Anticipation builds for Nederland Heritage Festival’s return; meet 2022’s special honorees
Published 12:38 am Saturday, January 22, 2022
Ron McCraw, left, and Horace Brown clean out the frying station at the Rotary Club of Nederland booth in 2020, which was the last year the festival took place. (Mary Meaux/The News)
Heritage Festival Committee Chairman Joe Howerton, left, announces the 2022 Heritage Festival program would be dedicated to Angie Beard, center, while Heritage Festival Executive Director Shannon Hemby looks on. (Candace Hemelt/The News)
Kevin Hussey
Paula and Paul Hussey accept the honor on behalf of Kevin Hussey. (Candace Hemelt/The News)
Heritage Festival Executive Director Shannon Hemby speaks to a packed house on Thursday. (Candace Hemelt/The News)
Gene Dupuis with Open Mortgage jokes with Heritage Festival Executive Director Shannon Hemby. (Candace Hemelt/The News)
Micah Mosley presents Paula and Paul Hussey a plaque honoring Kevin Hussey. (Candace Hemelt/The News)
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NEDERLAND — The community is just weeks away from the return of a regional favorite — the Nederland Heritage Festival.
The multi-day family fun spectacle did not take place in 2021 but returns March 15-20 along Boston Avenue in Nederland.
The festivities ratcheted up this week with the naming of Mr. Nederland Kevin Hussey, as well as who the 2022 Nederland Heritage Festival program would be dedicated to — Angie Beard.
Hussey, a 1998 Nederland High graduate, moved back to the city in 2016 as the Sergeant in Beaumont supervising the State Troopers in Jefferson County.
“This is amazing,” he said. “I am so honored. The names that I see that have gotten this honor before, I respect all of them and know most of them. I am just very honored to be a part of that group.”
Hussey has been married to wife, Robbi, for 12 years and they have two daughters, Taylar and Brynlee. They are members of St. Charles Catholic Church, where Hussey is a faith formation volunteer teacher and serves on the Parish Council.
Hussey joked that his 8- and 10-year-old were each upset last year because they didn’t get to go to the festival.
“I help out and volunteer at the Optimist booth,” Hussey said about his family’s festival connection. “This is a huge deal for our community and a way we can all get together and have a good time in a family atmosphere. The buzz around the community is exciting. It will be a big deal this year.”
Festival information
Passports for the 2022 festival are on sale now for $55 each. T-shirts with this year’s theme “Take 2 in 2022” are available at the festival office from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 409-724-2269.
The biggest surprise of Thursday’s announcement mixer came when the program was dedicated to 2nd Vice Chairman Angie Beard.
A clearly flattered and surprised Beard’s complete acceptance remarks were, “Wow, no words. Y’all got me.”
According to Heritage Festival Committee Chairman Joe Howerton, the best part of the job is the ability to recognize Beard, who he said is the ultimate volunteer.
Affiliated with festival operations for the last decade, Beard has contributed to transportation, Friends of the Festival, the executive board and many others event aspects.
Memories & more
Hussey said he can remember attending the festival when he was in elementary school. By middle school he was close enough to walk there and play the arcade-style games on his own.
“It was something I always looked forward to,” he said.
Now, giving back to the festival as a volunteer is important to the family man, who also volunteers at church and in service organizations.
“Because of work, I get to do some pretty cool things to help out the community but other than work, I go back to my faith,” Hussey said. “I have been given physical talents to have good health. I have a wonderful family and wife that allow me to volunteer and do things, especially at my church and with youth organizations. That is what you should do when you are able to do it. That is what I try to do when I have time outside of work.”
