Hogs for the Cause will be happening this year but at a different location and a new date. The annual event will take place this year June 4 – 5, 2021 in Belle Chasse.

This will be the first time the event will be held outside of the city. The location will be at a Plaquemines Parish Government Facility with a 15-acre green space.

Patrons will enjoy one of New Orleans’ biggest food events but on a smaller scale. Rene Louapre and Becker Hall, co-founders, will be adding protocols for coronavirus safety this year. They are turning to health care professionals such as Children’s Hospital and LCMC Health, and state and parish officials, including the Louisiana Fire Marshal’s to oversee the event safety.

“Things could change between now and then but we want people to know that we’re taking a community-first approach with all of this,” Louapre said. “The public health considerations are where we start all of our decisions.”

The change in date and the location is due to COVID-19. The original dates in March 2020 were cancelled due to the pandemic and the new location stems from the UNO Lakefront Arena currently being used as a COVID-19 testing site. Orleans Parish also restricts outdoor events to a limit of 150 so the festival had to “think outside of the city” so to speak.

Plaquemines Parish allows 50% capacity or one person per 30 square feet at outside events. Hogs for the Cause hopes to keep their attendance lower than allowed with a capped capacity at 25% (approximately 5,000 patrons per day).

There will also be more of a separation between cook-off team areas and public areas this year. The tech-enabled wristband which has been used since 2008 will help reduce contact with vending booths and ticket lines.

Hogs for the cause raises money to support families dealing with pediatric brain cancer. The Last event in 2019 raised around $2 million. Even with the smaller scaled event, Louapre and Hall will make sure the fundraising is a success this year.

“It’s important for us to continue doing this work,” said Louapre. “We have commitments to families and programs around the country. The pandemic hasn’t stopped the needs of these families.”

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