Louisiana Festivals

The Strawberry Festival is one of the biggest fund-raisers. This festival prides itself knowing that the only vendors allowed on the fair grounds are non-profit organizations. This April celebration includes a festival ball, talent show, Miss Strawberry pageant, and baking contests. Food booths and rides are located throughout the fair grounds.

New Orleans is the birthplace of Jazz. The Jazz Festival however, is not just for celebrating jazz. This festival is to celebrate all music that has been inspired from Louisiana cultures. Music fills the air while a variety of vendors fill the streets of New Orleans with local food and crafts for visitors to see. This area is dedicated to the cultural and historical practices uniquely found in Louisiana. Come and visit the New Orleans the last week of April and the first week of May to see this spectacular event.

Crawfish Capital of the World, was the title give to Breaux Bridge in 1960, by the Legislation. Since then every May is the Annual Crawfish Festival. This festival has become one

of the largest gathering of famous Cajun, Zydeco, and Swamp Pop musicians. Over a three day period thirty

bands will perform while hundreds of people will flock to Breaux Bridge to enjoy the many crawfish dishes prepared.

Cook-offs, crawfish races, dance contests, parades and carnival rides are great ways to entertain the entire family.

Gonzales, Louisiana was named “Jambalaya Capital of the World in 1968. Wonderful news like this deserves a festival, and that is exactly how it happened. In October of every year the Annual Jambalaya Festival is held. At least 69 cook compete for the “Jambalaya World Title”. Previous year events may have included a boxing match on the football field, bingo in the gym, and live bands playing while the Jambalaya Queen reigns over the events. Recent festival events include live bands, a 5K run, cooking contests, and carnival rides for the kids. The Queen still reigns over the events as the fun continues for all ages.

Every June, Ruston celebrates the fact that they have the largest peach orchards in Louisiana. The Annual Peach Festival has a variety of entertainment such as a pie eating contest, fishing tournaments, a rodeo, and an antique car show. Come and join Queen Dixie Gem and Princess Peach as they dance the night away at the Peach Jam.

Come join the Delcambe Shrimp Festival King and Queen as they celebrate their economic livelihood with a weekend of fais-do-do’s, carnival rides, Cajun food, and more. As the weekend comes to an end the fleet of shrimp boats are blessed and the journey begins.

Come to Gueydan for the annual Duck Festival. Enjoy the great

food, live bands, parades, pageants, auctions, carnival rides, and crafts. Enter to win the Skeet Shooting Contest or the Duck and Goose Calling Contest. Cooking

Contests are held throughout the weekend so come on over and get

your taste of Cajun culture.

Both young and old are encouraged to bring an instrument and jam in the session that take place during the weekend events at the Louisiana Folk Roots Tent. Fine artists and craftspeople fill booths with their unique artwork and design at the Louisiana Crafts Fair. Throughout the weekend the Cajun Culture comes to life with music and crafts.

New Iberia honors the sugar industry every September with the Annual

Sugarcane Festival. Weekend activities include the King’s Reception, the

Sugarcane Festival Run, The Queen’s Sugar Contest, a festive ball, and the

blessing of the crops. The annual boat parade is one of the most entertaining parades of the weekend. Boats are decorated and driven down a Bayou Tech while candy is thrown into the

crowds of people waving along the river bank. Fireworks, fais-do-dos, craft

shows, and contests are great activities for the family.

Originally known as the Dairy Festival, the Cattle Festival is a weekend dedicated to Louisiana’s cattle industry. The fun-filled three-day festival includes events such as cooking contests, pageant, livestock shows, and parades. While walking through downtown Abbeville, you can see the streets are lined with booths of food, drinks, souvenirs, and crafts. Carnival ride cover the parking areas as laughter fills the air. Enjoy the southern hospitality while listening to the live music and watching the brave as they ride the mechanical bull for the longest 8 seconds of their life.

