Singer Rod Bernard, who died Sunday, stirred pride and controversy in 1958. The then-teenager from Opelousas was the talk of St. Landry Parish and beyond when he performed his Billboard Top 20 pop hit, “This Should Go on Forever,” on “American Bandstand.” Still a baby like the rock ‘n’ roll music it featured, “Bandstand” grew into an American television institution.

Bernard’s history-making moment also showed how times were much different. Legendary “Bandstand” host Dick Clark received a viewer complaint objecting to “sinner” in Bernard’s ballad.

Bernard sang, ‘If it’s a sin to really love you, then a sinner I will be.”

Before his TV appearance, producers flew Bernard to Chess Records in Chicago to recut the lyrics to “If it’s wrong to really love you, then wrong I’ll always be.” That modified version became a hit in England and a rare find at home.

The “Bandstand” single can be found on a 2003 CD, “The Early Jin Singles: Southland Rock ‘n’ Roll” on Ace Records, based in the United Kingdom. The album, which highlights 1950s and ‘60s swamp pop releases on Jin Records out of Ville Platte, is available locally at floydsrecordshop.com.

The 30-song CD includes selections from the Boogie Kings, Rockin’ Sidney, Phil Bo, Johnnie Allan and Red Smiley and the Vel-Tones featuring Clint West. West, aka Clinton Guillory, is the late father of current Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory.

Bernard’s regional hits can be found on “Rod Bernard: The Essential Collection,” which is also on Jin Records. Some, like “Colinda” and “Fais Do Do,” have French and English lyrics. Others, like “Good Hearted Man” and “Play a Song for My Baby, show off Bernard’s penchant for Fats Domino and the blues.

Almost two decades after his “Bandstand” glory, Bernard found more homegrown fame when he teamed with fellow Opelousas native and zydeco-king-in-the-making, Clifton Chenier, for the 1976 album, “Boogie in Black & White.” The title raised some eyebrows as public schools had just been integrated six years earlier.

But Bernard, Chenier and a sizzling band of black and white musicians raced through R&B and blues classics, like “My Babe” and “Rockin’ Pneumonia and Boogie Woogie Flu,’ along with the Cajun waltz, ‘My Jolie Blonde.” The album found new life in 2014 when it was re-released on CD.

Bernard leaves behind groundbreaking music and fond memories. Many still smile about the day a boy from Opelousas made history on national TV and opened the do to so much more. You can read more about Bernard in the words of his son, Shane Bernard, here.

(Herman Fuselier, a longtime music journalist, is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission.)

St. Landry Parish is the largest parish in Louisiana by landmass. Among these sprawling lands, we are blessed to have several diverse ecosystems and wildlife, including coastal prairies, upland hardwood habitats, bottomland hardwood habitats, and the iconic wetlands.

The coastal prairie, or Cajun prairie, is characterized by rolling fields of grasses and wildflowers, some of which were used by indigenous people as healing items. Some locals who have native prairie plants in their gardens report the rejuvenating effects of wild bergamot just from maintaining them normally. Upland hardwood can have mixtures of evergreens, pines, and deciduous trees. Magnolias and live oaks are some of the more well-known Louisiana trees found here. Gum, oak, and bald cypress are parts of the bottomland hardwood ecosystem. For more about these ecosystems and the native plants surrounding the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center catch up on our other blog here.

There are many ways to appreciate all that the outdoors of St. Landry Parish has to offer. Here, we will go through some of the activities you can participate in and how.

Trail Safety

Before you head out on your outdoor adventure, the Atchafalaya Water Heritage Trail has these safety tips for you:

• Some trail sites are remote and may be out of internet service range, so carry a Louisiana road map and printed driving directions with you. You can pick up waterproof paddle trail maps as well as Louisiana road maps at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center.
• If planning to walk, hike, or paddle at a trail site, research the site’s amenities beforehand and pack water, bug spray, and sunscreen.
• Practice Leave No Trace principles by carrying out everything you carry in. Do not litter.
• Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Wear appropriate footwear for the activities you will be engaging in.
• Tell someone where you are going.
• Stay on approved walking/paddling trails so as not to damage the nearby environment.
• Do not leave valuables in your car.
• Always wear a lifejacket when on the water and know your limits. When paddling, choose a trail that is appropriate for your skill level.
• Obey rules posted at trail sites. Trail sites are owned by different organizations, agencies, and private landowners, so rules may vary.
• Take pictures, not souvenirs. Leave natural objects and cultural artifacts for future visitors to discover.

