Gumbo Cookoffs, Crawfish Boils and More Around Acadiana
Lafayette
Hungry for gumbo? Head to the 2nd annual Roux Fest Gumbo Cookoff powered by Lagcoe (February 27). The inaugural 2024 event packed Blackham Coliseum with fans sampling gumbos by 50 teams producing over 170 entries for awards. Designed to emphasize Acadiana’s deep-rooted partnership with the energy industry, Roux Fest is expanding this year with more than 70 Gulf Coast energy companies cooking up their best gumbos in an effort to win the ultimate Gumbo King title. Proceeds go to local charitable organizations.
Of Parades, Biscuits and Brews | Houma
Houma celebrates a safe, family-friendly Carnival season with more than a dozen parades starting with the Krewe of Hercules (February 21) and ending with the Krewe of Kajuns (March 4). Revelers get fueled up at Houma’s newest downtown breakfast hotspot, The Buttery Crumb (605 Barrow Street). Try the iced brown sugar shaken espresso, a zydeco biscuit (boudin, eggs, garlic pepper aioli) or some blueberry compote-lemon mascarpone “bonuts” for a sugar rush to catch those beads. Acclaimed New Orleans Chef Eric Cook (Gris-Gris, Saint John) is owner Erica Duthu’s mentor.
Tips for Crawfish Cravings | Carencro
To find which seafood markets and restaurants have the best crawfish and prices in your area, download The Crawfish App with over 1,550 businesses listing live and boiled prices. Crawfish emerged earlier than they did last year and are at their peak in March, which is good news for seafood lovers, seafood markets and restaurants like Barry’s 1965 that recently opened in downtown Carencro. Owners Barry and Rhonda Reeves (former owners of the Crawfish House & Grill in Opelousas) came out of retirement to open the rustic 60-seat dining room (formerly Swanky’s) overlooking Main Street, now flanked by a 70-seat patio used primarily for crawfish season. Beyond seafood, the rooster gumbo is a must.
Right On Cue | Youngsville
Check out Youngsville’s hip new hot spot, the 4,500-square-foot Black Bull Sports Bar & Pool Hall featuring a stage (for DJs and live music) and a menu that lists more cocktails than food items. Enjoy hefty burgers and such fan favorites as mozzarella cheese bites, steak tacos and jumbo chicken wings while sampling an array of specialty cocktails, creative martinis and classics. You can catch the NCAA’s March Madness college tournament (March 18-April 7) and the continuing NBA season on Black Bull’s eight 75-inch TVs.
Agendas
Feb 8 | Pork Butt Cook-Off
Hosted by the Rotary Club of Downtown Houma at the Courthouse Square. Enjoy a day of family fun with mouthwatering barbecue, pork butt creations from cooking teams, live music and a kids’ zone with bounce houses and face painting.
Feb 15 | Rayne Mardi Gras Parade and Gumbo Cook-Off
Presented by the Rayne Chamber of Commerce. Head to the after party for the raffles, a gumbo cook-off and gumbo tastings (for just $5), then hit the dance floor to shake, rattle and roll.
Feb 15 | Louisiana King Cake Festival
Celebrate all things king cake in downtown Thibodaux featuring vendors, live music and king cakes galore. Helps support funding for the Lafourche Education Foundation that has awarded $681,000 in teacher grants since 2006.
Feb 20-22 | The 20th Annual Eagle Expo
Experience boat tours in the heart of the Atchafalaya Basin to see nesting eagles and other birds. Includes presentations by wildlife and birding experts, dinner with guest speakers and walking tours in Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge.
Feb 23 – March 25 | Azaleas in Bloom
The annual azalea Bloom Watch features 25 miles of floral splendor along the Lafayette Azalea Trail through historic districts, the university and oil center, downtown and neighborhood garden districts.
February 23 | Krewe of Barkus
Registration for the title of “Mystical Dog” (the most striking costumed pup among all the costumed pets and their owners participating in the annual downtown parade) is at 11:30 am, corner of Ryan and Broad; parade starts at 1 pm.
March 11-15 | 11th Annual Teche Plein Air Painting Competition
Now hosted by the City of New Iberia, the annual week-long juried competition attracts artists from afar to paint outdoors in seven Acadiana parishes. Free paint-out, art exhibit, awards ceremony and silent auction.
March 20-22 | The Iowa Rabbit Festival and Cook-Off
A major event inside Burton Coliseum includes a rabbit show, vendor booths, a carnival, pageants, live entertainment by local and national artists and the Rabbit Cook-Off featuring a diversity of categories and the popular People’s Choice Award.
March 22 | Jeanerette Creole Festival and Gumbo Cook-Off
Spend a day on the banks of Bayou Teche at the Jeanerette Creole Festival and Gumbo Cook-Off at the historic Albania Mansion. Enjoy food vendors, music, kids’ activities, arts and crafts booths, health screening and tours.
March 29 | Twin Fest Louisiana
Celebrates twins, multiples and the people who love them with contests, music, food, crafts and games at the downtown Houma courthouse.
