What’s New In Acadiana: Cajun Heritage Festival, Dog-friendly Beer Garden and more

LAROSE, THIBODAUX

Of Decoys, Ducks and Suds
The 47th annual Cajun Heritage Festival (June 7-9) celebrates hunting and hunters with hundreds of unique duck decoys, carving demos, decoy and shotgun raffles and duck calling contests in the Larose Civic Center (cajunheritagefestival.org). Locals and visitors alike enjoy sipping suds during the Thibodaux on Tap (June 8) craft beer show held in historic downtown Thibodaux (lacajunbayou.com).

TERREBONNE, LAFOURCHE, ACADIA, ASCENSION, ST. MARTIN, VERMILION

Shrieking Birds Rescue Crawfish
Acadiana’s pesky apple snails have started oozing into rice and crawfish-producing farms, invading traps and consuming entire 40-acre crops. The mortal enemies of apple snails, migratory limpkins (known for their piercing, high-pitched screeches) have recently emerged as the saviors of rice and crawfish. Initially sighted at snail-infested Lake Boeuf near Thibodaux, their growing and apparently permanent population indicates that these wading birds are here to stay. Observers say limpkins put on quite a show, “shrieking and gobbling up snails.” People have mistaken the cries for murder victims.

LEBEAU

Go Zydeco!
Show up with your dancing shoes and an appetite and you’ll be rocking to “Don’t Mess with My Toot Toot” while chowing down on pork backbone dinners and other Creole favorites at the annual Lebeau Zydeco Festival (July 6), energized by zydeco bands and dancing fans (cajuntravel.com/events/lebeau-zydeco-festival).

Mural of Multiple Eras in Franklin
Internationally acclaimed muralist Robert Dafford, a Lafayette native who has painted over 400 murals throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe, recently completed a large-scale mural in Franklin’s Pocket Park depicting various eras along Bayou Teche. It begins with a sepia-tone “postcard” depicting the Chitimacha tribe, followed by the Acadians’ arrival in the 1700s and the 1800s plantation era. The second “postcard” showcases circa- 1900s riverfront developments followed by contemporary scenes along Bayou Teche (robertdaffordmurals.com).

CARENCRO, LAFAYETTE

Have a Beer with Fido
Carencro’s popular Bus Stop Bistro has relocated inside the new Yard Goat, a German-style beer garden boasting Lafayette’s largest dog-friendly patio. Yard Goat’s trellised patio, cooled by towering fans and shaded by 11 live oaks, serves over 80 beers (and flights), frozen cocktails, mocktails and new Bus Stop shareables including Cajun tacos, buttery cheese curds, fries with five dipping sauces and lavish steak boards. Weekend food trucks are forthcoming (theyardgoat.com).

CALCASIEU

Trailblazing Pollutants Prevention
For the first time in 30 years, the national emissions standards for hazardous organic pollutants have been amended. New EPA rules will cut enough cancer-causing emissions to reduce cancer risk by 96% for people living near these industries. Southwest Louisiana plants including Citgo, Lake Charles; Firestone, Sulphur; Westlake Corp. companies, Sulphur; Sasol Chemical and Lotte Chemical, Westlake are among the 200 participants. It’s part the “ending cancer as we know it” initiative by Cancer Moonshot and its 70 new programs to date (epa.gov/hazardous-air-pollutants-ethylene-oxide/final-rule-strengthen-standards-synthetic-organic-chemical; whitehouse.gov/cancermoonshot/).

BROUSSARD

St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway
 Tickets are still available for the 2024 Acadiana St. Jude Dream Home built by McClain Companies. Situated in the Magnolia Trace subdivision (201 Shadow Bend Drive in Broussard), the beautiful new 4-bedroom, 3.5 bath home valued at an estimated $675,000 features a gourmet kitchen with Bosch appliances and an opulent master suite with a Shaw custom shower. It will be given away June 26 on KATC. June 13 is the deadline for the bonus prize: $10,000 gift certificate toward a residential generator, installed, courtesy of Sirius Power Generation (Tickets: 800-724-1918; DreamHome.org).

CARENCRO

Revitalizing a Community
 A prodigious water infrastructure revitalization program is underway in Carencro to rectify the city’s ongoing brown water problems. The century-old cast iron pipes are being changed and fitted with abundant new PVC pipes. Carencro’s new “walkability grant” will help freshen up the sidewalks that have been around since the carriage era (carencro.org/carencro-water-infrastructure-revitalization-information).