As the spring comes hesitant to St. Landry Parish, mild days interspersed with cold shocks and hints of rain, it might be nice to put names to plants commonly seen across the landscape of this peaceful countryside.

St. Landry Parish has a diverse selection of the various ecosystems found in Louisiana. The St. Landry Parish Visitor Center exhibits a portion of these ecosystems including coastal prairie, upland hardwood, bottomland hardwood habitats, along with the iconic wetlands. This is not a comprehensive list of the flora found around the Visitor Center by any means. But the plants discussed here may give you an idea of what visual treats you can expect whether you are visiting the center, specifically, or stopping by on your way to some of the other attractions in the parish.

Sea Knight Louisiana Iris, SLPTC Visitor Center, Opelousas

Pictured here is the much-anticipated Sea Knight Iris, which is one of 8 Louisiana irises found at the Visitor Center. Its dark blue petals, purple stained by the light of early morning, open to reveal a strike of gold leading into its core. LSU fans may favor these with their colors so boldly represented.

The window of opportunity to witness the blooming of these flowers is small, the irises bloom from late March to early April. But it would be worth the trip to experience the colorful impact of these plants.

The other irises found on the center’s grounds include the Cathedral Blue Dormon with its blue petals and yellow crest; the Chacahoula Cha Cha, similar in hue to the Sea Knight, but with a yellow signal that flares just a bit; the Colorific, a white-petaled flower with flushed lavender tips, accentuated by dark purple veins and a yellow line crest; Dixie Deb Chowning 1950 and Laura Louise, with their stunning yellow petals; Ruth Holleyman, with its soft, graceful blue; and Trevor, with an orange flared signal and violet petals.

Muhly grass, SLPTC Visitor Center, Opelousas

Another distinctive aspect of the Visitor Center comes in the form of the rolling swaths of prairie grass that surrounds the building. This grass, normally a sharp blade with beige tendrils, erupts into color during the fall months. Feather-light puffs of color emerge from its tips, creating a wave of lavender with a light breeze. Commonly known as muhly grass, this plant is native to the coastal prairie.

The Cajun Prairie Habitat Preservation Society is committed to the survival of prairie flora, like those found at the center, and educating the public about the importance and the beauty of this rich cultural area. Part of the great tall-grass coastal prairie of Southwestern Louisiana, this restoration project began in 1988 as an effort to protect this fragile ecosystem. Visitors interested in furthering their knowledge of the prairie lands can visit the Cajun Prairie Habitat Restoration Site in Eunice.

An example of the Bottomland Hardwood Forest and Cypress-Tupleo Swamps, baldcypress trees are also found at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center. These trees can grow 70-feet tall and live up to 600 years. The size of these trees makes them perfect nesting spots for eagles. While the cypress trees at the Visitor Center are not quite tall enough for the large birds, yet, bald eagles have been sighted in the vicinity. In fact, the area around the nearby town of Washington and the Thistlethwaite Wildlife Management Area is home to 187 species of birds.

Whether you want to see the eye-catching colors of Louisiana irises at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center, bird-watch along Bayou Waxia and Courtableau in Washington and Thistlethwaite, or stroll through a 10-acre living exhibit of Louisiana native plants, flowers, and grasses in Eunice, St. Landry Parish has what you need.

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

We’re here to make your holiday holly, jolly, and bright with this list of gift giving ideas and holiday celebrations. Hopefully, this guide to giving handcrafted gifts will alleviate some of the shopping stress and instead inspire and generate some excitement.

This list is not only perfect for gift giving, but for tourists looking for a unique souvenir to take home. We promise to provide you with some ideas that will make any trip to St. Landry Parish, Louisiana unique and memorable.

Let’s get started with some shopping events to add to your calendar. Small Business Saturday is coming up on November 24, and it’s the perfect time to find good deals on gifts. Also, we have some special events planned that day that just might put you in the Christmas spirit.

We have two events taking place on Small Business Saturday, Grand Noel & The Lighting of the Oaks. Grand Noel is a special treat for those who’ve never been to Grand Coteau, Louisiana. The town welcomes guests with a stunning life-size nativity scene, carriage rides in the historic district, and lots of opportunities for shopping. The Kitchen Shop is a good place to start if you’re looking for Louisiana themed items such as tea towels, aprons, or cooking ware. Handmade accessories and more unique items can be discovered at Petite Rouge Antiques & Organics.

