January Festivals
Battle of New Orleans Celebration Chalmette Chalmette National Historical Park (504)589-4428
Creole Heritage Day Natchitoches A Celebration of French Heritage through history, music, arts, and cuisine to celebrate the Creole culture. St. Augustine Catholic Church, La. Hwy. 493, across the river from Melrose Plantation (318) 352-2123
Krewe of Bilge Mardi Gras Boat Parade Slidell Oak Harbor Marina (800)634-9443
LA Fur & Wildlife Festival Cameron (318)775-7393 February Festivals
Boudin & Cracklin Festival Carencro Fairgrounds (318)896-3378
La Grande Boucherie St Martinville Butchering of a hog, plus food, live music, and family games (318)394-1914
Lundi Gras
Mardi Gras
Tee Mamou-Iota Mardi Gras Folklife Festival Iota French and English event with Cajun and Zydeco music, dancing, Cajun food, and crafts. March Festivals
Antiques Festival Jackson Downtown (225)634-7155
Black Heritage Festival of LA-New Orleans A celebration of African-American influence in Louisiana culture. Simultaneous events at the Audubon Zoo, New Orleans Museum of Art and the Louisiana State Museum. (504) 827-0112
Black Heritage Festival-Lake Charles Culture, education, and family entertainment. (318)497-0026
Eunice World Championship Crawfish Étouffée Cook-off Team cooking competition with French-speaking translators. Northwest Community Center Pavilion (318) 457-7389; (800) 222-2342
Festival du Courtableau Washington Downtown Stories, food, music, and flower show. (318)826-3626
Los Islenos Festival St. Bernard A celebration of 1700s settlers from Canary Islands to St. Bernard Parish through crafts, food, and Islenos' music (504) 682-2713
LA Crawfish Festival Chalmette St. Bernard Civic Center Food, games, rides, music, and live entertainment. (504) 271-3836
LA Nursery Festival Forest Hill Downtown (318)748-6642
Louisiana Sportsman's Festival St. Joseph Held to promote hunting and fishing in Sportsman's Paradise (Northeast Louisiana). (318) 766-3709
Oak Alley Plantation Spring Arts & Crafts Festival Vacherie Hwy. 18. More than 140 artists and craftspeople, food, and entertainment. (225) 265-2151; (800) 442-5539
Oyster Festival Amite Tangipahoa Parish Fairgrounds Food, entertainment, rides, oyster shucking and eating contests, and a parade. (504)748-5161
Plantation Day Baton Rouge Daily life at Magnolia Mound Plantation. (225)343-4955
Rabbit Festival Iowa Rabbit dishes and Cajun French bands (318) 382-3535
Tennessee Williams Literary Festival New Orleans (504)581-1144 April Festivals
Blessing of the Fleet Chauvin A religious celebration that begins the shrimp season. (504) 594-5859
Cajun Food & Fun Festival Welsh Grounds of Our Lady of Seven Dolors Church Cajun food, fun, and games. (318) 734-3446
Catfish Festival Winnsboro Franklin Parish More than 300 booths, 4 entertainment stages, French storytelling, an art show, an antique car show, and Cajun music. (318) 435-7607
Celebration of Herbs & Gardens Sunset Vendors with herbal and garden products, speakers, and children's activities.
