The 56th annual Contraband Days Louisiana Pirate Festival will kick off Tuesday, April 30, and will include a new event called Spike ’n’ Splash.

The two-day event combines the professional Extreme Volleyball Professionals Tour and the Hydro-Turf Watercross National Tour, festival organizers said at a news conference Tuesday.

This will be the tour’s first stop of the 2013 season, and it will be its only stop in Louisiana. The volleyball tournament and Jet Ski competition will be filmed and broadcast on the Beach Sports Network.

Contraband Days will also feature “Aussie Kingdom,” an Australian animal show with different species of marsupials, including kangaroos.

“We have great events not only on land but on water,” said Angie Manning, communications director of the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau. “The sheer magnitude of Contraband Days is one of those things that sets it apart from other festivals.”

Annual events include the pirogue-building contest, barbecue cookoff, arm wrestling tournament and Tour Lafitte. Other events include a children’s pirate costume contest and the Nancy Melton and Friends Watercolor Show.

“I’m super excited about this year,” said Annette Richey, president of the festival. “We are a two-week festival, and we try to give something for everyone. I hope Southwest Louisiana residents will come out and enjoy the fun and entertainment.”

Another event is the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge, which will include about 150 firemen from all over the country and Canada. There will also be a red fish tournament, where teams vie for the heaviest fish. Teams will meet at the Prien Lake Park boat launch.

“There is a wide variety of attractions that people can enjoy,” Manning said. “Contraband Days doesn’t just focus on one thing, but it’s all encompassing.”

The 2013 commemorative poster, created by Melinda Antoon, was unveiled at the news conference. The image includes fireworks over boats in the lake with an audience looking onshore. This is Antoon’s third poster for the festival. It costs $39 and can be purchased at the Contraband Days office, located at the Lake Charles Civic Center.

Online: www.contrabanddays.com

Contraband Days Schedule

Tuesday, April 30

Louisiana Music Educators’ Association Choral State Competition (Civic Center)

Nancy Melton and Friends Spring Watercolor Show

Wednesday, May 1

Louisiana Music Educators’ Association Choral State Competition (Civic Center)

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

Thursday, May 2

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

11:30 a.m. — Profit N Loss National Day of Prayer featuring Dennis Swanberg

6 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

Musical Entertainment

6:30 p.m. — Audio Adrenaline Kings & Queens Tour: Audio Adrenaline, Seventh Day Slumber,? Group 1 Crew, Manic Drive (Sudduth Coliseum)

Friday, May 3

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

3 p.m. — Shock H2O HT Redfish Tour weigh-ins (Civic Center grounds)

5 p.m. — Lake Charles cannon firing to protect the City (seawall)

6 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

6 p.m. — Buccaneers begin shore landing (seawall)

7 p.m. — Jean Lafitte and Buccaneers force mayors to walk the plank

7:30 p.m. — Ventriloquist/ comedienne Lynn Trefzger (Rosa Hart Theater). This event requires a separate ticket. Go to http://www.banners.org/oneevent.cfm?event_id=156 for details

Musical Entertainment

KZWA presents the “Show Me Baby” Tour featuring:

7 p.m. — Rude (amphitheater)

9 p.m. — Midnight Star (amphitheater)

Saturday, May 4

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

7:30 a.m. — Tour Laffite Bike Ride (Civic Center)

9 a.m. — Contraband Spike N Splash begin (Interstate 10 beac)

9 a.m. — Arm wrestling tournament weigh-ins

1 p.m. — Arm wrestling tournament (Civic Center grounds)

1 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

3 p.m. — Shock H2O HT Redfish Tour weigh-ins (Civic Center grounds)

5 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

8 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

Musical Entertainment

1:30 p.m. — St. Louis Catholic Show Choir (amphitheater)

3 p.m. — Matt McElveen & The Kids (amphitheater)

5 p.m. — Mark Reeves & Twisted X (amphitheater)

7 p.m. — Shailee Cole (amphitheater)

9 p.m. — Larry Tillery (amphitheater)

