alicechauvin
2005-03-18 17:08:27 UTC
Theres always a party somewhere in Acadiana. We celebrate practically
everything, and sometimes celebrate the fact that theres nothing to
celebrate.
Here are some of Acadianas biggest public parties.
Festivals Acadiens
A weekend festival of local culture held the third weekend of September in
Girard Park in Lafayette. Food, crafts, story telling and several band
stands offering Cajun, Creole and zydeco music. Plenty of room for dancing
on the park grounds.
Call 232-3737
Festival International de Louisiane
This five-day festival of Francophone music and culture is held the last
full week of April in downtown Lafayette. The festival features five music
stages, street musicians, arts and crafts, art galleries, cultural
workshops, and international cooking demonstrations. The festival
highlights the music of French-speaking people around the world, bringing
in bands from such areas as Canada, Africa, France, Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Call the festival office at 232-8086.
On the web at:www.festivalinternational.com
Giant Omelette Celebration
At least 5,000 eggs go into Abbevilles Giant Omelette, which is cooked in
a 15-foot skillet over a fire built in the middle of the street on the
first full weekend in November in Abbeville. The celebration leading up to
Sundays Omelette cooking includes a tour of historic homes, a parade of
the chefs and plenty of Cajun music. Abbevilles festival is modeled after
the Easter Omelette Festival in Bessieres, France.
Call (877) 658-9695
On the web at:www.giantomelette.org
Breaux Bridge crawfish festival
The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival is three days of Cajun and zydeco
music at Breaux Bridges Parc Hardy during the first full weekend in May.
Besides the main draw of music, the festival features crawfish eating
contest, crawfish races and dance competitions. Related events include a
Sunday parade and the crowning of the Crawfish Queen.
www.bbcrawfest.com
Call (337) 332-6655
Delcambre Shrimp Festival
Shrimp cook-off, the crowning of the shrimp
queen, music, carnival rides and a wide-variety of shrimp dishes are
offered the third weekend in August in Delcambre. The festival also
includes the traditional blessing of the shrimp fleet in this small
fishing community southwest of Lafayette.
Call 685-2653
Roberts Cove Germanfest
This festival celebrates the German heritage of the Roberts Cove community
near Rayne. Polka bands, folk dancers, folklore presentations,
blacksmithing demonstrations, a German Heritage Museum. Food offerings
include, potato stew, pretzels, German potato salad and sauerkraut and a
variety of German sweets.
Call 334-8354 On the web at: www.robertscovegermanfest.com
The Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco
Festival
Billed as the first of its kind, this festival in Plaisance is held the
Saturday before Labor Day. Theres plenty of zydeco, offered by seasoned
veterans of the music and youngsters serving up the newer zydeco sounds.
Be prepared to dance, and be prepared for the heat. The festival also
features cooking and craft demonstrations and workshops with some of the
older musicians.
Call 942-2392
On the web at:www.zydeco.org
Crowley Rice Festival
The International Rice Festival the official name is one of the oldest
agricultural festivals in the country. Its held the third weekend of
October in downtown Crowley. Two parades, a livestock show, rice cooking
contest, rice eating contest, arts and crafts, crowning of the
International Rice Festival Queen, carnival rides and plenty of music.
Call 783-2108
On the web at: www.ricefestival.com
everything, and sometimes celebrate the fact that theres nothing to
celebrate.
Here are some of Acadianas biggest public parties.
Festivals Acadiens
A weekend festival of local culture held the third weekend of September in
Girard Park in Lafayette. Food, crafts, story telling and several band
stands offering Cajun, Creole and zydeco music. Plenty of room for dancing
on the park grounds.
Call 232-3737
Festival International de Louisiane
This five-day festival of Francophone music and culture is held the last
full week of April in downtown Lafayette. The festival features five music
stages, street musicians, arts and crafts, art galleries, cultural
workshops, and international cooking demonstrations. The festival
highlights the music of French-speaking people around the world, bringing
in bands from such areas as Canada, Africa, France, Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Call the festival office at 232-8086.
On the web at:www.festivalinternational.com
Giant Omelette Celebration
At least 5,000 eggs go into Abbevilles Giant Omelette, which is cooked in
a 15-foot skillet over a fire built in the middle of the street on the
first full weekend in November in Abbeville. The celebration leading up to
Sundays Omelette cooking includes a tour of historic homes, a parade of
the chefs and plenty of Cajun music. Abbevilles festival is modeled after
the Easter Omelette Festival in Bessieres, France.
Call (877) 658-9695
On the web at:www.giantomelette.org
Breaux Bridge crawfish festival
The Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival is three days of Cajun and zydeco
music at Breaux Bridges Parc Hardy during the first full weekend in May.
Besides the main draw of music, the festival features crawfish eating
contest, crawfish races and dance competitions. Related events include a
Sunday parade and the crowning of the Crawfish Queen.
www.bbcrawfest.com
Call (337) 332-6655
Delcambre Shrimp Festival
Shrimp cook-off, the crowning of the shrimp
queen, music, carnival rides and a wide-variety of shrimp dishes are
offered the third weekend in August in Delcambre. The festival also
includes the traditional blessing of the shrimp fleet in this small
fishing community southwest of Lafayette.
Call 685-2653
Roberts Cove Germanfest
This festival celebrates the German heritage of the Roberts Cove community
near Rayne. Polka bands, folk dancers, folklore presentations,
blacksmithing demonstrations, a German Heritage Museum. Food offerings
include, potato stew, pretzels, German potato salad and sauerkraut and a
variety of German sweets.
Call 334-8354 On the web at: www.robertscovegermanfest.com
The Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco
Festival
Billed as the first of its kind, this festival in Plaisance is held the
Saturday before Labor Day. Theres plenty of zydeco, offered by seasoned
veterans of the music and youngsters serving up the newer zydeco sounds.
Be prepared to dance, and be prepared for the heat. The festival also
features cooking and craft demonstrations and workshops with some of the
older musicians.
Call 942-2392
On the web at:www.zydeco.org
Crowley Rice Festival
The International Rice Festival the official name is one of the oldest
agricultural festivals in the country. Its held the third weekend of
October in downtown Crowley. Two parades, a livestock show, rice cooking
contest, rice eating contest, arts and crafts, crowning of the
International Rice Festival Queen, carnival rides and plenty of music.
Call 783-2108
On the web at: www.ricefestival.com