CFMA Cajun Music Festival Eunice Northwest Pavilion, Samuel Dr. Cajun music, traditions, and food. (318) 457-3543
Étouffée Festival Arnaudville Guided French tours, carnival, Cajun food, music, arts, and crafts. (318) 754-5912
French Quarter Festival New Orleans A celebration of New Orleans food and music. 13 stages in the French Quarter, the "world's largest jazz brunch," fireworks on the Mississippi River, patio tours, and children's activities. (504) 522-5730
Festival International Lafayette Downtown Lafayette Largest Francophone celebration in the U.S. A celebration of southern Louisiana and its French speaking cultural cousins around the world. Musicians and vendors from around the world. Music stages, art, theatre, dance, cinema, and cuisine. Click here for an in-depth description. (318) 232-8086
Italian Festival Independence A celebration of Italian heritage and culture through food, entertainment, and fun, and a parade. (225) 878-1902
Jazz/Rhythm & Blues Festival Natchitoches Downtown Natchitoches Music on 4 stages at Cane River Lake $5 admission, under 12 free (318) 352-4559; (800) 259-1714
Magnolia Mound Market Days Festival Baton Rouge A portrayal of the lifestyle of a French planter in Colonial Louisiana. Cooking demonstrations, music, and dance. (225) 343-4955
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival World-famous celebration of New Orleans jazz. (504) 522-4786
Poke Salot Festival Oak Grove, West Carroll Named in honor of Tony Jo White who wrote and recorded "Poke Salad Annie" and "Rainy Night in Georgia" Poke salad cook-off, food, music, parade, and 5k run. (318) 428-2161
Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Held in downtown Ponchatoula, "America's Antique City." Food, music, fun, arts, and crafts. (800) 542-7520
Thibodaux Firemen's Fair Thibodaux Fireman's Fair Grounds, Tiger Dr Food, drinks, rides, games, live music, and a parade on Sunday. (504) 446-FAIR May Festivals
Annual Poke Salad Festival Blanchard Parade, carnival, food, crafts, games, and children's activities. (318)929-8219
Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Cajun cooking demonstrations, food, Cajun & Zydeco music, and a Cajun dance contest. (318) 332-6655
Cochon de Lait Festival Mansura Roasted pig, food, contest, live music, street dancing, arts and crafts, and children's games. (318)964-2887
Contraband Days Lake Charles French pirate Jean Lafitte and buccaneers "take over" city and proclaim fun for 13 days More than 100 events with live music, food, and fun. (318) 436-5508
Fest For All Baton Rouge Bloomfest, a celebration of the arts and flora of Louisiana with food, music, and more. (225)383-1825; (800) LA ROUGE
Great LA Gumbo Cook-off Festival Oakdale Featuring 40 great seafood and chicken gumbos. (318)335-1556
Jambalaya Festival Sorrento Food, live music, stage shows, arts and crafts. 40 cooks compete for title of "World Jambalaya Cooking Champion." (225)622-1998; (225)647-9556
Marion Mayhaw Festival Marion Street dance, crafts, food, and quilt show. (318)292-4715
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Two weekends of music: Cajun, Zydeco, rock & roll, jazz, gospel. 70 food booths. (504)522-4786
Tomato Festival Chalmette Food, live entertainment, music, rides, and games. (504)271-2953 June Festivals
Cajun Music Festival Mamou Traditional Cajun music, Queen's contest for 65 and older, and competitions. (318)599-2339
Church Point Buggy Festival Church Point Buggy and horse-drawn carriage parade, Cajun dancing, food. Promotion of Cajun French music through an accordion contest and children's French-speaking contest. (318)684-2739
Gheens Bon Mange Festival Gheens Food, live entertainment, rides, and pageants. 504)532-6755
Juneteenth Celebration-Opelousas Celebration of African-American culture and history (318)948-9884.
Juneteenth Celebration-Donaldsonville Cultural programs, food, fun, entertainment. (225)473-4814; (225)473-9630
Kentwood Dairy Festival Demonstration of the French influence on the community and dairy industry through a talent contest and Queen's Pageant. (225)229-6400
LA Blueberry Festival Mansfield Street dance, pancake breakfast, crafts, parade, rides, and music (318)872-1310
LA Corn Festival Bunkie Live music, street dancing, food. Corn cooking, shucking, eating, contests, and rides. (318)346-2575
LA Peach Festival Ruston Celebration of the peach harvest through a peach cookery contest, street dancing, a parade, arts and crafts, a rodeo, and mountain bike races. (318)255-2031