Later that day, the town of Opelousas will light the oaks at Courthouse Square for the Lighting of the Oaks. Downtown shops will be open with special discounts and area artisans will be selling handcrafted items. Stick around for kids crafts and Christmas carols from Our Lady Queen of Angels Church Choir.

If you’re doing some last-minute shopping visit the town of Sunset. While you’re there, stop at Boho for a very large collection of hand-crafted items. In fact, Boho carries Key of Z Rubboards, a fun instrument used to play zydeco music. These metal instruments are made by local craftsman, Tee Don Landry. Find hand-painted items next door at The Funky Flea. Just be sure to make time to visit Jerilyn’s Fused Glass Art Gallery. Jerilyn is inspired by nature depicting thm in glass.

Meet the makers at NUNU Arts & Culture Collective in Arnaudville, Louisiana. At this studio, you can often meet the craftsmen who are featured in the gallery. Find handcrafted canvases designed by local wood craftsman, Larry Bourque. Also, find metal sculptures, jewelry, and locally made skin care items. While you’re in Arnaudville, it’s the perfect time to visit Bayou Teche Brewing which just might have the best gift on this list—craft beer. That’s right; you can stock up on a variety of different ales and even keep some for yourself at this local micro-brewery.

Hopefully, this article gives you a good head start for the holidays. For more shopping ideas visit, our shopping page, and for more holiday events visit our list of Christmas festivities.

New SLP logo, designed by Megan Barra

If you’re a returning user, you may have noticed our new look. As a Tourist Commission we call ourselves a DMO, a fancy acronym for “destination marketing organization,” but really, we are in the business of storytelling. We wanted a logo that could tell our tale, a place with a long history of cultivators, music makers, and a “gumbo” of ethnicities and cultural identities. So, we hired the right woman for the job, local artist, Megan Barra.

Megan is an award-winning designer who’s also well known for her elegant silk compositions. You can find her work in a variety of mediums including album covers, books, catalogs, and company logos. We wanted to know more about Megan as an artist and her inspiration for the St. Landry Parish logo, so we invited her to participate in a brief interview. You can see Megan’s conversation with our communications manager at the time, Caitlin Bussey, below.

CB: Looking at your work, it’s clear that you that you are influenced by your culture and natural landscapes? Is there something about rural Louisiana that inspires you as an artist?

MB: Yes, music and the men and women who play it, along with the Louisiana landscape, provide rich material to draw from in my work. I collect images of accordions and fiddles along with crabs, snakes and coffee cups and fashion them into silk patchworks of Louisiana culture.

“Black Snake Blues”

CB: Can you explain the concept of the new St. Landry Parish logo for readers? Also, why was the accordion chosen to represent St. Landry Parish as a destination?

MB: As the birthplace of Créole and Zydeco music, the image of the accordion is a visual reference to St. Landry Parish’s musical heritage – and not just Créole, but Cajun too. I like to think of St. Landry Parish as a place where you can find ‘Cajun Spirit and Créole Soul.’ The bellows of the accordion are formed by les haricots (green beans) and the orange and brown colors reference the land and the sweet potato.

CB: We are very happy with our new logo, but we are also big fans of your quilted artwork. Could you briefly describe to our readers, the process involved in making your silk compositions?

MB: After sketching out a design, each piece is cut from silk, sometimes imprinted with original text and images, hand-sewn and then finished on a 1901 Singer treadle sewing machine.

CB: All of your silk compositions are beautiful, but one of our favorites features Amédé Ardoin. What inspired this piece, and could you briefly talk about the symbolism in the imagery?

“Les Blues d’Amédé Ardoin”

MB: “Les Blues d’Amédé Ardoin” is filled with references to the Créole musician (1898–1942) who lived and played in Eunice. Along with a reproduction of the only known photograph of him, the piece includes symbols of Ardoin’s life and work, including a lemon, which he carried to refresh his throat when he sang, and an image of a flour sack to represent the sack in which the musician carried his accordion. I printed on silk a map of St. Landry and Evangeline parishes where he performed and the lyrics to the song “Two Step de Eunice.” In the top right, a lone white square represents the handkerchief that was lent to him by a young woman to wipe his brow when he played at a house party.

