If you’re looking to experience Cajun culture, check out the many annual events in Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou.
Just south of New Orleans, Lafourche Parish extends all the way to the Gulf Coast and is a popular destination for outdoor adventurers, foodies, and fisherman.
Whether you’re looking to go fishing in Louisiana or want to attend a unique event like the French Food Festival, there always something going on in Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou.
Below are some of the top annual Lafourche Parish events to check out.
February
Mardi Gras
"Throw Me Something, Mister!" This is a phrase people say as they get caught up in the Mardi Gras spirit. And when it comes to Mardi Gras spirit, the people and parades in Louisiana's Cajun Bayou are tough to beat. From the Krewe of Ambrosia parade in Thibodaux at the beginning of Carnival season, all the way to the Krewe of Neptune parade in Golden Meadow on Fat Tuesday, you will experience Mardi Gras in a way that only Cajuns can provide.
March
St. Patrick’s Day on the Bayou
Get in spirit of “Erin Go Bragh” in Thibodaux with St. Patrick’s Day on the Bayou! Enjoy live music, great food, and fun-filled activities for kids. Don’t forget about the famous cardboard boat races in the bayou!
Downtown Thibodaux, LA 70301
April
Lockport Food Festival
The Lockport Food Festival is a celebration of one thing we do best: Food! Get a taste for authentic Cajun food and enjoy live music, dancing, carnival rides, and more!
4484 Highway 1
Raceland, LA 70394
July
Golden Meadow Fourchon Tarpon Rodeo
Experience a lively weekend of fishing at the annual Golden Meadow Fourchon Tarpon Rodeo. There are multiple ways you can participate in this festival. Cast a line in hopes of catching the big one, sign up for the King of the Catch Cook-Off, or simply enjoy the live music and delicious food provided throughout.
288 Flotation Canal Road
Golden Meadow, LA 70357
October
Louisiana Gumbo Festival
You’ve heard how delicious authentic gumbo is and now the Louisiana Gumbo Festival in Chackbay (the “Gumbo Capitol of Louisiana”) is your chance to indulge in gumbo galore. Taste recipes handed down through generations with gumbos of all kinds including sausage, chicken, and seafood. This festival is a local favorite and has been named one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by the Southeastern Tourism Society, and one of the Top 100 Events in North America by the American Bus Association.
326 Highway 304
Chackbay, LA 70301
French Food Festival
Celebrate both food and French roots as they become intertwined at the French Food Festival. Eat a variety of delicious hearty meals, watch Cajun folklife demonstrations, and learn to dance like a local to live music.
307 East 5th Street
Larose, LA 70373
November
Big Boy’s Main Street Cook-Off
Big Boy’s Main Street Cook-Off takes over two full blocks of Historic Downtown Thibodaux every November. Enjoy live music and specialty dishes like jambalaya boulettes, shrimp and grits, and charbroiled oysters, whipped up by some of the best cooks in the region.
Downtown Thibodaux, LA 70301
Thibodeauxville Fall Festival
On the second Saturday of each November, the award-winning Thibodeauxville Fall Festival attracts thousands of visitors from surrounding states to discover this historic community. One of the top events in Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, this family-friendly festival in Louisiana has live music, arts and crafts vendors, a car show, and their famous Thibodeauxville Duck Race in Bayou Lafourche.
Downtown Thibodaux, LA 70301
