Doors open to pubic 2-5pm; Evening ball: doors 7pm Court presented at 8pm

The Ozone Camellia Club's 66th edition of the St. Tammany Ozone Camellia Festival, presented in cooperation with the American Camellia Society, will be held at Slidell Municipal Auditorium in in "The Camellia City," Slidell, in Olde Towne. 

ABOUT THE FESTIVAL 

Expect to see about 1,000 blooms: camellia growers come from Louisiana, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas with protected blooms (grown in hothouses) and non-protected blooms (grown in the elements). Membership in the Ozone Camellia Club is not required, and anyone may participate in the festival. Doors open to accept blooms from 8am until 10am, and judging begins at 11am. Doors are open to the public from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. A Festival Ball will also be held in the evening, and presentation of the Festival Court is held at 3 p.m. Both the afternoon flower show and court presentation are open to the public and free of charge. 

STUDENT ART SHOW 

The show also features a student art competition with all works featuring the camellia. St. Tammany Parish high school and Slidell-area middle school students participate in the art competition for grades 4-8 and 9-12 with cash awards for winners and ribbons for participants. The overall winner of the art contest will have his or her art featured on the show's poster. 

ABOUT THE OZONE CAMELLIA CLUB 

The Ozone Camellia Club was established in 1951 to stimulate the appreciation of camellias, to promote the science of camellia culture, and to encourage the public and private growing of camellias. The festival is held on the first Saturday in December each year. 

Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Ozone Camellia Club, or with questions about the organization, the festival or its ball, is invited to contact Ozone Camellia Club president Kay Taylor at (985)643-7153. 

For information on the student art contest, call contest chairman Rodney Lowe at (985)641-0730.