Thank you for taking the time to get to know Megan Barra. You can see several of her silk compositions at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center now, until October 29, 2018. In this exhibit, you will also find photography by Lucius Fontenot from the collection, Mémoire de la Boue. Lucius has captured several captivating moments for us in St. Landry Parish, which is why we’ve also invited him to participate.

To get to the center from Interstate 49, take Exit 23. Just look for the wind turbine; you can’t miss us! For more information call 337-948-8004 or email hawkins@cajuntravel.com.

This authentic Cajun sweet dough pie recipe comes straight from the Sweet Dough Pie Capital of the World, Grand Coteau, Louisiana. Pastry chef, Nancy Brewer, was sweet enough to share her award-winning recipe and the secrets to a successful pie. Nancy is a trained chef and the owner of The Kitchen Shop in Grand Coteau. This beautiful town is noted for its magnificent trees that form alleys, groves, and gardens, but gains equal notoriety for this sweet treat. In fact, in the month of October, the whole town celebrates this culinary confection during the Sweet Dough Pies Festival. The festival has a pie making contest and vendors selling every imaginable fruit and custard filling from fig to sweet potato.

Les traces du patrimoine français sont partout visibles dans la Paroisse St-Landry. Le guide touristique en français, les enseignes, journaux, et menus, les dictons de tous les jours, ainsi que nos noms de famille temoignent de ce passé et présent. Partout dans la paroisse, on entend fréquemment parler le français cadien et le français créole. Les programmes de radio tels que Bonjour Louisiane et Rendez-vous des Cajun sur KRVS et KBON sont émis en français.

C’est en partie grâce aux efforts de la NUNU Arts & Culture Collective que le français louisianais connaît une renaissance dans la région. Cette organisation est dédiée à la création d’une culture française vivante par le biais d’une combinaison d’art, de musique, de danse, et de langue française. NUNU se situe dans le village d’Arnaudville, où un residant sur quatre continue de parler français à la maison. Cette collectivité d’art et de culture a récemment été désignée parmi 12 “Coins Français” aux États-Unis. Les locaux et les visiteurs sont toujours les bienvenus d’y découvrir de la littérature francophone et des activités en français, en plus de la Table Française le dernier samedi du mois.

Le concept de La Table Française est de réunir autour d’une table des parlants français d’ici et d’ailleurs pour boire une tasse de café et “charrer” en français. Les touristes et les non-francophones sont invités à participer à la conversation. Il y a aussi une Table Française le dernier mercredi du mois au Vieux Village à Opélousas et lorsque le célèbre musicien Goldman Thibodeaux passe avec son accordéon, la musique zarico fait partie de la leçon.

Il y a souvent un thème de discussion aux Tables, comme au Café Cajun qui a lieu tous les vendredis matins à LSU-Eunice. Les participants s’échangent des histoires autour du sujet choisi, d’abord en français et ensuite en anglais, pour que tout le monde suive la conversation.

En parcourant les attractions touristiques sur notre site web, vous verrez la phrase “Ici on parle français.”  C’est assez répandu puisque les visites en langue française se font à beaucoup de nos attractions.  Nous sommes très fiers de nos racines françaises dans la Paroisse St-Landry, alors venez nous rendre visite et laissez-nous vous montrer ce qui nous rend si unique.

The evidence of our French heritage is everywhere you look in St. Landry Parish. From our visitor guide en français, signs, newspapers, and menus to everyday phrases and our surnames, French culture and language are on full display here. Throughout the parish, it’s very common to still hear both Cajun and Creole French being spoken today. Radio stations like KRVS and KBON feature programs that are broadcast en français.

Part of the effort to keep Louisiana French alive in the area is evident thanks to NUNU Arts & Culture Collective, which is dedicated to creating a living French culture using a combination of art, music, dance, and the French language. NUNU, located in the town of Arnaudville, where one in four residents still speaks French at home, has recently been designated one of the first 12 “French Corners” in the United States. Offering French literature, La Table Kreyol on the 2nd Saturday of each month, and other activities en francąis, visitors and locals are always welcome.

La Table Française, which literally translates to “The French Table,” are gatherings held throughout the parish where locals share conversation en français over a cup of coffee. Tourists and non-French speakers are welcome to join in.  On the last Wednesday of every month, a Table Française takes place at the Historic Heritage Park, Le Vieux Village in Opelousas.

