NEW ROADS, La. (BRPROUD) — New Roads has added a pleasant musical twist to a tradition that was temporarily forsaken due to COVID restrictions.
The city has returned to its pre-coronavirus custom of celebrating the holiday season as a united community, but this year they’ve done so with an added bonus: a Christmas concert.
For the past two years, virus restrictions have prevented New Roads citizens from celebrating the holiday season as a united community.
Chief of Police, Kevin McDonald says he’s grateful for the opportunity to see Christmas cheer spread via this year’s free concert.
Chief McDonald said, “It’s always our traditional weekend to get things kicked off for the holiday season. So, just giving people something to do, you know, giving them hope for this holiday season.”
The concert’s featured band, Rockin Dopsie, is from the New Orleans area but travels around the world performing classic holiday tunes.
The band says their goal is to help people forget their troubles and focus on having a great time.
Along those lines, David Rubin, leader of the band, told BRProud, “With all that we are going through in the world, you know, I like to bring cheer and laughter and smiles to people’s face.”
Residents say this is exactly what the band accomplished during its performance.
One concert attendee, Lorraine Langlois, shouted, “We Love Rockin Dopsie,” and a number of other locals agreed.
Patricia and Eddie Berry, for example, spoke highly of the Christmas concert, saying, “It puts you sort of like in the Christmas spirit… Just to get out and just have a good time, you know?”
Chief McDonald says this year’s holiday celebrations will not reach their conclusion with the concert, but will continue when the city’s annual Christmas parade rolls during the week of December 5th.