The state of Louisiana is widely known for its rich history, musical traditions, good food and fun spirit. Its largest city, New Orleans, is considered one of the best cities for food in the world. Many famous cooks began their careers in restaurants that offer the rich traditions of Cajun and Creole cooking. Before we tell about the food and music of Louisiana, Bob Doughty explains more about Creole and Cajun traditions. READ MORE

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A perennial favorite of local festivalgoers, Festivals Acadiens et Creoles will kick off today with three events, and it will wind its way through the weekend, featuring the best in local Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music, food, and culture. This year's festival is also marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec. Members of the Québec government, including the Counsel for the Québec delegation, will be on hand during the festival. READ MORE

Sure Jazz Fest is over but that doesn't mean Louisiana drains the swamp and heads north for the Summer.

Don't let the heat and humidity scare you away. The crowds are fewer and you'll have space to move around, slowly. Plan now and dive into some of Louisiana's great Festivals this Summer!

compiled for sources all over the internet. Be sure to confirm with the venue before heading out as times, dates and locations often change.

Back to the Beach Festival

May 30 - June 1
at the lake at the end of Williams Boulevard.
Kenner
Music, food, games, crafts, car show to benefit the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation

Pastries and Poboys

June 1
9:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M
Plano Demonstration Garden Patio
New Orleans Botanical Garden
1 Palm Drive, New Orleans
features pastries from La Louisianne, po-boys, cocktails and music from local bands

Summer Sippin Wine Tasting

June 1
5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
Conservatory
New Orleans Botanical Garden
1 Palm Drive, New Orleans
Wine tasting, music and entertainment

Riverbend Bluegrass Festival

June 5 -7
Enon
River Bend Campground off Louisiana 16
Gospel & bluegrass music and food
http://www.sabinebluegrass.com

Church Point Buggy Festival

June 6-8
City Park
Accordion-playing contest, Cajun music, buggy and horse-drawn carriage parade, food, rides and a children's French-speaking contest
http://www.churchpointbuggyfestival.com

Opelousas Spice and Music Festival

June 6-8
Evangeline Downs Racetrack
Cajun and zydeco music, food, rides, pageant parade.
http://www.opelousasspiceandmusicfestival.com

Cajun Day Festival

June 7
St. Rose American Legion Hall
12188 River Road
Music, dancing, food, raffles

Juneteenth Freedom Festival

June 7-8
Donaldsonville

Gheens Bon Mange Festival

June 7-8,
Gheens Community Center
Louisiana 654

Japan Fest

June 8
New Orleans Museum of Art
Japanese drumming and dancing, food, storytelling, ikebana, bonsai, origami, calligraphy and martial arts demonstrations

Louisiana Seafood Festival

June 13-15
Various locations: Jackson Square and around French Quarter
New Orleans
Music, cooking demonstrations, tastings, cookbook signings, vendors.
http://www.neworleansseafoodfestival.com

Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival

June 13-15
Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Ave
New Orleans
Food, cooking demonstrations, crafts, art market and music

Soul Fest

June 14-15
Audubon Zoo
New Orleans

Creole Tomato Festival

June 14-15
French Market
New Orleans
Cooking demonstrations, tomato tastings, food and music

Juneteenth Folklife Celebration

June 15
Farmer's Market
U.S. 190 East, Opelousas
African-American historical and cultural celebration with demonstrations, music and crafts.
http://www.cityofopelousas.com

Festival of Neighborhoods

June 21
2401 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans

Lacombe Crab Cook-Off Festival

June 21-22
John Davis Park, U.S. 190 and Twelth Street, Lacombe
Music, crab and seafood dishes, cooking competitions, crafts, rides and music

Grand Isle community Fair & Blessing of the Fleet

June 27-28
Tarpon Rodeo Pavillion

Le Festival de Viande Boucanee

June 27-28
Ville Platte

Greater Mandeville Seafood Festival

June 27-29
Jackson Avenue at Lakeshore Drive
http://www.seafoodfest.com

Down Da Bayou Festival

June 27-29
Knights of Columbus Home, Dulac
Cajun/Swamp-Pop music, food, auctions, crafts, raffle and bingo

