AUGUST

Duck Festival
August 26th – 29th, 2010
Location: Gueydan, Louisiana
Info Link: http://www.duckfestival.org

The Duck Festival is held yearly in the cajun town of Gueydan. The Duck festival kicks off the cajun festival season. There are alot of fun events and features at the festival including a skeet shooting contest , an outdoor cookoff , and a goose and duck calling contest. There is also a grand parade associated with the festival on Saturday and begins at 9 a.m.

The festival also always offers an array of live music throughout the event. This year’s music schedule was not out when this article was prepared. Last year’s entertainment included some great cajun and local artist like Jaryd Lane , Jamie Bargeron and Kickin’ Cajuns, Travis Matte , and Geno Delafose. If your in the Gueydan area and looking for a good time then the Duck Festival is a must attend event.

SEPTEMBER

Lafayette Reggae and Cultural Festival
Sept 4th-5th, 2010 – Labor Day Weekend
Location: Pelican Park
Info Link: http://www.lafayettereggaefest.com

This is another one of the great music cultural festivals in cajun country. The Reggae and Cultrual festival is held every year in Carencro. This festival offers some great music along with alot of cultural booths and a great time.

OCTOBER

Louisiana Cattle Festival
Oct. 7th-10th, 2010
Location: Abbeville
Info Link: http://www.louisianacattlefestival.org

The Louisiana Cattle Festival is a celebration of the Cattle Industry in southwest Louisiana. The festival is held every year in the town of Abbeville. The festival offers some great activities such as a livestock showings and judgings, a beef cookoff , and many booths offering an array of great food and street fair. There is also a grand parade for the festival on saturday.

The festival also features a cajun Fais-do-do. There is as always a great lineup of music on tap for the festival including Wayne Toups, Jamie Bergeron & the Kicking Cajuns, Jaryd Lane, Schel Reaux, Beau Young Trio, Richard LeBouef, 5th Avenue, Geno Delafosse, Warren Storm and Willie Tee, and Timbo. There will also be some great events for the kids on sunday including a parade and Gospel Extravaganza. This festival as always will offer a great time for the whole family.

Festivals Acadiens et Creoles
Oct. 8th – 10th
Location: Lafayette
Info Link: http://www.festivalsacadiens.com

This is one of the bigger festivals held in cajun country. It once again brings the festival atmosphere back to the town of Lafayette. This festival offers a wide array of activities that celebrates the cajun and creole cultures. Events and activities will include Louisiana Folk Roots workshops and demonstrations , arts and craft shows and displays, a cajun/creole food festival , and tons of great cajun music.

This year’s musical lineup has not been released. But you can tell from last year’s lineup that this a great musical festival as well. Last year’s lineup included Nathan Williams , Feufollet , Jimmy Breaux, Balfa Toujours, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Bonsoir Catin , Cedric Watson, and WAYNE TOOPS.

We’ll have more to come as the schedules are released. Got a festival you want to promote? Let us know in the comments below.

Duck Festival
Sept 3rd-4th
Location: Gueydan
Info Link: http://www.duckfestival.org

The Duck Festival is held yearly in the cajun town of Gueydan. The Duck festival kicks off the cajun festival season. There are alot of fun events and features at the festival including a skeet shooting contest , an outdoor cookoff , and a goose and duck calling contest. There is also a grand parade associated with the festival on Saturday and begins at 9 a.m.

The festival also always offers an array of live music throughout the event. Playing this year are some great cajun and local artist like Jaryd Lane , Jamie Bargeron and Kickin’ Cajuns, Travis Matte , and Geno Delafose. If your in the Gueydan area and looking for a good time then the Duck Festival is a must attend event.

SEPTEMBER

Plaisance Zydeco Music Festival
Sept 3rd-5th
Location: Opelousas
Info Link: http://www.zydeco.org

This is one of the premier music festivals in cajun country. The Zydeco festival is held every year in the town of Opelousas. This festival offers a great time for all but especially for zydeco and cajun music lovers offering some great workshops and a presentation on the history of Zydeco music and even some lessons on Zydeco music dancing.

