4 Mar 2022

Opelousas Makers Market

2022-03-11T12:44:42-06:00

This event, taking place in the parish seat of Opelousas, is a place for vendors to display and sell their creations. The Opelousas Downtown Maker’s Market hosts artisans, baked goods, a guitar jam session, and so much more. Grab a coffee at the nearby Java Square and peruse vendor stalls with your friends. Take a walk around the Opelousas Courthouse Square while you’re here, and visit the 350-year old Jim Bowie Oak, multiple murals, and public art.

Opelousas Makers Market2022-03-11T12:44:42-06:00
4 Mar 2022

Washington Community Festival

2025-03-14T10:04:57-05:00

The Washington Community Festival is a revitalization of the former Catfish Festival which was historically held in the steamboat town. It will take place on Saturday, March 22 along Washington’s Main Street from 10am to 9pm. It’s gonna be a good time in the old town!

The event will host three blocks of vendors, live music, a car show, and a Catfish Cook-Off. The Bayou Courtableau has been famous for many years for its large catfish, so this cook-off fits right in with the heritage of the area and is a subtle nod to the older festival. There will also be a silent auction.

Performing will be Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, a Cajun Creole Jam session with Mark Ardoin, and Don Fontenot Et Les Amis De La Louisiane.

Contact the Washington Town Hall at 337-826-3626 or the steamboatcityassociation@gmail.com for vendor, car show, or cook-off information.

Washington Community Festival2025-03-14T10:04:57-05:00
4 Mar 2022

Exit 11 Yard Sale

2025-03-13T09:18:38-05:00

RRRRaRain date is Sunday, March 16th. Check local news for weather updates.

On March 15th from 7am-4pm, you can shop Sunset Downtown and Around. Shop owners and antique dealers in Sunset, Louisiana invite local vendors, artists, and craftspeople to set up shop along Napoleon Avenue and the surrounding area. Find antiques, artwork, jewelry, and one-of-a-kind items at bargain prices. Some shops will feature special sales or one-day discounts. 

This event takes place annually on the third Saturday of the month in March. Vendors are invited to contact any antique store or market in town for booth space. Call 337-331-5577 for more information.

Want to plan ahead and need accommodations? Find hotels nearby, here.

Exit 11 Yard Sale2025-03-13T09:18:38-05:00
4 Mar 2022

Courir de Mardi Gras & Chicken Run

2024-02-14T13:14:10-06:00

Looking for something new and exciting this Mardi Gras season? Check out the traditional Courir de Mardi Gras & Chicken Run in Eunice, Louisiana. This Mardi Gras celebration is nothing like parades you see in big cities. Here, revelers dress in colorful handmade costumes and dance through the countryside.

What is a courir?

During a courir, riders go from house to house begging for donations to add in a community-wide gumbo. The highlight of the event is the chicken run, an honored tradition for ambitious, young revelers. During the run, the capitaine will release a chicken or guinea. Participants then compete to catch the fowl. Once captured, it makes for a nice addition to the gumbo.

History of the courir

The Eunice Courir de Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday Run) dates to when the town was first established in the late 19th century, but the tradition itself goes back even further. These traditions are based on early begging rituals from the Medieval era. The Eunice courir was abandoned for a few years during World War II. In 1946, a small band of riders revived the tradition. Today, the Eunice Courir de Mardi Gras has more than 2,000 participants on the run. The run is always held on Mardi Gras Day, but it is only one part of the five-day Eunice Mardi Gras Celebration. There’s a full schedule of last year’s Mardi Gras events in Eunice here.

How to participate

Registration for this event is required, and participants must be 18 years or older. Visit the run’s Facebook page for additional details you need to know before the event. Registration is open at 6am at the Northwest Community Center. Early risers typically have a better chance of getting a seat on the trailer, but for those who are walking, the capitaine will keep you well-nourished with boudin stops along the way.

Looking for family-friendly Mardi Gras events? Visit our Mardi Gras events page for travel ideas. Need a place to stay? Find nearby accommodations.

Courir de Mardi Gras & Chicken Run2024-02-14T13:14:10-06:00
4 Mar 2022

Sunset Herb & Garden Festival

2024-06-07T10:38:53-05:00

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.

Sunset Herb & Garden Festival2024-06-07T10:38:53-05:00
4 Mar 2022

Cycle Zydeco

2024-07-19T15:00:32-05:00

Cycle Zydeco is a four-day bike ride through Cajun Country. This rolling party is the best touring ride in the US. Start with breakfast in the morning and a leisurely bike ride through scenic byways to the next community. At each stop, shop and sample dishes at local restaurants. Every evening, cyclists can enjoy a personal party. Experience zydeco dance lessons and live music by award-winning Cajun and zydeco music bands.

Each day they offer two route options. The main route is around 38 miles and the long route is 62.14 miles+. Register for the entire four-day event or the “weekend warrior” option.

See route descriptions and register at CycleZydeco.org.

The ride is hosted by TRAIL. TRAIL is a non-profit organization dedicated to building and maintaining parks, hiking trails, bike trails, and other recreational infrastructures. They work to build better communities that promote healthy lifestyle options, appreciation for the native environment, and a more desirable place to live, work, and visit.

Cycle Zydeco2024-07-19T15:00:32-05:00
4 Mar 2022

Halloween Art & Nature Fest

2024-11-20T12:51:40-06:00

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.

Halloween Art & Nature Fest2024-11-20T12:51:40-06:00
4 Mar 2022

Cemetery Tours & Historical Reenactments

2024-07-19T13:35:12-05:00

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.

Cemetery Tours & Historical Reenactments2024-07-19T13:35:12-05:00
4 Mar 2022

Tour du Teche 135

2025-02-27T13:02:54-06:00

Tour du Teche is an annual three-day race down the entire course of Bayou Teche in South Louisiana. The race offers options for the adventurous paddler through a pro-race with cash prizes, and a recreational option, the Voyageur Race. Ports of call include Port Barre (start), Leonville, Breaux Bridge, Parks, St. Martinville (1st-day finish), Loreauville, New Iberia, Jeanerette, Charenton, Baldwin, Franklin (2nd-day finish), Centerville, Patterson, Bayou Vista, and Berwick (3rd-day finish). Canoes, kayaks, and pirogues (the traditional Cajun canoe) are welcome to enter. The opening ceremony starts Thursday and the race begins Friday at the Port Barre boat launch.

This event is coordinated by Tour du Teche, Inc., a non-profit organization that was organized to promote outdoor recreation along the Bayou Teche Corridor through St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes.

Find nearby accommodations here.

Tour du Teche 1352025-02-27T13:02:54-06:00
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