Birdwatching

In a previous blog post, we spoke about some of the different bird species that make St. Landry Parish their home and where one would be able to find them. Here I’d like to talk about some ways to make that experience a little easier especially if you have an interest in getting started with birdwatching. If you have a Louisiana hunting or fishing license, you’re good to go to traverse our Wildlife Management Areas. If you don’t have one or are not interested in having one, you can buy a Wild Louisiana Stamp online here. This will give you access to WMAs or other Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries managed lands for just under $10 a year or $2 for a single day. You can learn more about other WMA/Refuge/Conservation Area licenses, permits, and access requirements here.

Some birds that have been sighted in St. Landry Parish are either endangered or protected. The Swallow-tailed Kite is one of these remarkable avians. A white and black raptor with long, pointed wings, this bird has a deep forked tail, not unlike a swallow. It is the largest of the North American kites. St. Landry Parish falls within their breeding range where they prefer pines adjacent to swampland. If you spot one of these birds, please contact Jennifer Coulson at jacoulson@aol.com or 504-717.3544.

Indian Bayou is managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and is a part of the America’s Wetland Birding Trail that you can follow to hit iconic swampland birds including songbirds, raptors, and wader-bird species as well as the Bald Eagle. You won’t need a Wild Louisiana Stamp for this area. Bayou Fordouche, Bayou Fuselier, the north flats of Henderson Lake, and Lake Bigeaux all run through this area and are perfect to spot large wading birds like the Rosette Spoonbill, Wood Stork, and Great Egrets. This area also offers 35 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding and eight miles of all-terrain vehicle trails.

Biking

While our Wildlife Management Areas are not suited for mountain biking, there’s no denying our scenic byways are ideal for long-distance biking. If you truly want to experience a biking adventure like no other, you have to attend Cycle Zydeco. Every year, Louisiana’s Cajun & Creole Cycling Festival rolls through Acadiana. Hundreds of bikers from across America and even the world, participate in this “rolling party”. They have live music, food, swamp tours, scavenger hunts, beer tastings, and of course, a winding stretch of road with scenic views.

If you can’t wait until April when the festival kicks off, then you can try the route yourself. Here’s a map of the route they take through St. Landry Parish.

This path is chosen for the general lack of traffic, its avoidance of major highways, and scenic views. It follows, for a time, Bayou Teche and eventually Bayou Courtableau. These two waterways were important for steamboat travel back in the 1800s.

Hiking/Walking Trails

Besides the winding paths of our Wildlife Management Areas, there are several places to experience the natural beauty of St. Landry Parish. The Cajun Prairie Restoration Site is a 10-acre tract of land in Eunice used as a living exhibit of the now endangered ecosystem of the Cajun Prairie. Walk the paths and see the collection of grasses and wildflowers that dot this rolling field. Check out their website for guided tour events.

Another way to appreciate the outdoors on foot is by visiting Atelier de la Nature in Arnaudville. This nature reserve and education center aims to inspire people to steward the nature in their backyard. They offer dual-language cooking workshops, guided nature walks, eco-workshops, art and science educational programming, and more. At the site, they are working to preserve native prairie lands, hardwood, and wetland habitats as well as family-friendly nature trails with outdoor art pieces including sculptures using recycled materials.

You can continue reading about outdoor activities in St. Landry Parish, here, in Part 2 of our Comprehensive Guide.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Music made by St. Landry Parish natives have traveled to the Grammy Hall of Fame, movies, TV shows, and festivals across the globe. Here’s the beginning of a #StLandryParish playlist that you can enjoy. There’s plenty more of this #GumboForYourSoul to come.

“Best of  Clifton Chenier” (Arhoolie) – Born in the country between Opelousas and Port Barre, “King of Zydeco” Clifton Chenier worked his way to a Grammy, the Grammy Hall of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, a supreme honor won by Hank Williams, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson and other all-time greats.

This “Best of” album shows what the fuss is all about, from hard-driving, two-steps to French blues to a live version of the hypnotic party starter, “Party Down at the Blue Angel Club).”