There is a extremely talented lineup of musical entertainment at this years festival including JJ Callier , Geno Delafose, LiL’ Nathan, Chubby Carrier, Feufollet and Chris Ardoin among others. Its a gurantee that this will be a party cajun style so if your in the area be sure to stop on by.

Lafayette Reggae and Cultural Festival
Sept 5th-6th
Location: Carencro
Info Link: http://www.lafayettereggaefest.com

This is another one of the great music cultural festivals in cajun country. The Reggae and Cultrual festival is held every year in Carencro. This festival offers some great music along with alot of cultural booths and a great time.

This year has a showcase of some great music on tap including Zema and Inner Visions, Dr King Cobra and Wazobia, True Spirit, Grandation , and Trueman Posse. It as always will be a great time !

Sugar Cane Festival
Sept 23rd-27th
Location: New Iberia
Info Link: http://www.hisugar.org

The sugar cane festival is one of the more well known festivals in the heart of cajun country. It is held every year in the town of New Iberia. This festival always offers an array of excitement including nights of dancing in the streets of downtown New Iberia and tons of booths offering cajun cooking and many other items.

There will be some great music offered this year to keep everyone dancing and partying for days. Things will kick off friday night with Andy Smith Band and Bag of Donuts and will continue on saturday with Soul and Broken Meauxjo. As always the festival is sure to be a great time.

OCTOBER

Germanfest
Oct. 3rd-4th
Location: Roberts Cove.
Info Link: http://www.robertscovegermanfest.com

This is a festival most would not expect to find in the heart of cajun country. The Germanfest is held every year in the community of Roberts Cove. Roberts Cove is a cummunity with great German roots going back many many years. Germanfest brings the spirit of Octoberfest to the cajun heartland and adds a little flavor to the cajun festival lineup.

Germanfest always offers a great mix of German food , music , and a glimpse into there deep culture. This is always one of the most electric festivals of the season and a must see for anyone in the area looking to have a great time.

Louisiana Cattle Festival
Oct. 8th-11th
Location: Abbeville
Info Link: http://www.louisianacattlefestival.org

The Louisiana Cattle Festival is a celebration of the Cattle Industry in southwest Louisiana. The festival is held every year in the town of Abbeville. The festival offers some great activities such as a livestock showings and judgings, a beef cookoff , and many booths offering an array of great food and street fair. There is also a grand parade for the festival on saturday.

The festival also features a cajun Fais-do-do !  There is as always a great lineup of music on tap for the festival including Beau Young , Geno Delafose, Richard LeBoef, and T.K. Hulin. There will also be some great events for the kids on sunday including a parade and Gospel Extravaganza. This festival as always will offer a great time for the whole family.

Festivals Acadiens et Creoles
Oct. 9th – 11th
Location: Lafayette
Info Link: http://www.festivalsacadiens.com

This is one of the bigger festivals held in cajun country. It once again brings the festival atmosphere back to the town of Lafayette. This festival offers a wide array of activities that celebrates the cajun and creole cultures. Events and activities will include Louisiana Folk Roots workshops and demonstrations , arts and craft shows and displays, a cajun/creole food festival , and tons of great cajun music.

There is a excellent lineup of music on tap for this years festival including some great cajun acts like  Nathan Williams , Feufollet , Jimmy Breaux, Balfa Toujours on saturday night and it continues into sunday with Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Bonsoir Catin , Cedric Watson, and WAYNE TOOPS. So if your dancing shoes are itching to move then get on down to the festival.

Pepper Festival
Oct 18th
Location:  St Martinville
Info Link: http://www.stmartinkiwanis.org/pepperfestival

This is just a one day festival but it overs alot of spice as it name indicates. The Pepper Festival is held every year in the town of St Martinville. The festival celebrates a well known theme of cajun country “Pepper”. The festival offers some very entertaining events like a pepper eating contest , locan dance school performance , and some great games and crafts for the whole family. There will also as always be some great cajun food on hand , just watchj out for the spice lol.