Sunday, May 5

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

9 a.m. — Geaux Reaux Yeaux Pireaux Contest- Pirogue Build Begins (Civic Center grounds)

10 a.m. — Contraband Spike N Splash events begin (See attached schedule) – I-10 Beach

1 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

4 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

6 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

Musical Entertainment

4 p.m. — Rusty Metoyer & Zydeco Krush (amphitheater)

5 p.m. — Chris Ardoin (amphitheater)

Monday, May 6

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

Tuesday, May 7

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

Wednesday, May 8

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

Thursday, May 9

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

6 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

6 p.m. — Rock The Dock Finals (amphitheater)

7 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

8 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

Friday, May 10

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

5:30 p.m. — Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge (Civic Center grounds)

6 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

7 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

8 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

Musical Entertainment

6 p.m. — Jo-el Sonnier (amphitheater)

6:45 p.m. — T-Graham Brown (amphitheater)

8:15 p.m. — Charlie Worsham (amphitheater)

10 p.m. — Kentucky Headhunters (amphitheater)

Saturday, May 11

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

6 a.m. — Contraband Days BBQ cook-off check-in (Civic Center grounds)

7:30 a.m. — Contraband Days 5-Miler (Capital One Building)

10 a.m. — Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge (Civic Center grounds)

10 a.m. — O’Reilly Auto Parts Car Show (Civic Center grounds)

10 a.m. — Children’s Pirate Costume Contest Registration Begins (amphitheater)

11 a.m. — Children’s Pirate Costume Contest (amphitheater)

12 p.m. — Contraband Days BBQ Cook-off Judging Begins (Civic Center grounds)

1 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

2 p.m. — Strut Your Stuff Powerboat Exhibition (seawall)

5 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

5:30 p.m. — Contraband Days Boat Parade (seawall)

8 p.m. — Aussie Kingdom (Civic Center grounds)

10:15 p.m. — Fireworks (seawall)

Musical Entertainment

1:30 p.m. — Ganey Arsement & the Lakeside Gamblers (amphitheater)

3 p.m. — Ivy Dugas & the Cajun Cousins (amphitheater)

3 p.m. — Tiki Island Radio: Renn Loren & Tiki Town Castaways, Dani Hoy, Matt Hoggatt, Davis McKenney (Budweiser Stage)

4:30 p.m. — Jamie Bergeron & Kickin Cajuns (amphitheater)

6 p.m. — High Performance (amphitheater)

7:30 p.m. — Damon Troy (amphitheater)

9 p.m. — Jo-el Sonnier (amphitheater)

Sunday, May 12

Nancy Melton & Friends Spring Watercolor Show

2013 Contraband Spike & Splash Schedule

Friday, May 3

3 p.m. — Volleyball – Corporate Challenge 4 on 4 (Mardi Gras Krewes/Military teams to compete all groups invited)

5 p.m. — Special Jet Ski arrival at sea wall with Buccaneers

8 p.m. — Athlete Social at Contraband Days (VIP Tent Area)

Saturday, May 4

8:30 a.m. — All Volleyball players check-in

9 a.m. — Jet Ski motos begin

9 a.m. — Volleyball – Professional division begins

11 a.m. — Volleyball – Special Contest on Center Court

2 p.m. — Freestyle Watercross

3 p.m. — Pro Beach Volleyball Semi-Finals

4 p.m. — All Amateur team finals

4 p.m. — Athletes Meet & Greet Social at Contraband Days

5 p.m. — 30 Minute Autograph Session with Professional Athletes at Contraband Days

6 p.m. — Awards Ceremony for Amateur teams at Contraband Days (No awards will be given out on beach)

7 p.m. — Athlete Social at Contraband Days (VIP Tent Area)

Sunday, May 5

10 a.m. — Co-Ed Amateur Volleyball Check-In & Start

11 a.m. — Pro Beach Volleyball Finals

11 a.m. — Pro Watercross Racing Championships

3 p.m. — Awards Ceremony for Watercross & Volleyball at Pit Row (No awards will be given out on beach)

4 p.m. — Move out

(Special to the American Press)

The 2013 commemorative poster for Contraband Days was created by Melinda Antoon