Pridefest 2008

June 28-29
Washington Square Park, 706 Elysian Fields Ave, New Orleans
Gay pride event with entertainment, music, drag shows, food, contests and a French Quarter parade

Pecan Ridge Summer Bluegrass Festival

July 2-5
Pecan Ridge PArk, Louisiana 952, Jackson
Bluegrass and gospel music, and crafts

Greater Mandeville Seafood Festival

July 3-6
Fontainebleau State Park
near Mandeville
http://www.seafoodfest.com

Fourth of July events; around Louisiana

Lebeau Zydeco Festival

July 5
Immaculate Conception Church, U.S. 71

Louisiana Catfish Festival

July 11-13
St. Gertrude Catholic Church, Des Allemands

Jean Lafitte Seafood Festival

July 13 - 15
Across from City Hall on Highway 23, Jean Lafitte

Tales of the Cocktail

July 16-20
Hotel Monteleone and other French Quarter, New Orleans locations
Lectures, discussions, book signings, dinner pairings, cooking demonstrations, cocktail mixing seminars, walking tours, films screening a bartending course and a block party.

Morse Recreational Festival

July 17-19
Old-time street fair

Christmas In July

July 19
Ponchatoulas Historic District

Cajun French Music & Food Festival

July 19 - 20
Lake Charles, LA
http://www.tourlouisiana.com/cajun_music_festival.htm

Deep South Crane and Rigging Swamp Pop Music Festival

July 19-20
Lamar-Dixon Expo Center
Gonzales

Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo

July 24-26
Grand Isle, Sanddollar Marina
Oldest fishing rodeo in North America

Feliciana Hummingbird Celebration

July 25-26
St. Francisville Inn, 5720 N. Commerce St.
St. Francisville

Satchmo SummerFest

July 31 - August 3
Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Ave
New Orleans
http://www.satchmosummerfest.com

Whitney White Linen Night

Aug. 2
Contemporary Arts Center and Warehouse Arts District, New Orleans

National Hot Air Balloon Championships

Aug. 8-10
Pennington Center and BREC's Perkins Road Park
Baton Rouge
The Southeast Regional and Louisiana State Hot Air Balloon competitions
http://www.laballooning.com

Festival of Riches

Aug. 8-9
City Park, Cyr Gates Recreation Building, New Iberia

Le Cajun Music Awards Show & Festival

Aug. 15-17
Blackham Coliseum
Lafayette

Delcambre Shrimp Festival

Aug. 15-17
Main Street
http://www.shrimpfestival.net

Gueydan Duck Festival

Aug. 21-24
Rides, crafts, parades, skeet shoots, dog trials, duck-calling contest, Cajun food and music
http://www.duckfestival.org

DecaFest

Aug. 26- Sept. 1
French Quarter and CBD, New Orleans
Theater music, films, literary and culinary events

Southern Decadence Festival

Aug. 27-Sept. 1
French Quarter, New Orleans
http://www.southerndecadence.net

Shrimp and Petroleum Festival

Aug. 28-Sept. 1
downtown Morgan City
Louisiana's oldest chartered harvest festival
http://www.shrimp-petrofest.org

Mamou Cajun Music Festival

August 29-30
Mamou Civic Center

Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival

Aug. 30
Zydeco festival grounds
457 Zydeco Road, Plaisance,
http://www.zydeco.org

Creole Zydeco Festival

Aug. 31
Adam Carlson Park
St. Martinville

Rayne Frog Festival

September 5 - 7
http://www.rayne.org

Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival

September 12 - 14
http://www.meatpiefestival.com

Alligator Festival

September 26 - 28, 2008
West Bank Bridge Park in St Charles Parish under the Hale Boggs Bridge
http://www.stcharlesrotary.com/alligatorfestival.htm

See you at the fun!