There will be some great music on stage including Geno Delafose and Nik-L-Beer to keep everyone dancing and the party going. So be sure to stop on by the Pepper Festival for a Hot time.

Rice Festival
Oct. 22nt – 24th
Location: Crowley
Info Link: http://www.ricefestival.com

The Rice Festival is another cajun festival celebrating one of the most well known South Louisiana industries. The festival is held every year in the town of Crowley. This is one of the bigger cajun festivals and offers alot of great activities including a street fair , a great parade, alot of great booths offering cajun food and drink. The festival offers a look into the Rice Industy of louisiana offering a look into its history and impact on the state.

The Rice Festival also always offers a great variety of music ranging from Cajun and Zydeco to country and rock n roll. If your hitting the festival trail this season then this is a must stop along the way.

Yambilee Festival
Oct. 22nt-25th
Location: Opelousas
Info Link: http://www.yambilee.com

The Yambilee festival is dedicated to the celebration of the Yam. The festival is held every year in the town of Opelousas. The festival as always is once again offering a great array of activities including a parade , a carnival , various food competitions, many different arts and crafts booths, and also a battle of the bands.

The festival always produces a great mix of music including Cajun , Zydeco, Country, and Rock-n-Roll. So if your looking to have one “Sweet” time then be sure to hit the Yambilee Fest.

Blackpot Festival
Oct. 30th-31st
Location: Lafayette
Info Link:  Not Available

This is one of the newer festivals on the scene offering a look into the new and old cultures of Cajun Country. The festival is held in the town of Lafayette at Acadiana Village. Festival goers are allowed to camp out of the Acadiana Village ground throughout the festival. The festival celebrates the mixing of the old and new of cajun culture. The festival offers some great activities including a blackpot cookoff , an accordion playing contest, and tons of great cajun food and music.

There is a great list of music ontap for this years festival including Red Stick Ramblers , The Pine Leaf Boys, Horace Trahan, and The Lost Bayou Ramblers. There is a great mix of younger and older cajun musicians carrying on the great music traditions of cajun country. Be sure to stop on by and get in on the great toe tapping action.

NOVEMBER

Giant Omelette Festival
Nov. 7th-9th
Location: Abbeville
Info Link: Not Available

As the festival trail runs into November its then time for the Giant Omelette Festival. The Omelette festival is held every year in the town of Abbeville. The festival offers a great list of activites and one very very large 5,000 egg Omelette. Activities include an arts and crafts show, a 2-mile walk through the historic town of Abbeville , a tour of historic homes within the city , and a tractor “egg cracking” game. This festival offers a chace to take a real close look at one of the most historic cajun country towns up close and personal.

Along with a great look at the city there will also be a great array of music offered including cajun and country. If your interested in learning and seeing some up close history of the Cajun people then this is the festival for you.

Frog Festival
Nov. 12th-14th
Location: Rayne
Info Link: http://www.raynefrogfestival.org

This is another one of the long running and fun events on the festival trail. The festival is held every year in the town of Rayne which is known as the “Frog caipatal” of the world. The festival is offering some great activities including a 5K Run, a great carnival , and a 3-day arts and crafts fair with more then 60 vendors on hand, and a frog jumping contest. There is also many booths on hand offering some great cajun cousine to go along with the very festive atmosphere.

This year like in the past the festival brings with in a great list of live music including Kira Viator, KrossFyre, Jaryd Lane, Jamie Bergeron and Kickin Cajuns, Geno Delafose, and also a special appearence by  Bad Company !   This gurantee’s to be a great time !

“They thought I was turning my back on what I was raised on, and I wasn’t,” Toups said. “I was just trying to create a progressive style going into the future. The music needed to advance, and I tried to do it in a very slow and positve way. I wanted my music to go somewhere, and I wanted the tradition to have a solid foundation leading into the future.”

Since then, most Cajun music fans have come around to Toups’ way of thinking, and he’s even dipped back into his heritage to record a few traditional records. So just what does Toups’ music sound like? He describes it as “a musical gumbo of Southern rock and rhythm and blues with a real tough Cajun accent.”

