Cajun Country: Cajun festivals
Authentic Cajun festivals, held almost daily it seems, are a wonderful way to experience the food and music of the region. For some of the larger events, it's a good idea to book a room in advance; the rest of the world is catching on to the fun, and Lafayette, especially, gets crowded. The following is merely a sampler; for full details, check with any tourist office in the area.Mardi Gras , Feb/March. Second only to the New Orleans bash, this pre-Lenten party begins with street dancing on the Saturday before "Fat Tuesday." Cajun Mardi Gras differs from its city cousin; although there are private balls and parties, it is a far more pagan affair. Villages around Lafayette, like Eunice, Church Point and Mamou, are the scene of the Courir du Mardi Gras .
World Championship Crawfish Étouffé Cookoff , last Sun in March (the Sun before if Easter falls on a Sun), Eunice. The place to taste the very best mudbugs, accompanied by great local music and a fierce spirit of competition among the fifty or so teams (tel 337/457-7389).
Festival International de Louisiane , last full week in April. Huge, five-day festival in Lafayette, with participants from all over the French-speaking world, including Africa and the Caribbean. Particular emphasis on indigenous music and food (tel 337/232-8086, ).
Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival , first full weekend of May (Fri-Sun), Parc Hardy, Breaux Bridge. Crawfish-eating and peeling contests, crawfish étouffé cookoffs and crawfish races, along with music, crafts stalls, rides and dancing (tel 337/332-6655).
Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival , Labor Day weekend, Morgan City. The Cajun coast honors its local industries - shrimp and oil - with a blessing of the local fishing fleet, as well as a shrimp cookoff, coronation ball and lots of dancing (tel 985/385-0703, ).
Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival , Fri evening & Sat before Labor Day at the Southern Development Farm, 457 Zydeco Rd, Hwy-167, Plaisance, near Opelousas. Top zydeco performers play "black Creole" music; with regional cuisine and African-American arts and crafts (tel 337/942-2392, ).
Festivals Acadiens , third week of Sept in Lafayette. Huge, three-day festival, with Cajun, zydeco and traditional French bands, and indigenous crafts and food. (tel 337/232-3808 or 1-800/346-1958).
Prairie Cajun Folklife Festival , in Eunice in late October. One day of free music, crafts, storytelling, cooking demonstrations and Rendezvous des Cajuns broadcasts (tel 337/457-7839).
Mamou Zydeco and Blues Festival , first full weekend in Oct. Local music, food and dancing. Fri from 6pm, Sat from 9am (tel 337/468-2370).
Louisiana Yambilee , last weekend in Oct. Opelousas goes all out to celebrate the sweet potato, with food stalls, sweet potato auctions, music and Miss Yambilee and Lil' Miss Yum Yum contests (tel 337/948-8848 or 1-800/210-5298, ).
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