   “Refait,” Hadley Castille (Swallow) – Imagine crawling out of a mudhole, catching a plane, and performing before thousands of screaming fans in Canada. Such was the life of Cajun fiddler/plumber Hadley Castille, a proud native of Pecanierre (near Leonville.)

Castille used his meager, sharecropping roots and Harry Choates-flavored fiddling to pen stories about neighbors making moonshine and punishment for speaking French at school. Castille’s creations, redone on the “Refait” CD, have entertained Pres. George H.W. Bush and landed in the Clint Eastwood movie, “A Perfect World.”

“Le Cowboy Creole,” Geno Delafose (Time Square Records) – The legions of fans that follow Geno Delafose have pretty much given up hope of another CD. The last one, “Le Cowboy Creole,” earned a Grammy nomination. But that was 12 years ago.

Geno’s studio absence helped fuel fans who, before coronavirus, made Delafose’s band the most booked in the region – bar none. Like his shows, the CD includes a little something for everybody – zydeco, Cajun, swamp pop, a bi-lingual “When Will I Be Loved” from the Everly Brothers, and Lionel Richie’s “Easy.”

“Zydeco Live!” various artists (Rounder) – Perhaps the best live zydeco recording ever, “Zydeco Live!” was crafted in 1989 in the music’s dearly-departed Grand Ole Opry, Richard’s Club in Lawtell. This two-album set captures zydeco pioneer Boozoo Chavis in his red-hot comeback.

Willis Prudhomme and John Delafose, Geno’s dad, were in top form. Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, now world-traveled veterans, were just starting out.

Listeners outside Louisiana have asked why there’s no applause in this live album. Back then, zydeco fans danced instead of clapping. The dance floor was packed.

“Zydeco Famous Flames Live,” Leon Chavis (Chavis) – Leon Chavis has used skills learned as a trumpet player at Northwest High School and the world-famous Southern University Jaguar Marching Band to become one of contemporary zydeco’s hottest acts. Chavis’ first live CD, released in late April, landed at No. 4 on the iTunes World Music Chart.

Less than a month later, Chavis unveiled “Encore,” part two of his greatest hits live. It checked in at No. 8 on the World Chart. Get the passport ready, Leon.

    (Herman Fuselier, a longtime music journalist, is executive director of the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission.)

It’s time to celebrate the people that make up the fabric of our culture here in St. Landry Parish. The black community, from Creole ancestry to excellence in history, remains a consistent staple of our area. Here we have listed black-owned businesses that add to the culture of our area be it in food, art, attractions, or entertainment. Also listed are several Creole historical landmarks from the gravesite of an Olympian to the statue of the progenitor of Cajun & zydeco music as we know it.

Restaurants

Arpeggio’s Lounge & Event Center
204 North Main St.
Opelousas
337-407-5188

Pearl’s Country Kitchen
8247 Louisiana 182
Opelousas
337-594-8889

Coby’s Classic Cuisine
1631 North Main Street
Opelousas
337-678-0454

Allison’s Hickory Pit
501 West Laurel Avenue
Eunice
337-457-9218

Fat Belly’s Diner
317 East Jefferson Street
Opelousas
337-942-5445

Sweet Lucy’s Soul Food
1332 Goodloe Street
Opelousas
337-678-3311

Yam Country Pies
430 East Grolee Street
Opelousas
337-948-4553

Dominick’s Smoke Wagon
1611 North Main Street
Opelousas
337-692-9991

Shopping

Creole Heritage Folklife Center
1113 West Vine Street
Opelousas
337-945-5064

Nanny Belle’s Antiques
402 South Main Street
Washington
337-849-8477

Wild Child Essentials
129 West Landry Street
Opelousas
337-308-6754

Arts, Entertainment & Venues

Xclusive Banquet & Event Center
805 Napoleon Avenue
Sunset
337-349-3377

Art Box Studio & Gallery
115 South Main Street
Opelousas
337-418-1789

Cajun Creole Cuisine
Youtube Channel
Based in Opelousas
cajuncreolecuisine@gmail.com

