Although wine cannot be sold on-site, there is an ordering pavilion for people to make orders in person, or individuals may purchase orders online if they are placed by midnight of the event.

In addition to great food and drink, Banners Direct Brook Hanemann said they received “feedback from our patrons and the resounding request this year was that we bring live musicians to Rouge that would get people dancing.”

She said William Rose is arranging a musical performance for the event. According to Hanemann, Rose not only has Eric Sylvester’s six-piece southern rock and blues band Three Sheets to play on the main stage, but he also has entertainment planned for the entry lines featuring acoustic music by Tina Wing as well as music by himself and other McNeese students, professors, and alum.

The original idea of Rouge et Blanc began as a fundraiser to support the mission of Banners, which promotes lifelong learning and cultural diversity while enhancing the quality of life throughout Southwest Louisiana.

Proceeds from the event support various outreach programs for schools and community groups, Partin said.

“Rouge supports a robust year-round Banners at McNeese outreach program, making more than 400 free tickets available to students, senior homes, first-responders, and educators during the spring season alone” Partin said. “Proceeds also make it possible to present large-scale daytime school shows (such as the “Magic School Bus” and “Pete the Cat”) to about 2,000 students at a time.”

While Rouge is bustling with activity, Hanemann’s “absolute favorite thing about Rouge et Blanc is when the music is going, and our patrons are celebrating, and we get to look out over the tents bustling with revelers and are struck with a wave of gratitude knowing that each and every person on our lawn from the patrons to the volunteers to the wine pourers to the sponsors to the restaurant staff are true philanthropists because the proceeds of this single event truly help to make possible a full year of music, theatre, dance, art events, lectures, and film.”

Tickets for this extravaganza will be available starting at 9 a.m. on Aug. 5 at banners.org. Individual ticket prices will be $125.  The presale for Imbibers will continue until 9 a.m. Aug. 4.

Those  wishing to attend this event need to “be ready to buy their tickets at 9 a.m. sharp because 10 a.m. may be too late,” Hanemann said.