By Maggie Heyn Richardson
When you think about where to find great food and music, big cities spring to mind. But along Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, the cuisine and culture are among the country’s most vibrant and authentic. The constellation of small towns up and down Bayou Lafourche is home to wildly talented chefs, artisans, and musicians whose handiwork can be experienced at a variety of annual events. From the Louisiana Gumbo Festival with its scratch-made gumbo to the more than 30 chefs facing off at Thibodaux’s Big Boys Main Street Cookoff, local gatherings attract food fans by the thousands for bites only found here. It’s no wonder the area has its own Cajun Bayou Food Trail.
Charming downtown Thibodaux comes to life with the free, family-friendly Fall Arts Walk on September 20. Stroll along historic Main Street and see amazing works of art, including paintings, photography, three-dimensional pieces, fabric art, and more at booths hosted by regional artists and makers. But the event goes beyond visual art. Live music from regional acts will have you dancing in the streets! Meander down historic streets and check out the many local merchants, restaurants, and bars that make downtown Thibodaux so vibrant. Grab a shrimp po’boy, a cup of gumbo, or some cozy bread pudding. Sip a specialty cocktail or a sudsy craft beer. There’s no better place to spend a balmy fall evening.
It might be named after a menacing weather event, but the annual Cut Off Youth Center Hurricane Festival is all about light-hearted family fun. The annual gathering draws visitors from all over the region for carnival rides, live music, arts and crafts, a live auction, cornhole tournament, and plenty of authentic Cajun cuisine. Don’t look for ordinary burgers and dogs at this longstanding gathering. Come hungry and sink your teeth into a line-up that includes savory gumbo, juicy steaks with Pinot Noir sauce, seafood-stuffed pistolettes, fresh Gulf oysters, fried alligator and delicate, deftly fried shrimp. Mais oui, chère—these eats are anything but ordinary. The weekend event takes place September 27-29 and features free parking and admission.
Peer into the lively and fascinating history of Louisiana’s Cajun heritage at La Fete des Vieux Temps, or the “Festival of Old Times,” in Raceland. Taking place October 4-6, the beloved gathering serves up a chance to dance the Cajun two-step to the toe-tapping sounds of the fiddle and accordion—along with lots of other live music. Shop arts and crafts made by local makers, sample a wide variety of Cajun food, see the crowning of the festival queen, and enjoy pirogue races down the bayou as boatmen paddle their way to the finish line.
Slurp! If gumbo is the poster dish of Cajun cuisine, the 51st annual Louisiana Gumbo Festival is the poster event. Held October 11-13 in Chackbay, the food fest draws more than 15,000 attendees for amusements, music, a parade, and world-class gumbo served. Volunteers prepare more than 500 gallons of gumbo—all from scratch! Opt for chicken and sausage or seafood gumbo, or give up trying to choose and sample some of each. The menu doesn’t stop there. It explodes with options that include jambalaya, pastalaya, white beans, fried fish, smoked sausage, crawfish kickers, sauce piquant, hamburgers, French fries, and lots of sweet treats. Carnival rides and games of chance deliver fun for all, while nine live bands set a festive backdrop for music fans. This famed event is a benefit for the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department and was previously named one of the Top 20 Events in the Southeast by The Southeast Tourism Society.
Thibodaux’s biggest outdoor music festival, Acadia Music Fest, returns this year on October 19 with back-to-back big-name artists like Nelly and Cowboy Mouth along with other regional and national performers. The one-day fest takes advantage of mild temperatures and balmy breezes, and features artisan booths, kids’ activities, and food and drink provided by regional restaurants, food trucks, and caterers. All ages are welcome.
Head down the bayou to the town of Larose for the lip-smacking French Food Festival, a chance to savor the gastronomic heritage of Cajun Country. Enjoy live music and dancing and the march of this year’s newly crowned festival queens. Browse arts and crafts in the artisans exhibit area, known as “Les Artistes des Bayou.” The food you’ll find is unsurpassed with a sprawling menu that includes all kinds of belt-loosening goodies in one place. Come hungry and find jambalaya, red beans and sausage, fried fish, fried shrimp, crawfish pies, meat pies, alligator sauce piquant, crawfish fettucine, crab cakes, and lots more. The weekend event takes place October 25-27 at the Larose Civic Center.
What do you get when you cross real pit barbecue, dozens of different spirits, and a community fundraiser for a beloved local nonprofit? It’s BBQ & Bourbon on the Bayou! Held November 2nd at the Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium, the benefit for the Lafourche Arc features live music and more than 50 different bourbons. Mix and mingle among the bourbon booths to snag a sample of your favorite taste, which includes high end bottles. Fill your belly with mouthwatering smoked ribs and tender pulled pork, all for a good cause.
There are cookoffs and there are cookoffs. The Big Boys Main Street Cookoff is as bold and exciting as its name suggests. More than 30 teams of local chefs and food professionals from up and down the bayou showcase their talents with inventive dishes and classic Cajun favorites. Move along the two-block area in downtown Thibodaux to taste mind blowing eats that marry local ingredients with traditional bayou to table flavors. It’s no wonder the gathering is part of the Cajun Bayou Food Trail. Held on Friday, November 8th, Big Boys Main Street Cookoff kicks off Thibodeauxville Fall Festival, the community’s largest fall gathering.
Live music, a car show, local arts, endless food, and a crowd-pleasing rubber duck race are just some of the fun served up annually at the Thibodeauxville Fall Festival. Thousands come out for the lively event, first launched in 1992 and held throughout beautiful historic downtown Thibodaux. Visit 175 retail and artisan arts and crafts booths, enjoy live music from three stages, and visit a food court with more than 25 vendors preparing 75 different dishes. Chargrilled oysters, anyone? How about some spicy pastalaya? Don’t forget a frozen daiquiri to wash it down. The festival’s marquee rubber duck race takes place at 4 pm, when thousands of numbered ducks are ceremoniously tossed from a bridge into Bayou Lafourche. The winning duck’s corresponding ticket holder wins a $1,000 prize. Thibodeauxville takes place this year on November 9. Shuttles are available from designated parking areas to the festival.
Warm, welcoming, and positively packed with delicious, authentic cuisine, Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou draws visitors and locals alike to “pass a good time” in one of the Gulf South’s most unique areas. Select from a wide variety of accommodations and plan to stay the weekend around a festive fall event. Travel never tasted so good!
About the Author: Maggie is an award-winning features writer covering Louisiana and the Gulf South and the author of Hungry for Louisiana, An Omnivore’s Journey.