While that’s mostly what Toups will play at festival appearances like the one today at the Riverside Crawfish Fest, he still has a real affection for the music he grew up with.

“I’m still capable of playing those nice little waltzes and two-steps,” he said. “We have a lot of fun. That’s the main thing. We like to have fun, and the musicianship is really good.”

It’s been a few years since Toups has made a stop in Monroe, but he says he always enjoys his visits.

“We have a lot of fans from the Monroe area,” he said. “It will be a very high party atmosphere, and we’re going to try our best to entertain them the best way we can.”

The Riverside Crawfish Fest continues Saturday with a performance by country singer T. Graham Brown.

What: Riverside Crawfish Fest, featuring Wayne Toups
When: 5 p.m.-midnight Friday
Where: Monroe Civic Center, 401 Lea Joyner Expressway, Monroe
Cost: $8

Source: newsstar

Every year on Mardi Gras Day (Feb. 24 this year), costumed revellers take the small southwestern town of Eunice, La., by storm in a custom straight out of medieval France. Clad in fringed outfits, cone-shaped capuchons that resemble dunce caps and wire mesh masks, they go from house to house and farm to farm, knocking on doors and begging for gumbo ingredients such as chickens, rice and sausage.

Starting early in the morning, a caped capitaine who rides the lead horse approaches each homeowner to ask “permission” before his mischievous band enters and runs amok.

“Ayou la poule?” his masked band chants, as they engage in their madcap antics – chasing a hapless chicken and swinging it around their heads, dancing atop their horses, climbing trees, wrestling, hiding in drainpipes and making chicken noises – all of it lubricated by copious amounts of alcohol.

“Some degree of inebriation is permissible and even desirable,” a permanent exhibit on Cajun Mardi Gras at the Louisiana State Museum notes soberly about the courir, which locals nickname the “chicken run.”

Accompanying the revellers are wagons bearing cold beer and sausage, and carrying Cajun bands playing fiddle and accordion music so frenetically uptempo that toe-tapping is darn near irresistible. The daylong jaunt ends with a parade through town and chants for “cinq sous (a nickel) pour le Mardi Gras” before a gumbo cookout in the fields.

“In New Orleans when people say `Throw me something, mister’ and get plastic beads – now, what kind of sauce can you make with that?” sniffs Mardi Gras purist Georgie Manuel, a Cajun who crafts costumes and window-screen masks with her husband in Eunice. “The SPCA came once to complain. Do they think chickens go to the supermarket, pluck their own feathers and commit suicide?”

The courir in these small towns on the Cajun prairie began dying out between World War I and II due to efforts to suppress French in schools and Cajun customs in Louisiana. But a Cajun revival began in the 1950s, and the state formed the Council for the Development of the French Language in Louisiana (CODIFIL). While the courir was men-only decades ago, today it’s coed in Eunice. Some nearby towns do women-only courirs, like Mamou, where women craft needlepoint masks.

“Our people were pushed out of France, pushed out of Canada, pushed so far back into the countryside down here that our traditions survived,” Manuel explains. “There was a real distrust of `les Americains,’ as my grandmother called them. It became almost like an invisible force field – you’re not getting out, we’re not getting in.”

The history of the Cajuns, plus demos of their distinctive music and food, can be found at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice, part of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, named after the French pirate who helped defeat the British in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Thousands of French-speaking Acadians were expelled or migrated from present-day Nova Scotia in the decades after l’Acadie, where many French had settled as early as 1604, was ceded to the British in 1713 and renamed New Scotland.

Many were sent in shiploads to nine American colonies, where their reception was often less than warm.forbidden to disembark. In New York, they were sold as indentured servants. Some Acadians returned to France or French Caribbean colonies, or escaped to Quebec, New Brunswick or Prince Edward Island.

But when Spain acquired Louisiana from France around 1762 and extended a welcome due, many Acadian exiles moved to the very different geography of prairies with tall grasses and humid swamps and bayous in south Louisiana.

