Bonfires on the Levee

[theantiquetiger]

Down here in Louisiana, they build huge bonfires on the Mississippi River levee and light them Christmas Eve to light the way for Papa Noel. These things are huge and elaborate.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3773/11536234103_64b651c64f_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536234103/)
bonfires4 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536234103/) by Theantiquetiger (http://www.flickr.com/people/theantiquetiger/), on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5530/11536184126_f3494878bd_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536184126/)
bonfires3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536184126/) by Theantiquetiger (http://www.flickr.com/people/theantiquetiger/), on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2815/11536111415_a2b6940778_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536111415/)
bonfires2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536111415/) by Theantiquetiger (http://www.flickr.com/people/theantiquetiger/), on Flickr

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2849/11536159284_da0412665c_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536159284/)
bonfires1 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/theantiquetiger/11536159284/) by Theantiquetiger (http://www.flickr.com/people/theantiquetiger/), on Flickr

[casil403]

Now I think that is awesome! what a neat idea! Love the plantation house!

[theantiquetiger]

Now I think that is awesome! what a neat idea! Love the plantation house!

This tradition has been around for over 100 years. I've never been down there to see them when they were lit. I hear it takes 2-3 hours to drive the 20 miles or so.

We counted them, there were 124 bonfires.

Here is the news from last night when they lit them (video in link). Notice the traffic in the background, that's why we don't go.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/bonfires-light-the-way-for-papa-noel-/

[Marko]

Cool AT ! but dude.....one of these years, ya got to go shoot the bonfires!!!

[theantiquetiger]

Cool AT ! but dude.....one of these years, ya got to go shoot the bonfires!!!

I will do it in a few year when my daughters get older. They light them at 8pm, so if we went, we wouldn't get home until midnight. The girls gotta go to bed early so Santa can come.

[QuietOne]

I'd say Papa Noel has no excuse for not finding his way to the houses there. But Marko's right. You gotta go shoot them one of these days.

[Hillbillygirl]

That is so cool At, thanks for sharing.

I did look at shots of the fires, and quite impressive. Can probably see them from the ISS so Papa Noel would have no problem seeing them.:thumbup:

[aubintbay]

Interesting stuff AT. I could just imagine sitting there with a lawn chair (and a maybe a beer) watching all these.