Black & Creole Landmarks & Historical Sites

Holy Ghost Catholic Church
747 North Union Street
Opelousas
337-942-2732

Amédé Ardoin Statue
978 Kennerson Road
Opelousas
337-948-8004

JS Clark Memorial Walkway
828 East Landry Street
Opelousas
337-948-6263

Rodney Milburn Gravesite
2858 LA 743
Opelousas
337-948-8004

Zydeco Music Exhibit
828 East Landry Street
Opelousas
337-948-6263

If you are a black business owner and your tourism-related business meets the guidelines set in our Marketing & Promotions Policy is located within St. Landry Parish and you do not see it listed here, send an email to hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Opelousas is a culinary mecca. Fresh ingredients, specialty spice blends, and a history of being perfectly seasoned all add to the culinary tapestry of this area. People come here to taste authentic Cajun and Creole food, and if you want to cook like a local, Ken Durousseau is the man to see.

This Opelousas local has no formal culinary training. But for 10 years he has been stirring up recipes for family and friends inspired by his 84-year-old father, August Durousseau, a true Creole in the kitchen. Ken says his father has a range of talents ranging from the traditional—making everything from scratch like sausage, hogshead cheese, and boudin—to the fun like making his own tequila and wine.

“My father is my biggest inspiration,” Ken says. “Making things homemade, taking your time, and just having fun in the kitchen is what I’m all about, and I learned all that from him.”

Ken, as a creative and passionate person, has always been seeking ways to express himself and get more out of life.

“In the last few years, I’ve been thinking about what will make me happy. Been wanting more for myself and to find a creative way to express my passion for traditional cooking with my own twists.”

Ken runs the Facebook page and YouTube channel Cajun Creole Cuisine where he posts recipes, how-to videos to inspire and motivate the world with the recipes he loves.

“My cooking style mainly comes from southern local practices like gumbo, stews, smothered and smoked meats in a luxurious gravy,” says Ken. “But I also like to venture out and take inspiration from other cultures that I admire and am inspired by.”

Below is one of Ken’s recipes and videos. Check it out and get cooking!

Southern Louisiana Crawfish Pies, Shrimp & Crawfish Pasta & Fried Fish

Ingredients
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 cup of flour
Holy Trinity (onions, jalapeños, 2 celery sticks, 1 bunch of green onion, 5 cloves of garlic)
2 cups of water or seafood stock
1 tbsp of the following: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, fresh cracked coriander seed
8 mini pie crust
1 skinless chopped tomato (optional)
12 oz of crawfish tails
1 lb of peeled, deveined shrimp (pre-season to your liking)
8 oz of cream cheese
1/2 cup Asiago cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Gouda cheese, shredded
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 lb of pasta noodles
Pie crust (for lattice on crawfish pie, optional)

Feel free to substitute or adjust their recipe using your favorite seasonings and ingredients. You can find local butchers and groceries here for the freshest ingredients.

Add equal parts butter and flour. Stir consistently. We’re going for a blonde roux. Once the roux is to the desired color, add holy trinity. Stir and allow to cook until vegetables are translucent. Slowly add water or seafood stock. Add a quarter cup until desired consistency.

*Make sure you add enough water to break up the roux but don’t add too much or it will become watery.

Add seasonings and tomato. Then, stir and add crawfish tails. Cover pot for 5-8 minutes to let the juices marry. Add cream cheese and allow to melt while stirring. Now, taste! If needed, add additional seasonings and cheeses, Asiago and Gouda. Carefully ladle the mixture into slightly baked pie crust (follow directions on packaging). With the leftover mixture, add a quarter cup of heavy cream, cheese (optional), and seasoned shrimp. Let simmer. Boil pasta until al dente. Strain and combine with sauce. We used Gemelli pasta but you can use whatever you like.