Today, “Acadiana” consists of 23 parishes (counties) in southwest and southeast Louisiana settled by Acadians (eventually slurred to “Cajun”). As a gesture of thanks to Spain, the official Acadiana flag shows not only a fleur de lis and a gold star for their Catholic faith but also a golden castle to symbolize the Spanish kingdom of Castile.

Gumbo, a signature Cajun food, reflects the hodgepodge of cultures in south Louisiana, made with a roux – a mix of flour and oil – from France, spices from the Caribbean, file (ground sassafras leaves) from Native Americans, and rice.

Tourists can pay to join a courir, one of many food-related festivals in Acadiana. In St. Landry Parish alone, there’s the World Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cookoff in Eunice, a “Yambilee” and a spice festival in Opelousas, a crawfish boat festival in Lawtell and a catfish festival in Washington.

The festivals are open to all, but Manuel does offer a word of “caution” about the chicken run.

“The courir is organized chaos, is what it is,” she says. “If you don’t want to laugh, don’t come.”

thestar.com/article/585987

With Lent quickly approaching in heavily-Catholic Cajun country, a mainstay of the traditional 40-day diet may be difficult to find: crawfish.

Production of pond crawfish so far this year is about half of what it was a year ago.

“I’ve been in the business for 20 years. This is the worst I’ve ever seen it,” said Scott Broussard, a producer and processor in Crowley.

The lack of crawfish in Acadiana ponds means a lack of crawfish in boiling pots and restaurant tables.

Dwight Breaux of Dwight’s restaurant on Johnston Street in Lafayette was forced to shut his doors last Friday and Saturday nights because he couldn’t get crawfish. It was the first time he ever closed two consecutive nights because crawfish were in short supply.

“Is there a crawfish season?” he asked. “I missed it if there’s one.”

Dwight’s has since reopened with a sign announcing the crawfish had returned.

Rain from Hurricane Gustav, saltwater from Hurricane Ike and a drought all contributed to create what is one of the worst beginnings of pond crawfish season in years.

Heavy rainfall from Gustav north of Iberia Parish, in St. Martin Parish and other areas east of Interstate 49, came at a critical time, as crawfish were emerging from hibernation, Stephen Minvielle, director of the Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Association said.

When they emerged, water was topping levees surrounding some ponds, which allowed the crawfish to escape.

“If you pour goldfish in a lake, are you ever going to get them back?” he asked.

Hurricane debris, such as leaves and grass, remained in some flooded ponds for weeks following Gustav, sucking up the oxygen in the water and choking crawfish, Mark Shirley with the LSU AgCenter, said.

In southwestern Louisiana, crawfish farmers were hit by a drought, Shirley said. Crawfish burrow into the soil to hibernate. A lack of rain causes the soil to dry up and the crawfish die.

In Vermilion and lower Iberia parishes, Ike’s storm surge sent salt water into as much as 4,000 acres of crawfish ponds. They’re recovering slowly, Shirley said. Some may have reduced production later this year, but some will not produce enough to sell.

The good news is, by March or April the young crawfish that are present in ponds today but are too small to catch should be large enough for harvesting, he said.

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]]> http://cajungoods.com/crawfish-shortage-has-producers-concerned/feed 0 http://cajungoods.com/lafayette-madri-gras-parade-schedule http://cajungoods.com/lafayette-madri-gras-parade-schedule#comments Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:24:39 +0000 Ragin Cajun http://cajungoods.com/?p=218 Saturday, February 14. 2009

Carnivale de Rio Parade
6:30 pm FREE

Friday Night Parade
Friday, February 20, 2009
6:30 pm FREE
Saturday Parades
Children’s Mardi Gras Parade
Saturday, February 21, 2009
12:30 pm FREE

Bonaparte Parade
6:30 pm FREE
Monday Parade
Queen’s Parade
Monday, February 23, 2009
6PM FREE
Tuesday Mardi Gras
February 24, 2009 King’s Parade
10 AM FREE