Over two-thousand gallons of gumbo is prepared for the Bridge City

Gumbo Festival in October. Cajun and Zydeco music fill the air as

children from all around are entered into the Most Beautiful Child Contest. Some visitors will enjoy the 5K run

across the Huey P. Long Bridge while others fill their stomachs as they walk to the different booths located throughout the fair. King Creole Gumbo and Miss Creole Gumbo will be there welcoming everyone to this festive event.

A beautiful harvest mass followed by a colorful parade and then Le Tournoi de la Ville Platte (traditional jousting touranment). This is what one can expect in October for the Cotton Festival in Ville Plate, Louisiana. There is a full week of carnival rides and live bands for the children to enjoy. A king and queen from the local nursing home, a cooking contest and the Cotton Pickin Pet Show is held on the first two days of this celebration. Le Tourni de la Ville Platte, the annual jousting tournament, is held on the last day as the Knights of the Round Table battle against the evils that destroy cotton crops. The festival comes to an end when the winning knight escorts the Tourni Queen to the Cotton Festival Ball.

Crowley is the home of one of Louisiana’s oldest

and largest festivals, the Rice Festival. This festival calls attention to the

importance of rice in Louisiana’s economy. The weekend is filled

with balls and banquets, livestock

shows, musical entertainment, pageants, and

parades. If you know how to prepare an excellent rice dish just enter the rice

cookery contest and become “Chef de

Riz” or Master Cook of Rice.

Yambilee Festival

The Yambilee Festival is held every October in Opelousas, Louisiana. This festival originated over a cup

of coffee shared between two friends. The festival is a way of

honoring the sweet potato industry and to assist in the advancement

and progress of the State of Louisiana. This week long festival includes activities such as parades, pageants, carnival rides, music and

food.

Colfax is the home of the Pecan Festival. The Queen’s Pageants

are held in October officially kicking off the events but the festival itself takes place in

November. Festival activities include craft booths, costume contests, cooking contests,

musical entertainment, carnival rides, and fireworks.

This three day fiesta is held in October on the Zwolle Festival Grounds. The celebration stems from a combination of Spanish and Indian efforts to create the worlds best tamale. There are plenty of delicious hot tamales, dancing, arts and crafts, parades, and activities for all the entire family. It also features arm wrestling contests, treasure hunts, costume contests, rides, food booths and a Fiesta Mud Bog Race for trucks.

Like most festivals the Cracklin Festival has pageants, live music, arts and crafts, parades, cook-offs,

and rides for people of all ages. The Lion’s Club in Porte Barre, created this festival as a fund-

raiser. Each November the profits from this event is donated to people with special needs or

causes.

Come and watch as the young ladies compete to become the Frog Derby

Queen. These young ladies dress up as jockeys while showing off their live

dressed-up frogs as the compete in a frog jumping contest. Now this is

entertainment. The Frog Festival is an unusual but exciting weekend

dedicated to celebrating Rayne’s heritage of being the largest worldwide shipper of frog legs throughout the 20th

century. The weekend is filled with activities such a diaper race, fais-do-do’s, carnival rides, food booths, and

pageants. Come join the fun!

Come and celebrate the Swine Festival every November in Basile, Louisiana. Although swine is no longer an industry of Basile, the festival still celebrates the swine industry and the Cajun Culture. King Porky and Queen Petunia have put together a variety of activities that can keep one entertained throughout the weekend. Hog calling and greasy pig chases are just as much fun to watch as they are to participate in. Come to Basile to enjoy the carnival rides, parades and delicious Cajun Cuisines this November.

Join us in Natchitoches, Louisiana as we tour the city for the Christmas Festival. This festival begins on November 22, and continues until New Year’s. Mini- Festivals are held every weekend in December. Tours of the cities beautiful homes are available nightly via carriage or street car. Spectacular firework displays are shown over the Cane River Lake every

Saturday and at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Many visit this beautiful city each year to enjoy the live entertainment,

craft shows, food fairs, light displays, riverbank vendors, shops, and restaurants.