Mid-September is a demanding time for south Louisiana farmers harvesting the many things we grow, but it is also a busy time for folks who like to eat, dance, and generally pass a good time. The festivals that go into full swing this month are evidence that we will celebrate just about anything.
The first ones in south Louisiana were based on things we raised on the farm or pulled from the Gulf - rice, shrimp, sugar, cotton - and most of them, besides offering good fun, had the serious purpose of selling our crops to a wider market.
Since then, festivals have sprung up to celebrate just about everything we eat - crawfish (Breaux Bridge), ducks, (Gueydan), frogs (Rayne), rabbits (Iowa), étouffée (Arnaudville), boudin (Scott), cracklins (Parks, Port Barre), hot peppers (St. Martinville), the omelet (Abbeville), mayhaws (Starks), sweet dough pies (Grand Coteau), barbecue (DeQuincy), and smoked meats, (Ville Platte), to name a few.
