Wednesday mornings at the Eunice Depot Museum are the perfect chance to practice your French. Whether you’re a French speaker who wants to converse in your language or you’re interested in learning, La Table Française de Eunice is for you. This French table is an event where anyone is invited to come out and practice Louisiana Cajun French. Coffee and snacks are available as well.
This jam session in Eunice, Louisiana is a special Saturday morning tradition hosted at the Savoy Music Center. This building is home to the master accordion craftsman, Marc Savoy. The three-hour Cajun jam session has gotten the attention of major media outlets throughout the years. It was featured on Good Morning America, National Geographic, and Smithsonian Magazine. Visitors from all over the world make their way to the jam to meet the musicians and enjoy traditional Cajun music.
Marc’s jam session etiquette is part of the reason the jam is so famous. It is not a place for younger artists to “show-off”. Instead, the musicians are led by the older generation of Cajun music fiddlers and accordionists. It’s not a talent show, but a cultural exchange of stories, tunes, tips, and a few laughs.
Don’t know how to play? That’s just fine. Chairs are set up for the audience to sit and listen or get up and dance!
Get to know the locals at La Table Française at the Louisiana Orphan Train Museum located inside of Le Vieux Village in Opelousas. Children and adults can participate at this monthly French Table. Grab a cup of coffee and hear stories in French about growing up in rural Louisiana. All French dialects are welcome here. Sometimes, musicians will come in for a chat and even bring their instruments. If you’re lucky, you just might catch an impromptu performance.
At this French Table, free conversation and focused topics are both encouraged. These conversations are held the last Wednesday of every month.
The Juneteenth Folklife Celebration highlights the folk art, heritage, and traditions of African-American culture in St. Landry Parish. Rebecca Henry, owner of the Creole Heritage Folklife Center, hosts the event. She is a child of sharecroppers, artist, and a wealth of cultural knowledge. This celebration pays tribute to the date when Texas slaves first heard the news of their freedom.
On Saturday under the Farmers Market Pavilion in Opelousas from 12:30pm – 7:30pm, you will be able to listen to live music and traditional dancing. It’s going to be a great time. See original folk art and learn about the heritage and traditions of the region. As this is a family-friendly event, no alcohol is sold or allowed on-site.
For over 20 years, the Sunset Garden Club has hosted the Annual Sunset Herb & Garden Festival in Sunset, Louisiana. Over the decades, the wide selection of plants and herbs continues to impress garden enthusiasts. Step outside with your kids, friends, or even spend an afternoon with Mom and Dad. Festival vendors specialize in a variety of plants. Because of this, they can answer your questions about growing and cultivation. Some festival favorites include hibiscus, grasses, fruit trees, bromeliads, orchids, ferns, succulents, roses, and a whole lot more. If that seems overwhelming, don’t worry. Master Gardeners are on-site. These experts present informative presentations while leaving time for a Q&A.
Local crafts, handmade yard art, and herbal bath and body products can also be found on the grounds for sale. First-timers should know that plants go fast. The saying is true; the early bird gets the worm. You may also want to bring a wagon to store plants and items while you shop. This celebration isn’t just for adults. The Kid’s Corner features fun jumps, face-painting, and other engaging activities. Kids can also visit the fairy garden or meet some of the beekeepers or agricultural vendors on site.
The Sunset Herb & Garden Festival is held on the first Saturday in May every year in Sunset. The festival grounds are located on Marie Street, across from the old Sunset High School. Parking is available behind the school, on Sibille Street. Traffic will be directed to this location, so just follow the cars!
Funds raised by this annual festival are used for town beautification projects facilitated by the Sunset Garden Club. Admission is $5, but children 6 and under get in for free. Sunday is always the rain date for this event.
Need overnight accommodations? Find hotels, RV parks, and B&Bs here.
The Boot Brew Fest is a yearly event taking place the Saturday after Easter in Eunice, Louisiana at Lakeview Park & Beach. At this festival, you can really get to know the homebrewing process straight from the brewers themselves while tasting samples of their efforts. $10 will get you access to the festival but for $40 you can get full festival access which covers admission, beer samples, and a bowl of jambalaya. You must be 21 years or older to purchase this ticket and sample the homebrews. For $65, you can get VIP Festival Access. This includes all Full Festival Access benefits, plus a souvenir t-shirt and early access to the festival.
Attendees are encouraged to vote for the best-tasting beer.
Find Lodging in Eunice.
Celebrate Halloween at this festival on the last Saturday in October from 11am-4pm at Atelier de la Nature. The nature preserve is located along the Corridor des Arts near Arnaudville. At this free event, parents have a great opportunity for their kids to celebrate Halloween safely. Learn about the importance of the environment while also celebrating Halloween through art, music, food & science.
Be a part of this event by volunteering or as a vendor by emailing info@atelierdelanature.org.
Spend some time with voices from the past at the St. Landry Catholic Church Cemetery Tours & Historical Reenactments in the Zydeco Capital of the World, Opelousas. This historical group tour will transport you back in time. Reactors focus on a chosen time period in Opelousas’ over 300 years of history and dress the part.
You’ve heard of New Orleans’s famous haunted tours, but you’ve never seen a tour done by the ghosts themselves. Tour the cemetery where Napoleonic General Garrigues de Flaugeac and Louisiana Governor Jacques Dupré are interred with your ghostly guides.
All proceeds from the cemetery tours fund the Cemetery Historical Restoration Project. The tours began in 2003 and, to date, 30-plus gravesites have been restored.
Saturday tours take place at 6pm, 6:30pm, 7pm, and 7:30pm, while Sunday tours are at 2pm and 3pm. Handicapped accessible tours will be available. Call the organizer for more details. Bus groups are welcome.
Every year, the Louisiana Orphan Train Society holds an event in Opelousas, Louisiana. Here, descendants of the Louisiana Orphan Train Riders gather at the museum dedicated to their ancestors. From 10am-2pm, you can tour the museum, trace your lineage, and hear their stories.
The Louisiana Orphan Train Museum is one of only two of its kind in the United States. Hear the untold stories of the over 2,000 children who rode the train from New York and eventually found homes in Louisiana between 1873 and 1929.
The Festival of Words is held in Grand Coteau. Celebrate the written word with open mics throughout the year that culminate in this two-day festival. Sharpen your craft with creative writing workshops hosted by published authors. There will also be a community stage for open mic and “Drive-by Poetry”. At this event, youth give dramatic presentations of festival authors’ writings.
Features for this year’s Festival of Words are:
Find their full schedule here.
Find nearby accommodations here.
