THROUGH 2017 Taste of Breaux Bridge Covington Crawfish Buku Music and Festival Festival Breaux Art Project New Covington Bridge Orleans French Quarter Mid-City Bayou Congo Square Festival New Boogaloo New New World Orleans Orleans Rhythms Covington New Orleans Festival New MARCH 31-APRIL 2 Orleans Antiques Wine & Food and Uniques Experience Dave Robicheaux’s Tennessee Festival New Orleans Williams Covington Contraband Hometown Literary Literary Abita Springs Days-Louisiana Festival New Festival Orleans Busker Festival Pirate Festival Abita Springs Lake Charles One of Louisiana’s newest festivals Taco Fest New Orleans New Orleans Starks Mayhaw The awe-inspiring diversity of Louisiana celebrates fictional detective Dave Jazz and Festival Starks Robicheaux, the rule-breaking Cajun Spring Fiesta Heritage Cochon de sheriff’s deputy who appears in nu- New Orleans Festival New is easily taken for granted. A quick survey Orleans Lait Festival merous novels by best-selling author Louisiana Mansura James Lee Burke. Dave Robicheaux’s Winter Beer Dave Mudbug Hometown Literary Festival, Festival Lake Robicheaux’s of the state’s spring festivals — Louisiana Charles Hometown Madness launched in 2016, invites fans of Shreveport Literary Burke’s detective novels to explore Annual Black Festival New Greek Festival Heritage is home to more annual festivals than the character’s hometown haunts Iberia New Orleans Festival Lake like Shadows-on-the-Teche and New Orleans Charles Louisiana Victor’s Cafeteria during guided bus Railroad Jambalaya there are days in the year — is an apt tours. There’s also an academic sym- Cajun Chili Fest Days Festival Youngsville Festival posium on Burke’s life and career, a DeQuincy Gonzales book fair with author appearances Iowa Rabbit Downtown reminder that there’s no place like the Lake Marion and book signings, and even a Cajun Festival Lake Charles Charles Mayhaw bourré tournament. This being New Crawfish Festival Marion Iberia, there are plenty of opportuni- Wild Beast Festival Lake state that we call home. Here are a few Riverboat ties to sample local food (including Feast Lake Charles Charles Festival a cochon de lait) and dance to Cajun Southern Columbia of Louisiana’s best festivals for mingling Dave Garden Festival and zydeco music while enjoying Jeff Fish Fest Robicheaux’s Lafayette scenic views of Bayou Teche. Burke, & Rodeo River Hometown who spent summers in New Iberia Westlake Ridge with the locals, dancing like you’re not Literary Family Fun & as a child, did not attend the festival New Festival Food Festival in its first year — but hundreds of his Iberia Westlake on Facebook or connecting with your fans did. Youth Art Flea Fest: Flea Lake Arthur Month Festival Market Lake Where: New Iberia Historic District Alexandria Regatta Lake Charles Arthur roots — whether they’re in Senegal or Tickets: Many events are free, other Scottish Grand Isle events $15-$60 FestiGals New Tartan Festival Migratory Bird More Info: Shreveport Orleans Sicily. BY CHRIS JAY Festival Grand daverobicheauxliteraryfestival.com Isle MARCH 18 APRIL 7-8 JUNE 3 Louisiana Franklin Parish Bon Mangé MAY 4-7 Redbud Catfish Festival Festival Gheens Festival Vivian Winnsboro Louisiana Grillin’ for DoMo Thibodaux Louisiana Redbud Grads Brewfest Lagniappe Bayou Teche Catfish Festival Firemen’s Fair Dulcimer Black Bear and Des Allemands Festival Festival Baton Birding Festival A 30-foot tall inflatable hog Launched in 2015 as a Rouge Franklin Wednesdays on Thibodaux is home to the largest the Point New Small-town festivals welcomes visitors to Grillin’ fundraiser benefiting for Grads, a barbecue cook- the Downtown Monroe volunteer fire department fundraiser Louisiana Baton Rouge Orleans (Algiers) don’t come much more Crawfish Blues Festival in the United States: The Thibodaux Cajun Heritage off and college scholarship Alliance, DoMo Brewfest Festival Baton Rouge charming than the Firemen’s Fair. Going stronger than Larose fundraiser attracting is an afternoon-long Chalmette Festival Louisiana Redbud Festival ever after an unbelievable 134 years, Italian Festival competition barbecue beer tasting featuring New Orleans in Vivian. There’s the Ruby Sacred Music Tickfaw the event netted more than $750,000 Oyster Festival teams from throughout more than 150 beers. Festival New Collins Memorial Redbud in funds for the Thibodaux Volunteer New Orleans the region to downtown Expect the beer list to Orleans Louisiana Treasure Hunt — which Fire Department in 2016, despite Railroad Shreveport. Teams arrive highlight local brews Louisiana whips locals into a frenzy Merryville Days Festival heavy rain. A huge live-music stage, Peach Festival and get cooking on Friday, from Flying Tiger Heritage DeQuincy as they search for a $300 carnival rides, Cajun food