Feast of Fools returns to the Larry Spring Museum

The Larry Spring Museum is excited to announce our second annual celebration of Poisson

d’Avril a spring festival of fish and fools. Poisson d’Avril takes place at the idiosyncratic Larry Spring Museum, which is a small coastal museum with one foot in the absurd.

But first, a brief History of April Fool’s Day… A long, long time ago, the New Year started on the 1st of April or the Vernal Equinox, a natural progression for pagan renewal. In the 1500s, the introduction of the Gregorian Calendar moved the New Year to January. Those who didn’t get the memo or refused to play by the new rules were poked fun at and had paper fish (poisson d’avril, or April fish) sneakily placed on their backs. A poisson d’avril symbolized an easily caught fish and, by extension, a gullible person. The Feast of Fools was a term given to many medieval festivals celebrated during the sixteenth century in Europe, and these celebrations developed a tradition of practical jokes.

Fast forward to 2022, and Artistic Director Nathan Maxwell Cann brings the festivities to the Larry Spring Museum in Fort Bragg. With support from Theatre de la Liberté, Lost Coast Found, and volunteers, our 2022 festival attracted over 100 participants from the local community.

This year, Nathan is doing it again this upcoming Saturday, April 1st in Spring Commons. The fun starts at noon!

Enter Spring Commons through the gates beside 225 E Redwood Ave in Fort

Bragg.

• Noon: Traditional Louisiana party music with Sauce Piquante, snacks by Floyd & Connie, arts, crafts, and carnival-style games

• 1PM: Rotten Egg Race

• 1:45: PM Crowning of the April Fool

• 2 PM: Parade around downtown Fort Brag

• 3 PM: Puppet show by Theatre de la Liberté in Spring Commons

• 3:30 PM: Raffle a.k.a. The Wheel of Disappointment Put on your fashion-forward fish-wear and let’s fill this town with joyous noise!