Also popular amongst these tables is for there to be a topic. Participants gather around the table and swap stories consistent with the chosen theme, first in French, then in English, for everyone to follow along.

While you’re checking out the attractions on our website, look for the phrase “Ici on parle français.” It means “French is spoken here,” which is a common sight since many of our attractions offer guided tours in French. In St. Landry Parish we have deep and proud ties to our French heritage, so come visit us and let us show you what makes us so unique.

Holy Ghost Creole Festival in Opelousas, Louisiana

Whether you’re on small country roads or amongst the bustle of town, you can’t go anywhere in St. Landry Parish without seeing food. Travel along scenic byways and find soybean fields, rice bins, and a cascade of bright red crawfish traps bobbing on glistening ponds. Head into town and there’s no escaping the mass of specialty meat markets, boudin and cracklin stops, and eateries.

So, what made this particular region of Southwest Louisiana a foodie’s paradise, populated with enough smokehouses and specialty meat markets to make anyone with a black pot happy? The geographical region, a melting pot of cultural influences, and the parishes’ cattle industry are all responsible for the area’s delicious way of life.

St. Landry Parish, Louisiana lies on the eastern side of the Prairie Home Cooking Trail, a region whose cuisine is inspired by the traditions of its early settlers and Cajun and Creole inhabitants. The parish was first settled in 1720, when the French established, le Poste des Opélousas, an administrative territory and one of the earliest European settlements in Louisiana. Opelousas was home to a group of Native Americans by the same name. It was believed that the Opelousas tribe was very friendly and unafraid of the European settlers, even forming trading expeditions with them.

By 1791, the military outpost had been governed by the French and the Spanish and was also settled by some English, Scotch, Irish, and German colonists, as well as a group of Acadian exiles who managed to find their way to the lush and fertile lands of the district. Men and women of African heritage began arriving in the 1700s as slaves with the first Europeans and in the late 1700s as gens de couleur libres or free people of color.

Geographer, William Darby, describes an aerial view of Opelousas in 1817 as, “A vast expanse of natural meadows…with thousands of cattle and horses of all sizes scattered…in wild confusion.”

The settlers found the area perfect for agriculture and raising cattle, and the government post soon developed as a commercial center serving their farms and plantations. Cattle runs were often made to nearby, Church Landing, now the town of Washington. Washington is conveniently located along Bayou Courtableau and was once the most important steamboat port between New Orleans and St. Louis before the use of railroads. The town quickly became known for its transportation and dealings. Today, you can step back in time, to the steamboat era, at the Steamboat Warehouse Restaurant in Washington. The restaurant is the last of the of the old steamboat warehouses still standing on Bayou Courtableau.

Even today remnants of the history and cultures exist in the way we cook. German immigrants brought with them the process of smoking and preserving meats.

Agriculture is still a celebrated industry. In March, the St. Landry Cattlemen’s Association invites chefs and home cooks to participate in the Here’s the Beef Cook-Off, where you can sample brisket, beef tongue, barbecue, and other beef dishes.

“In St. Landry Parish, food is a religion.”

It’s easy to see, that in St. Landry Parish, food is a religion, where every cook is a chef and we all practice the holy trinity — onions, bell peppers, and celery. To truly understand our faith in food, you need to sample dishes at area events and festivals. To help plan your food itinerary, we’ve highlighted the top ten culinary celebrations in the area.

Top 10 Culinary Celebrations

In no particular order, these events are delicious!