Follow Ken’s Facebook page Cajun Creole Cuisine and his YouTube channel for more recipes.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

The music of Acadiana speaks to the soul. The distinctive sound of Cajun waltzes and high energy feeling of zydeco accordions cannot be found anywhere else. If you would like to learn genuine Cajun and zydeco styles and instruments, here are a list of musicians you can practice with online:

• • Sam Broussard (Mamou Playboys) | Guitar lessons. Msg him on Facebook.
  • Gina Forsyth (Bruce Daigrepont, The Malvinas) | Fiddle lessons (and also guitar) online using Skype, Zoom, or FB Video messenger, whichever, whatever, and whenever they prefer Contact ginaforsyth@gmail.com.
  • Jonno Frishberg (Charivari) |Fiddle lessons (and also guitar) contact through FB messenger, or email: jonno.frishberg@gmail.com
  • Daniel Gale (Low Maintenance) | All fiddle styles and classical, all ages and levels. Contact: danielfiddle@gmail.com Lessons via Skype, Google Hangouts, FaceTime, WhatsApp, etc.
  • David Greely (Mamou Playboys) | Cajun fiddle, fiddle in general, and Cajun singing david@davidgreely.com
  • Yvette Landry (Bonsoir, Catin, Lafayette Rhythm Devils) | Rhythm guitar, bass, accordion and vocals yvettelandrymusic@gmail.com
  • Blake Miller (Pine Leaf Boys, Revelers, Old-Fashioned Aces) | Bass guitar, Cajun accordion, fiddle, and guitar lessons. Also he or Amelia Biere can teach vocals and Cajun song pronunciation BlakeMiller10ta@gmail.com
  • Mitch Reed (Beausoleil, Racines, Charivari, Tasso) | Fiddle lessons, call (833) 337-6765. www.MitchReedMusicLessons.com.
  • Steve Riley (Mamou Playboys, Racines, High Performance) | Steve gives online accordion lessons. Contact jsriley2@hotmail.com.
  • Drew Simon ( T’Monde & The Pine Leaf Boys) | Cajun vocal, singing, guitar, rhythm or accordion classes. Contact drewtsimon@aol.com.
  • Henry Hample (Don Fontenot & Friends of Louisiana) | Teaches online fiddle, accordion, guitar, piano, and bass lessons www.henryhample.com
  • Corey Ledet (Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band) | Creole and zydeco accordion lessons. Contact coreyledet@gmail.com
  • Kaleb LeDay (Rusty Metoyer & the Zydeco Krush) | Creole and zydeco accordion lessons. Contact on FB @KalebLeDay
  • Christine Balfa (Balfa Toujours & Bonsoir, Catin) | Guitar, dancing, and Cajun French vocals. Contact christine@christinebalfa.com

If you are a musician and would like your name here, please email hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Note: For the time being, tours of the landfill are on hold.

In the late ‘70s and early ‘80s, there was a crisis happening across the United States. The effects of improper and inadequate solid waste disposal practices, including open dumping and trash burning, were coming to a head.  St. Landry Parish did not escape the ramifications of the blatant illegal handling of solid waste, which still affects us to this day. Air pollution, gas explosions, infestations, and litter all affect the quality of life for U.S. citizens everywhere. Most worrying of all was the contamination of surface and ground water.

Landfill with tirechip layer exposed

To comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act that was passed in 1976, and the 1979 state law requiring all open dumps to be cleaned up by January of 1986, the St. Landry Parish Solid Waste Disposal District was formed. Funded by an eight-tenths sales tax—which as of 2019 has not been increased since its instatement—the District closed 187 illegal dumps, began house-to-house garbage collection, and began construction on what would be the St. Landry Parish Landfill and Recycling Centers. That landfill is now one of the leading sites in the state whose methods are sought after by countries across the globe.

Elliot Donato, Compliance Officer

Elliot Donato—sometimes tour guide and full-time Compliance Officer for the SLP Solid Waste District—says that their goal is to “Mash trash and collect gas”. It seems simple at first, but the 25-year veteran of waste management will soon educate you on how the process of solid waste disposal is a lot more nuanced than first assumed.

When trucks are brought in the waste is separated—No hazardous materials or industrial byproducts are processed at this facility. So, car batteries, TVs, and the like are separated to be transferred to a different location—and dumped into large divots carved into the ground. Lining the bottom of the divots are 3 feet of recompacted impermeable clay, a layer of geosynthetic liner, 1 foot of sand, and 1 foot of recycled tire chips. Large bulldozers spend the day compacting the trash. Large mounds, seeded with turf rye and Bermuda grass, hide the over 4 million cubic yards of compacted waste accumulated in the 33 years since the project began—8 years past the projected life expectancy of the landfill itself.

