08/27/2025
The 88th International Rice Festival has selected Shanna Comeaux Monk as the 2025 IRF Grand Parade Marshal. The Parade will take place in Downtown Crowley on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 3:00pm.
Shanna is the daughter of Wendell Comeaux and Ramona Ogima. She was born and raised in Crowley where she is a proud alumni of the Crowley High School Class of 2000. After high school, she attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor in Business Marketing. Shanna is happily married to Jared Monk and is the proud mother of two sons, Maddox and Jace.
Shanna’s love for the International Rice Festival began at an early age, not only as a visitor to the festival, but as an International Rice Festival Ricette, the official dance troupe of the International Rice Festival for many years. Under the direction of Mrs. Delores Nutt, the Ricettes offered her a “backstage view” of the festival providing entertainment during festival activities throughout the weekend. Shanna’s fondest memories of the festival are those from the parades she participated in beginning at early age. Even now, she looks forward to Saturday afternoon at three o’clock when the sirens begin and parade rolls down her hometown.
Attending the festival since she can remember, in 2015, her role changed and Shanna began volunteering, serving as co-chair of the Queen’s Contest Committee alongside her close friend, Tessa. She enjoyed spending time with the young ladies vying to become the next Rice Festival Queen. But, in April of 2018, then festival chairman, Chad Monceaux, offered Shanna the position of Festival Coordinator, a position that would forever change her life and her outlook on the festival she held so close to her heart. She gladly accepted as a volunteer, working with the board to learn about all facets of the festival. On October 21, 2018, Shanna completed her first festival as coordinator but there was a long road of work ahead to improve the festival for all involved, especially the volunteers and festival goers.
In 2020, the Board of Directors were faced with the decision to cancel the festival but promised it would be back in 2021, better than before. And that they did. With the hard work of the Board and Coordinator, along with the support of the community, they grew the sponsorships from $150,000 to over $300,000. More importantly, solid relationships were built with volunteers, vendors, sponsors and festival goers. These relationships are still going strong today and although the members of the board have changed, the end goal still remains the same…a celebration to honor our farmers and the rice industry as a whole.
Shanna’s community involvement is certainly not limited to the IRF. She stays very active in the community. She is a member of the Acadia Parish Chamber Board of Directors, president of the Crowley Professional Women’s Club, an associate member and past president of the Crowley Solitic Club, member and past president of the Crowley Town Club and a member of the Krewe des les Dames. She is also active with the Krewe de Joi Vie of Acadiana where she was honored as Queen Anna VII, is the current President of the St. Michael Saints Parent Club, a member of the Notre Dame Pio Parent Club and a member of the Mystik Krewe of Louisianians.
In her spare time, Shanna enjoys traveling, cheering on her boys in all of their activities and volunteering with different organizations. She is also a member of Forest Park Church of Christ.
“I am humbled to have been selected as Grand Marshal of the grand parade and I look forward to celebrating the third weekend in October”, says Shanna. “I cannot fully accept this honor without thanking those who are the backbone of this festival…our board of directors, our volunteers and our community who continue to support this long-standing tradition.” “Thank you, Julian for this honor and thank you to those who work tirelessly in the rice industry, especially our farmers, because without you, there would be no celebration.”