Le Festival de la Viande Boucanee Ville Platte Smoked meat festival with a working smokehouse, celebrity chefs culinary demonstrations, a world championship cook-off, and local artisans. (318)363-6700
Melrose Arts & Crafts Festival Melrose Plantation 150 exhibitors in the areas of handcrafted items, baskets, pottery, dolls, toys, and more. (318)352-8072; (800)259-1714 July Festivals
CFMA Cajun Music & Food Festival Lake Charles Sponsored by the Cajun French Music Association of Louisiana Lake Charles Chapter to promote and preserve Cajun music and culture through continuous live Cajun music, Cajun food, music and dance contests, arts and crafts, and a Cajun French Mass. (800)456-7952
LA Catfish Festival Des Allemands St. Gertrude Catholic Church grounds, LA 631 Games, rides, continuous live entertainment, 5k race, catfish dishes, cooking & eating contest. (504)758-7542
Watermelon Festival Farmerville Downtown Farmerville, Bienville Trace Scenic Byway, LA Hwy 2 Parade, street dance, pageant, treasure hunt, food, music, family fun, watermelon auction, eating contest, seed-spitting, French cooking, and more. (318)368-3390 (318)368-3947
Watermelon Festival-Franklinton Features Washington Parish melons, games, contests, food & crafts (504)839-7855 August Festivals
Delcambre Shrimp Festival Corner, Main and Richard Streets A Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event: Shrimp boats docked and decorated to honor the Shrimp Festival. Food, rides, a Royalty Contest, a fais-do-do (street dance), shrimp cookoff, water fights, Fisherman's Mass, and a Blessing of the Boats (318)685-2653
Gueydan Duck Festival LA 14, east of town Live entertainment, carnival, duck and goose calling, dog trials, cooking contest, parade, pageant, skeet shoot, and carving contest. (318)536-9328
Jean Lafitte Seafood Festival Lafitte Seafood, entertainment, exhibits. (504)689-2208
St Helena Forest Festival Greensburg Celebration of the local forest industry. (225)229-7525
South Lafourche Seafood Festival Galliano Food, entertainment, rides, pageants, dance contest, and hot pepper eating contest. (504)632-4633 September Festivals
Bayou Blues & Zydeco Festival Lake Charles Burton Coliseum:McNeese State University Music, food, and dancing. French and English Zydeco music. Heritage stage for interviews with musicians and craftspeople (318)475-5123; (800)456-7952
Cajun Heritage and Folklife Festival Cut Off Cut Off Youth Center, W 79th St. LA State waterfowl carving and miniature-boat building championship competitions, Cajun food, and crafts. (504)537-5444
Celtic Nations Festival New Orleans Marconi Meadow in City Park Promotion of Celtic culture in Louisiana through pipe bands, musicians, dancers, athletes, Celtic canines, food, and crafts. (504)529-1391
Creole Zydeco Festival St. Martinville Adam Carlson Memorial Park, held under a large pavilion. Live zydeco music, dancing, creole food, arts and crafts, and games for children. (318)394-4635
Festival Acadiens Lafayette Celebration of everything Cajun: authentic Cajun and Creole food, music, and crafts (800)543-5340 (Canada); (800)346-1958 (US)
Good Ole Days Festival 18th Marthaville Local cuisine, entertainment, arts and crafts, historic exhibits of early Marthaville. (318)929-2077
LA Chicken Festival 24th-25th Dubach Food, contests, T-shirts, native crafts, music, bilingual signs, menus, and schedules. (318)777-3321
LA Sugar Cane Festival New Iberia A commemoration of Louisiana sugar cane industry through carnival rides, art, flower and photography shows, Queen Sugar coronation, royalty parade, fais-do-do, boat parade, fireworks, children's parade, and a junior livestock auction. (318)369-9323
LA Folklife Festival Monroe A festival of Louisiana's culture, heritage and music with 5 entertainment stages, craft demonstrations, and food. (318)329-2375
LA Shrimp Festival Meraux Archbishop Hannan High School, 2501 Archbishop Hannan Blvd. Family-style festival with live entertainment, games, rides, and shrimp dishes. (504)279-1921
LA Shrimp & Petroleum Festival Morgan City The state's oldest chartered harvest festival with live Cajun and Zydeco music, Cajun food, a shrimp cookoff, arts and crafts, fireworks on the river, and a Blessing of the Fleet (504)385-0703
Rayne Frog Festival Food and activities. (318)783-075