Independent Parade
2:00 PM FREE

Date Time Parade
Saturday, Feb. 7    6:30 p.m.    Krewe du Vieux
Friday, Feb. 13    6 p.m.     Oshun
Friday, Feb. 13    7 p.m.    Pygmalion
Saturday, Feb. 14    2 p.m.    Pontchartrain
Saturday, Feb. 14    6 p.m.    Sparta
Saturday, Feb. 14    6:45 p.m.    Pegasus
Sunday, Feb. 15    Noon    Carrollton
Sunday, Feb 15    1:15 p.m.     King Arthur & Merlin
Sunday, Feb. 15    2 p.m.    Barkus
Wednesday, Feb. 18    6:30 p.m.    Druids
Thursday, Feb. 19    5:45 p.m.     Babylon
Thursday, Feb. 19    6:15 p.m.    Muses
Thursday, Feb. 19    6:30 p.m.    Chaos
Friday, Feb. 20    6 p.m.     Hermes
Friday, Feb. 20    6 p.m.    D’Etat
Friday, Feb. 20    7 p.m.    Morpheus
Saturday, Feb. 21    11 a.m.     Iris
Saturday, Feb. 21    Noon    Tucks
Saturday, Feb. 21    4:15 p.m.    Endymion
Sunday, Feb. 22    11 a.m.    Okeanos
Sunday, Feb. 22    Noon    Thoth
Sunday, Feb. 22    11:45 p.m.    Mid City
Sunday, Feb. 22    5:15 p.m.    Bacchus
Monday, Feb. 23    5:15 p.m.    Proteus
Monday, Feb. 23    6 p.m.    Orpheus
Tuesday, Feb. 24    8 a.m.    Zulu
Tuesday, Feb. 24    10 a.m.    Rex
Tuesday, Feb. 24    Follows Rex    Elks Orleans
Tuesday, Feb. 24    Follows Elks    Crescent City

Metairie

Date    Time     Parade
Sunday, Feb. 8    Noon    Lil Rascals
Friday, Feb. 13    7 p.m.    Excalibur
Friday, Feb. 13    7:30 p.m.    Atlas
Saturday, Feb. 14    6 p.m.    Caesar
Sunday, Feb. 15    1 p.m.    Rhea
Sunday, Feb. 15    5:30 p.m.    Centurions
Wednesday, Feb. 18    7 p.m.    Thor
Saturday, Feb. 21    6:30 p.m.    Isis
Sunday, Feb. 22    5:30 p.m.    Napoleon
Monday, Feb. 23    6:30 p.m.    Zeus
Tuesday, Feb. 24    10 a.m.    Argus
Tuesday, Feb. 24    Follows Argus    Elks Jefferson

West Bank

Date    Time     Parade
Friday, Feb. 13    6:30 p.m.    Cleopatra
Saturday, Feb. 14    11 a.m.    Choctaw
Saturday, Feb. 14    11:45 a.m.    Adonis
Sunday, Feb. 15    Noon    Alla
Saturday, Feb. 21    10:45 a.m.    NOMTOC
Tuesday, Feb. 24    11 a.m.    Grela

Chalmette/ St. Bernard

Date    Time     Parade
Sunday, Feb. 15    1 p.m.    Nemesis

Mardi Gras – Fat Tuesday – is Feb. 24 this year, and you can find a schedule of the parades leading up to the big day at the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau for the city and surrounding areas. The CVB Web site provides a little history on the local pre-Lenten celebrations, and before you go you should read “Mardi Gras 101″ and check out “Fun Facts …” And since this is Mardi Gras, you’ll want to browse through the nightlife and restaurant guides.

One of the CVB’s facts is that most of the metropolitan area’s more than 30,000 hotel rooms get filled for Mardi Gras, so make your reservations early with the help of the “Where to Stay” section. If you can’t find anything, click on “Outside Metro” to broaden your search. And if you can’t be there for Mardi Gras, look for the “Festivals” link; the French Quarter Festival is coming up on April 17-19.

Who are these “krewes” and what are “throws”? Find out in the “General Info” section of Mardi Gras New Orleans and read “King Cake History” to see what you should look for in your slice of this seasonal treat. They also provide photos, videos and a link to a Bourbon Street Web cam, plus maps of the parade routes.