Non-contact stormwater is tested, then released into the surrounding wildlife preserve, where native animals and plants flourish in stunning swampland. This stormwater is kept separate from the leachate—one of the compounds produced from the compression of so much waste, the other being methane gas—which is extremely toxic. Multiple monitoring wells keep track of the water that leaves the landfill, making sure nothing contaminates the Chicot Aquifer that resides approximately 250 ft. below the surface. This aquifer is a critical resource for the area servicing 15 parishes and spanning 9,000 sq. ft. The testing at the SLP Solid Waste District is so precise, that they can tell with certainty, where the contaminants, if there are any, are coming from.

Biofueling Station

The methane produced from the waste has its own testing, recycling potential, and dangers. The gas must be tested for any oxygen and any changes in temperature which could mean that there are subsurface fires. As terrifying as a fire at a landfill can be, one below the surface could be even more harmful. Thankfully, the District has not had any subsurface fires since opening. The methane, after testing, is pumped into their gas collection system, where the organic compounds are stripped out and repurposed to power the very vehicles they use to manage the waste. There are even a few sheriff vehicles patrolling the parish that run off the gas produced.

Methane is not the only recycled materials available at the District landfill. Compost and mulch are also accessible to any St. Landry Parish resident free of charge. The compost is brought in from Guidry’s Fresh Cuts in Arnaudville and Cooper Crowne horse stables, while the wood is from clearing the land for future cells and clean wood waste diverted from the landfill.

SLP Solid Waste District Trail

Though the District has made great strides in managing and collecting waste, their current director says that they will never get ahead of the overwhelming amount of garbage. They are, however, “staying one step behind.” With increasing awareness of the importance of recycling, being mindful of the waste we produce, along with efficient waste management methods, like the landfill’s award-winning gas to vehicle fuel project, we can start to be better stewards of the environment.

Admission to the landfill is free and tours are available to anyone interested in learning about their amazing, responsible practices. You can visit their listing here, for more information on tours or their website, SLPSolidWaste.org, for information about the District and their recycling centers.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Since being introduced in the Americas, horses effortlessly wove themselves into the day to day life of a burgeoning United States. As a creature synonymous with both a hard day’s work and a sense of freedom, it is no wonder that this animal lends itself so well to the idea of America. With nearly 300 horse-related events going on across Louisiana, as reported by Louisiana Horse Tourism, it is obvious now that the horse has solidified its place once again in recreation.

It is nearly impossible to talk about horse culture without bringing to mind the romanticized era of cowboys, railroads, and the rowdy West of a time past. But for St. Landry Parish, that relationship with horses reaches as far back as the 1760s. During this time of French colonialism, free men of color as well as French-speaking slaves from Africa, were tasked with managing thousands of cattle, driving the animals south to the bustling New Orleans. “And the horses and the mules were better treated than he as the caretaker,” said Conni Castille the University of Louisiana at Lafayette professor. She’s the brain behind “T-Galop: A Louisiana Horse Story”, a documentary detailing the role of the horse in south Louisiana history, interview with the Daily Advertiser.

That initial connection to horses in the emerging Creole culture carries into today. Trail rides are a tradition that celebrates this work-and-play relationship. It gives this Creole cowboy culture a way of being preserved and existing as a massive party with zydeco and traditional foods, like oxtails and tripe in your belly. The Step and Strut trail ride is one such event that originated in St. Landry Parish, but recently had success in Texas. The town of Lebeau has recently sought to revive their trail riding community with the Lebeau Posse Trail Ride in the summer. This is not the only aspect of horse culture in the parish, however.

The women of St. Landry Parish are keeping up the tradition of spectacular horsemanship. Mia Manzanares, an Opelousas native, is the two-time women’s all-around rodeo champion at the College National Finals Rodeo. She’s also the Champion in goat tying with a time of 5.9 seconds, tied the arena record of 1.7 seconds in breakaway roping, and gave the Women’s Team Championship to her college, McNeese State University. And she did all that with a torn ACL, an injury that often ends athletic careers.

The Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, famously the sight of the only Vatican-recognized miracle in America, has an equestrian center that trains students in three disciplines, including hunter/jumper, dressage, and western. These students are given the option to compete or just enjoy their newfound skills recreationally. Weekend lessons and horse boarding are available to non-Sacred Heart students by arrangement. You can also tour the grounds with sprawling oaks and their 1850s barn that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Landry Parish is special to horse tourism in another way. It has one of Louisiana’s four racinos, a combination of a casino and racetrack. Louisiana is one of 10 states where the combination is legal. Evangeline Downs Racetrack and Casino hosts thoroughbred and quarter horse racing seasonally, which often coincides with live regional music ranging from zydeco to country. While the concept of racinos have been around since the mid-90s, Evangeline Downs is the first racino in the country to be built from the ground up.

From cowboys to horse racing, there’s a lot of traditional horse culture to see here in St. Landry Parish.

Stellar horsemanship doesn’t just take place in the rodeo arena or on manicured tracks here in St. Landry Parish, though we have those too. Whether you want to participate in a trail ride, a Mardi Gras run, or simply want to connect to horses on a more personal level, St. Landry Parish has something for you.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Louisiana is often called the “Hollywood of the South”. In the past 15 years, over 400 movies have had scenes shot within our diverse state. This is in part due to the up to 40% Motion Picture Production Tax Credit program for qualified in-state production costs. From blockbuster titles to B horror films, this opportunity has led Louisiana to set the stage for many a cinema moment and St. Landry Parish is no different. This incentive is not the only reason directors have decided to film here. Before there was a tax credit enabling more and more shows to find their way to our borders, there was the natural beauty of Louisiana nearly prehistoric in its appearance, as well as the sometimes unfortunate Hollywood perceptions of our residents.

Nevada Smith, set in the 1890s American West and released in 1966, features a half white and Native American protagonist, Max Sand, set on revenge. Max tracks down one of his parents’ killers to Louisiana, where he tricks the perpetrator into escaping a prison camp only to exact his revenge later in a swamp. The jail and swamp scene were filmed in Krotz Springs.

One of the more famous scenes filmed in Krotz Springs is the final moments of Easy Rider, the landmark film illustrating the social tensions of the 1960s and ushering in the New Hollywood era of filmmaking. At the end of the film when Wyatt, played by Peter Fonda, and Billy, played by Dennis Hopper, are shot, they are traveling along the distinctive levee following Highway 105. Krotz Springs residents, Johnny David and D.C. Billodeau, are featured in the scene. For those die-hard fans out there, you can visit the exact location here. If you want to learn more about the Johnny and D.C.’s involvement, check out this Daily World article about the filming.

Casey’s Shadow, starring Walter Matthau of The Odd Couple and Grumpy Old Men, was released in 1978. This drama centered around a family’s love of horses features lots of outdoor shots in Opelousas’ countryside.

Passion Fish, a movie straight out of the 90s, has a scene in the now closed Slim’s Y-Ki-Ki dance hall. With John Delafose singing and a young Geno on drums, this scene highlights the upbeat fun of zydeco culture. The movie follows a recently paralyzed soap-opera actress who moves back home to butt heads with her equally strong-willed companion Chantelle, played by Alfre Woodard, who we see in the Slim’s Y-Ki-Ki scene. Slim’s had been open for nearly 70 years, and the snapshot of the intense energy of the zydeco dancehall scene is immortalized in this Oscar-nominated movie.

Just on the edge of the 90s and 00s is the movie Out of Sight released in 1998. This comedic crime comedy features larger than life actors George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez acting alongside each other. Clooney’s character, Jack Foley, is a career bank robber and after breaking out of a Miami prison ropes U.S. Marshall Karen Sisco, played by Lopez, into diamond heist hijinks. Scenes from this movie were filmed in Krotz Springs.

From the era of movie tax credits in Louisiana comes the influx of the B horror genre taking advantage of our primordial swamps and eerie prisons. The 2009 movie, Zombie Farm, and the 2014 TV mini-series, Requiems, are two such examples that filmed in Opelousas and Krotz Springs, respectively.

Some movies align more naturally with St. Landry’s culture including the HBO series Tremé that features the Pine Leaf Boys and prominent scenes of the Courir de Mardi Gras. Annie Talarico, played by violinist Lucia Micarelli, strays away from the New Orleans French Quarter, where she plays the violin for tips with her brother to experience a different kind of Mardi Gras near Eunice. The series is a drama that follows the effects of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans residents.