Red River Rally Shreveport Louisiana's largest hot air balloon rally, featuring a replica of the first manned hot air balloon, built by Frenchmen Joseph & Etienne Montgolfier, hot air balloon races, aerobatic airshow, carnival and family fun festival, music, food, and entertainment. (318)227-2559
Southwest LA Zydeco Music Festival Plaisance Hwy. 167 (318)942-2392
Wooden Boat Festival 25th-26th Madisonville Largest gathering of watercraft in the South. Historic, antique, classic, contemporary, wooden, sail, rowing & steam water craft, kid's workshop, Marine Flea Market, live entertainment, and cooking. (504)845-9200 October Festivals
Boucherie Festival Sorrento Cracklin' Cooking World Champion contest, parade, rides, pageant, dancing, and Cajun food. (225)647-9966
French Food Festival Larose Under 200-ft tent 20 local specialty dishes, live music, dancing, cooking, boat building demonstrations, midway rides, and Cajun dance contest
Gumbo Festival Bridge City Salutes French heritage through gumbo cooking contest, 5k run, live Cajun, country, zydeco, jazz, blues, and rock music, games, rides, and a fais-do-do. (504)436-4712
LA Cattle Festival Abbeville Louisiana Cattle Festival with Cajun French music band competition, French storytelling contest, and entertainment. (318)893-6328
LA Cotton Festival Ville Platte Authentic Acadian-French music, street dance, carnival, food, and ancient game of Le Tournoi, French signs and music. (318)363-2193
LA Yambilee Opelousas One of the state's oldest festivals. Tony Chachere was instrumental in starting this festival in 1946. (800)210-5298; (318)948-8848
Oyster Festival Violet Rides, food, live entertainment, music, and games. (504)277-1827
Rice Festival Crowley Entertainment, dances, parades, live stock show, and cooking contest. (318)783-3747
St John Parish Andouille Festival LaPlace French and Cajun food, music, costumes, can-can dancers, rides, crafts, and pageants. (225)652-9569
St Martinville Pepper Festival St. Martinville Music, food, Acadian crafts, and hot peppers. (318)394-6397
Zydeco & Blues Festival Mamou Blues and zydeco music, turtle and alligator Creole dishes, family fun, and French signs. (318)468-2370 November Festivals
Cracklin' Festival Port Barre Cracklin' festival Parade, rides, music, cracklin' cooking, and crafts. (318)585-6251
Destrahan Plantation Fall Festival Destrehan Arts and crafts, music, dancing, Cajun and Creole food, antique village in authentic mule barn, and plantation house tours. (504)764-9315
Donaldsonville Sunshine Festival Family fun, midway games, rides, food, crafts, live music, dance teams, beauty pageant, seafood cookoff, political hot and spicy cookoff with local politicians participating. (225)473-4814
Fall Harvest Festival 26th Oakdale Hayride under the Lights. (318)335-1729
Louisiana Gumbo Festival Ville Platte Gumbo cookoff, arts and crafts, Cajun concert with Louisiana artists, and dancing. (318)363-5010
LA Pecan Festival Colfax Established in 1969 to promote the growth of the pecan industry in Grant Parish and Louisiana through arts and crafts, food, live music, children's day, parade and hot air ballooning.
LA Swine Festival Basile Queen and King contest, Cajun food, live bands, and dancing. (318)432-5251
Le Festival du Vin Nouveau New Orleans Wine and food tasting extravaganza. New Beaujolais wines from France, specialties prepared by 15 noted New Orleans chefs, silent auction of rare wines, weekend getaways, exotic escapes, dining delights, furs, art, antiques, and other items. (504)526-2062
December Festivals
Annual Christmas Festival of Lights and Parade Homer (318)927-9675
Corney Creek Country Christmas Festival Bernice Parade, music, carols, pictures with Santa, food, sidewalk sales, decorating contest, tree lighting, and French brochures. (318)285-9071; (318)285-9333
Festival of the Bonfires Lutcher Food, crafts, Cajun music, jambalaya cookoffs, Christmas tree forest, one bonfire lit each night at 7pm. (225)869-4303; (800)367-7856
Natchitoches Christmas Festival of Lights Fun run/walk, parade, food, entertainment, arts and crafts, fireworks over the river at dusk, official turning on of Christmas lights. (318)352-6894; (800)259-1714
St Lucy Festival of Lights St. Martinville Food, crafts, boat parades, choir singers, Santa, live nativity, and lighting of the holiday lights. (318)394-4229
Madewood Christmas Heritage Festival Napoleonville Madewood Antebellum Plantation (225)369-7151