The wildest partying, and some of the best music, takes place in the French Quarter — the Vieux Carre, which still bears the marks of French and Spanish rule. Before heading to the city, look for the links to maps of the quarter.

Go for the partying but take home memories of the Big Easy’s food and music.

Get profiles of dining landmarks such as Antoine’s and Brennan’s at New Orleans Restaurants along with an interactive map to plot your travels from table to table, and recipes for etouffee, gumbo and more.

The folks at About.com also have put together a collection of recipes, including one for beignets, the sugar-dusted pastry served at the Cafe du Monde, in the French Market.

Next, head to Mardi Gras Music for links to local groups, and consider some cajun, creole and zydeco events around Mardi Gras time.

Look for “Things to See and Do” at New Orleans Online and read the music guides. Start with “Music History and Traditions” to learn some essential background, then check out some of the clubs, including Tipitina’s on Napoleon Avenue.

Pick up more music information by going back to the CVB Web site and clicking on “Music and All That Jazz.”

For instant gratification, crank up the volume on your computer and tune to WWOZ, the radio home of New Orleans music. And after you arrive in New Orleans, save some of your souvenir money until you get to the Louisiana Music Factory so you can take home a few CDs of local jazz, cajun and zydeco artists.

Back at New Orleans Online, look under “Travel Tools” for guides to the city’s major streets and neighborhoods. And for more subdued activities after your late-night partying, go back to “Things to See and Do” to locate historic homes you can visit, like the 1826 Beauregard-Keyes House, and plantations such as Oak Alley, which you might recognize from movies.

New Orleans history also moves. The St. Charles Streetcars are a nostalgic to tour part of the city.

There’s so much more to occupy your time that you might want to consult the tourist Guide section of New Orleans Website Directory for links to live music clubs, antique shops, galleries, golf courses and other attractions.

And keep in mind that the festivities aren’t limited to New Orleans. Southwest Louisiana has a full range of krewes including Bonaparte, Versailles and Krewe des Jeunes Amis. Farther east, Mobile, Ala., boasts that it had North America’s first Mardi Gras and it’s keeping up the tradition with weeks of parades and parties.
cbsnews.com/stories/2009/02/06/travel/main4780232.shtml

All Lafayette Mardi Gras parades follow the same route – starting at Pontiac Point (Simcoe, Surrey and Jefferson streets) and ending at Cajun Field.

The entire route is lined with barricades to hold back crowds and protect revelers in the parades and those watching.

Barricades will be placed along the parade route according to the following schedule:

Feb. 12, starting at 8 a.m., from Pontiac Point to the intersection of Vermilion and Johnston streets. The barricades will not block intersections.

Feb. 13, starting at 8 a.m., from the intersection of Vermilion and Johnston streets, down Johnston Street to North College, ending at the Cajun Field entrance at Reinhardt Drive. Barricades will not block major intersections, but crossovers on Johnston Street and North College will be limited.

Feb. 14, following parades, the barricades will be removed from the roadway and placed on the shoulder. Access will be back to normal for Sunday morning.

Feb. 19, starting at 8 a.m., from Pontiac Point to the intersection of Vermilion and Johnston streets. The barricades will not block intersections.

Feb. 20, starting at 8 a.m., from the intersection of Vermilion and Johnston streets, down Johnston Street to North College, ending at the Cajun Field entrance at Reinhardt Drive. Barricades will not block major intersections, but crossovers on Johnston Street and North College will be limited.

Barricades will stay along the parade route until Feb. 24, Mardi Gras Day.

All barricades will be removed from the roadway following the last parade and placed along the shoulder.

“We understand that there are inconveniences associated with the placement of barricades and some of the other logistics associated with putting on Mardi Gras festivities, and we appreciate the sacrifices our citizens and businesses make,” said Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel.

“However, the positives associated with the family-friendly Mardi Gras put on in Lafayette far outweigh the negatives, and add to the quality of life and culture we are known for and all enjoy.”

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