1. Eunice Mardi Gras – Every year the Eunice Mardi Gras Association rewards Courir de Mardi Gras participants with gumbo at the end of the day. During the chicken run, revelers are treated with boudin. Also, look into the Lundi Gras Boucherie where you can sample pork dishes including ribs, crackling, and boudin rouge!
2. Holy Ghost Creole Festival – This festival celebrates everything Creole! Hear live zydeco and gospel music and samples Creole dishes and sweet dough pies.
3. Annual World Championship Crawfish Étouffée Cook-Off – Everyone has a different etouffee recipe, but we all agree on one thing – you need crawfish and lots of butter. Chefs compete for the best etouffee while Cajun music bands play under the pavilion.
4. Crawfish Season – Okay, it’s not an event, but it should be. Every season locals make eating boiled crawfish a family affair, often inviting friends and neighbors over for a crawfish boil. Many restaurants sell boiled crawfish during crawfish season, typically from February to May.
5. Sweet Dough Pie Festival – Cajun sweet dough pie is area favorite. It’s a small, crescent-shaped pie filled with seasonal fruit fillings. Also, keep an eye out for “benne” or sesame seed praline, another local favorite. Every year in October, you can stock up on pies and even tour the Jesuit cemetery with costumed reenactors.
6. Port Barre Cracklin Festival – Eat all of the crackling you want for three whole days! For over 30 years the Port Barre Lions Club has attracted travelers from across the U.S. for fried pork and Cajun music.
7. Here’s the Beef Cook-Off – Every spring home cooks compete for the best dish in multiple beef categories. Taste downhome southern dishes like barbecue ribs, brisket, steaks, and rice n’ gravy.
8. Gumbo Cook-Off – When it’s rainy or cold, everyone in Louisiana makes their own version of gumbo be it chicken and sausage or seafood with okra or a dollop of potato salad. This event serves as a fundraiser for a child in need but also features professional and amateur chefs alike battling for the best gumbo.
9. Boot Brew Festival – Learn all about the home brewing process, sample brews, enjoy live music, and vote for your favorite beer at the Boot Brew Fest at Lakeview Park in Eunice.
10. St. Landry BBQ Fest – Celebrate the Fourth of July with a full weekend of live music, carnival rides, fireworks, and a BBQ cook-off with categories like beef, chicken, pork, seafood, wild game, and even dessert.

“St. Landry Parish, Louisiana is a place with Cajun spirit and Creole soul.”

Thumb through any St. Landry Parish phone book and you’ll see surnames that indicate a gumbo of ethnicities – French, Spanish, German, African, Irish, Native American and more, but many residents also celebrate their Cajun and Creole heritage.

Cajuns are descendants of the Acadians, who were evicted from the region of Nova Scotia in the mid-1700s, after their continued refusal to swear allegiance to the British crown. Many of these Acadian exiles landed in south Louisiana, where they blended with other groups to have a lasting impact on the state’s language, music, and food.

Creole is broadly defined and has numerous definitions that vary in different regions of the state, country and the world. In St. Landry Parish, many Creoles identify themselves as the descendants of slaves and free people of color. Many trace their lineage to the Caribbean and Africa and even speak in Creole.

Creoles have heavily influenced the region’s culture, especially with zydeco, the accordion-driven, dance music that now has fans across the globe. Accordionist Amédé Ardoin, a native Creole of St. Landry Parish, is widely regarded as a founding father of Cajun music and zydeco.

Creole Heritage Folklife Center in Opelousas, Louisiana

Today, both cultures are celebrated at festivals, music events, and local attractions. In Opelousas, you can learn more about Creole Louisiana at the Creole Heritage Folklife Center. The center is run by cultural icon, Rebecca Henry, who is a native folklorist and herbalist. At the center, she provides tours and workshops in either English or Creole and offers educational youth programs throughout the year.

For a taste of Cajun culture visit the Jean Lafitte National Park Prairie Acadiana Culture Center. Practice your French skills on Wednesday mornings at La Table Française de Eunice in the Eunice Depot Museum. Coffee, snacks, and good company are in store. Nearby is the  Liberty Theatre where the Rendez-vous des Cajuns live radio show would air. This long-running tradition now showcased Cajun, Creole, and zydeco music artists. Locals music artist, Steve Riley, often hosted special shows at the Liberty such at the Cajun Fiddle Kings or the Creole Accordion Kings. Efforts are underway to reopen the Liberty and you can read about them here.

For more Cajun and Creole cultural events, see below! 

Lebeau Zydeco Festival – Lebeau is the birthplace of music legend, Rockin’ Sidney, and one of Louisiana oldest zydeco music festivals.

Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival – Every zydeco fan should experience the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. For over 35 years the festival has featured non-stop, best of the best zydeco musicians.

Holy Ghost Creole Festival – This festival celebrates everything Creole, from A to Z. Find homecooked Creole food, handmade sweet dough pies, and live zydeco and gospel music.

Creole Culture Day – This celebration starts off with a traditional boucherie. Activities continue throughout the day centered around the French language, live music, and genealogy. 

Find French-Friendly Events – From French tables to jam sessions and concerts, there are plenty ways to practice your Cajun or Creole in St. Landry Parish.