Many Acadiana residents remember the excitement that built up over the filming of Secretariat, lining up to be extras in the Evangeline Downs Racetrack in Carencro that now lies unused behind the new FedEx Ground complex. Certain scenes from that heartwarming Disney film were also shot in Opelousas.

In 2015, filming for the movie Free State of Jones with Mathew McConaughey took place at Chicot State Park in Ville Platte. During this time, there was also a scene shot in Washington’s historic Historic St. John’s Episcopal Church. In the scene, Newton stages a retaliatory ambush after the hanging of 3 young boys. The interior of the church, where Newton strangles a Confederate soldier to death, shows the stark, whitewashed walls with original pews from 1874.

In 2011 and 2018, Anthony Bourdain also found his way to the culinary wonders of our slice of Louisiana. His show, No Reservations season 7 finale heavily featured Cajun Country. The travel writer found himself at a boucherie at Lakeview Park & Beach in Eunice. Right before his death, he filmed Parts Unknown season 11, episode 7, ‘Cajun Mardi Gras’, where he experienced Courir de Mardi Gras and ate with St. Landry Parish Tourism’s own executive director, Herman Fuselier.

Apart from the locations filmed in here, there are also a number of St. Landry Parish natives who have made their appearances on television. Danneel Ackles, who was born in Lafayette but raised in Eunice, claims the city as her own. She has a recurring role in One Tree Hill and Supernatural. Teri Wyble has graced the big and small screens with speaking roles in Abaham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), The Walking Dead (2014), and Terminator: Genisys (2015). You can see a list of her appearances on Wikipedia. Another St. Landry native with an impressive resumé is Shellita Frank Boxie. This Plaisance High graduate is a stunt performer and double who has appeared in box office hits like Captain America: Civil War, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay- Part 1 and 2, and Baby Driver. Her TV career extends to well-known series like The Walking Dead and NCIS: New Orleans. For her full list of appearances, check out her IMDb page.

Here are some St. Landry Parish big screen honorable mentions:

• Glenn Robin, Opelousas – Dear Theodosia (2009), The American Trap (2008), and K-Ville (2007).
• Voorheis J. Ardoin – Mike Hammer (1958), 77 Sunset Strip (1958), and M Squad (1957)
• Reather Hardeman – The Blood of Jesus (1941)
• Layne Herpin, Opelousas – Looking for Alaska (2019), Hot Date (2017), and Tell Me Your Secrets (2019)
• Lauren Mackenzie Heiken, Opelousas – former gymnast turned stunt performer and actress who works out of Los Angeles
• Travis Fontenot, Opelousas – The American Standards (2008), Barracuda (2013), and False Hope (2007)

Photos from IMDb.com.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

Although this is Chef Jason Huguet of the Steamboat Restaurant’s seafood stuffed eggplant recipe, the seafood here can easily be replaced by a protein of your choice. Don’t hesitate to experiment and make the recipe yours.

Palmetto Mix:

1 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 ounces smoked tasso, minced
1/2 cup Italian seasoning
1/2 quart heavy whipping cream

Seafood Stuffed Eggplants:

Parmesan for garnish as needed

In a medium pan, heat up 1 cup of olive oil and sauté diced onion, bell pepper, and smoked tasso with Italian seasoning.

In your Magnalite pot, melt 2 sticks of real butter and sauté diced onion, bell pepper, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic. While that cooks, take your eggplants and cut them in half. Remove the inside and dice them. Put the empty eggplants onto a cooking sheet. Add diced eggplants to the Magnalite and cook them down. Once cooked, add 1 lb. fresh Louisiana crawfish tails, ½ lb. 70/90 count shrimp, and ½ lb. crabmeat. Season to taste. Add about ½ cup of breadcrumbs and mix. Take mixture and put into hollowed eggplants. Top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. Place boats in oven at 325 degrees.

While eggplants are in oven, drain palmetto mix of excess olive oil. And on low heat in a medium pan, bring heavy whipping cream to a boil. Then add a teaspoon of palmetto mix stirring the sauce together. Take eggplants out of oven and pour sauce over the boats. Add Parmesan as needed.

If you don’t feel like cooking, head over to the Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant in Washington to experience how the pros do it. Watch Bayou Courtableau laze on by as you chow down on an excellent meal.

Mary Hawkins is the communications manager for the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission. Contact her at hawkins@cajuntravel.com.