Cooler Weather Brings Peak Festival Season

Lafayette | Célébration de 50 Ans

On a stormy spring night in 1974, Inez Catalon made her first public appearance singing old-time a capella “home music” in French as 12,000 people squeezed into the 8,400-seat Blackham Coliseum for the inaugural Tribute to Cajun Music, which later grew into Festivals Acadiens et Créoles. Twenty-three-year-old CODOFIL employee Barry Jean Ancelet helped organize the three-hour concert that included Dennis Magee, Sady Courville, Nathan Abshire, Lionel Leleux and Clifton Chenier. Their music from the March 26, 1974 concert will be performed in a special 50th anniversary concert to kick off Festivals Acadiens et Créoles (October 11-13). Headliners include Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, and acclaimed chefs and craftsmen gather in Girard Park to celebrate Acadiana’s prevailing Francophone culture (festivalsacadiens.com).

Carencro | Season to Taste

The first annual C’est Bon Seasoning Fest (November 8-10) celebrates Acadiana’s extensive variety of seasonings in the “seasoning capital of the world” featuring live music on two stages, a carnival and pageant, a seasoning taste-off and the debut of Buzzardville, an area dedicated to highlighting the unique heritage of Carencro in Pelican Park (cestbonseasoningfest.com).

Abbeville | Virtual Viewing

Thanks to Abbeville’s new downtown cameras, you can live stream 24/7 from the A. Hays Town courthouse to picturesque Magdalen Square (cityofabbeville.net/livestream/). Enjoy the parade, fais do-do and rib eating contest during the Louisiana Cattle Festival (October 4-6; louisianacattlefestival.org) or watch the procession of chefs marching from Concord Street to the courthouse to make a crawfish omelette with 5,000 eggs and 52 lbs of butter during the Giant Omelette Celebration (November 2-3; giantomelette.org). The cycling routes of Bikes, Brews and Omelettes Too culminates on Sunday (November 3) with festivities near the courthouse (latrail.org).

Grand Coteau | Sweet Pies and Trainwrecks

Grand Coteau visitors attending Grand Coteau’s Sweet Dough Pie Festival (October 26) or the Festival of Words (featuring award-winning writers, workshops and contests November 8-9) should check out the recently opened Train Wreck Inn, an utterly eccentric, retro Airbnb situated in a refashioned train car, caboose and octagonal depot with mid-century modern furniture (trainwreckinn.com), then take a self-guided tour around Grand Coteau (home of the only miracle in the U.S. recognized by the Vatican) and visit the circa 1821 Academy of the Sacred Heart (where the miracle occurred) and the Shrine of St. John Berchmans (his apparition famously healed a dying novice nun, Mary Wilson, in 1866).

Lake Charles | Epic Street Party

The Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA brings the 10th annual Chuck Fest (October 19) to downtown Lake Charles. The musical extravaganza features over 30 live bands, 50 artists, food trucks and vendors showcasing Louisiana culture. Headliners include The Flamethrowers, Jarvis and the Gents, Charlie Wayne Band and LVVRs; free (chuckfest.org).

Breaux Bridge | Shake, Paddle and Roll

While relaxing along the banks of Bayou Teche on October 19, you may hear music approaching. You’ll see two decorated barges slowly rolling down the bayou with live bands entertaining a group of kayak paddlers during the Shake Your Trail Feather Paddle Parade benefitting the Teche Project. The two-hour kayak rides start behind Poche’s Meat Market and end at Parc des Ponts or Lils on the Teche with kids’ activities, lunch trucks, libations and music by Balfa Toujours (techeproject.org/events/shake-your-trail-feather).

Houma | Dress Like a Rougarou

The family-friendly Rougarou Fest (October 18-20) has a spooky flair that celebrates the legend of the Rougarou (half wolf, half man) that exists along the Cajun bayous. Families wear costumes for the Krewe Ga Rou parade, abundant children’s activities and live music; free. Ranked as one of the Top 10 Costume Parties in the U.S. by USA Today and rated the Louisiana Travel Association’s Festival of the Year in 2023. Benefitting the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center (rougaroufest.org).