and a live Ruston which includes a public live Brewery and Ouachita Festival prize hidden somewhere raffle drawing for $10,000 cash are Ponchatoula Merryville Beauregard within city limits — as well music showcase and a VIP Brewing Company as Strawberry just a few of the main attractions. Watermelon tent party. On Saturday, well as lots of other NOLA Pyrate Festival as the annual pancake The Firemen’s Parade, held annually Festival festival attendees can regional breweries. Week New Ponchatoula breakfast, carnival rides, DeRidder on the Sunday of the festival at 11 Orleans arts and crafts vendors enjoy a kids cook off, Beer lovers who make Festival a.m., is one of the oldest parades in The Day the mechanical bull rides, a the trip should plan to Amite Oyster International and live music. The Louisiana and a crowd favorite. War Stopped rib-eating contest and spend some time at the Festival Amite de Louisiane Redbud Parade, now in St. Francisville Lafayette its 53rd year, will roll at 2 more. The main attraction incredible Flying Tiger Fête Française Where: Thibodaux Fire Department Louisiana Corn of this event is Saturday’s Brewery tasting room, New Orleans Scott Boudin p.m., and the festival will Fairgrounds, Thibodeaux Festival Bunkie barbecue showdown. which opened in 2016 Festival Scott conclude with an old- Saints and Tickets: Free admission Let the Good fashioned street dance on Attendees can sample and and features a replica Sinners Melrose More info: firemensfair.com Times Roll vote on dishes in several of the shark-faced nose Literary Arts Festival the town square. Festival Festival New Melrose categories, bestowing a art of a P-40 Warhawk Shreveport coveted People’s Choice fighter suspended above Orleans Where: Downtown Vivian Smoked Meat token to their overall the bar. Kite Fest Tickets: Free admission Festival Ville Louisiane Port More info: laredbud.com favorite dish. Serious MAY 10-13 Platte barbecue aficionados Where: Riverwalk, Allen Greater New should plan to arrive in Downtown Monroe Orleans Louisiana Rayne Frog Festival International Cajun-Zydeco time to be among the first Tickets: $35 Dragon Boat Festival New wave of People’s Choice More info: It may be easier to list the things Festival Orleans voters to work their way domobrewfest.com that you can’t do with frogs at the NOLA Pyrate Madisonville Rayne Frog Festival, which will cel- Week New Essence through Festival Plaza Orleans Sunset Herb Festival New sampling smokey brisket, ebrate its 45th year this spring, but and Garden Orleans Boggy Bayou spicy ribs and juicy smoked it’s more fun to list activities such as Festival Sunset Pine frog racing, frog eating contests, frog Festival Oilman’s chicken during what Prairie Mayfest Fishing amounts to an all-you- cook offs, a frog kissing booth, frog Leesville Invitational can-eat buffet prepared by dress-up contests and frog jumping Zapp’s Houma competitions. Don’t have a frog of International Thibodaux trophy-toting pitmasters. Beer Festival Firemen’s Fair your own? No problem! You can rent Baton Rouge Thibodaux Festival Plaza, a frog for the day. All of this takes Where: Spring Fiesta Bayou Country Tales of the Downtown Shreveport place, naturally, in the “Frog Capital New Orleans Superfest New New Tickets: $15 of the World.” Orleans Cocktail FoodFest New Orleans More info: Orleans Zwolle Loggers Cajun Music & arklatexambassadors.com Where: Frog Festival Pavilion, Rayne and Forestry Jane Austen Food Festival Tickets: Free on Thursday, $5 for Festival Zwolle adults on Friday and Saturday Literary Lake Charles Festival Plaquemines Running of More Info: raynefrogfestival.com Mandeville Parish Seafood the Bulls New Festival Belle Orleans Chasse Bucktown Bash Voodoo Music + Metairie Art Experience St. Tammany New Orleans Cake and Ice Crab Festival Cream Festival Lacombe Oak Street Abbeville Po-Boy Festival Rougarou New Orleans Bayou BBQ Festival Houma Bash – “Morgan City Under the French Bridge” Morgan Market’s Boo City Carré New Greater Baton Orleans Rouge State Erath Fourth Fair Baton of July Ragley Rouge Celebration Heritage & Erath Timber Festival State Fair of Ragley Louisiana MARCH 25-26 APRIL 21-22 MAY 26-27 MARCH 31-APRIL 1 Louisiana Shreveport Watermelon State Fair of Cotile Trade Louisiana Forest Little Walter Hogs for the Cause Festival Louisiana Louisiana Farmerville Shreveport Indian Heritage Days Festival Music Festival Association 2017 will be a big year for Hogs Natchitoches/ Andouille Pow Wow for the Cause, a charity barbecue NSU Folk Festival LaPlace For more than 30 years, the On paper, the Louisiana Forest Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Gonzales cook off and music festival benefit- Festival Cotile Trade Days have been Festival reads like the descrip- and Marksville native