On October 19th from 9am-4pm, Black Pot Bookshop in downtown Opelousas hosts their market on the corner of Vine and S. Market Street in the St Landry Bank Lot. This free market will have handmade crafts, tasty treats, and even some kid-friendly fun with face painting and ice cream. Play Halloween games and win even more candy and prizes!
Investigate the 300-year-old steamboat town of Washington, Louisiana on September 1st with Louisiana Spirits, the largest ghosthunting organization in Louisiana. Team up with the pros as they investigate the newly renovated Hotel Klaus circa 1870, Schmitt Hotel circa 1820, and Wolff Hall circa 1840.
Contact mlee@laspirits.com for pricing.
Heartland Tours is an agritourism company that unites people to the land and each other through educational farm bus tours. Tours include seven farm tour options that span from one to three days with prices starting at $30. Double occupancy prices are also available. Delicious Louisiana food is served each day with live music all throughout the trip. Learn more about the agriculture industry and see how your food is grown on the Heartland Tour this October.
Tickets include lodging, transportation, farm tours, a tour guide, bus snacks, a goody bag, concert tickets, and meals with an exception of one supper. One of the three nights includes a unique farm-to-table experience: A catered meal with live music at La Casetta at the Farm in Melville, Louisiana. You can find more details about the concert at the farm here.
Stops include: Frogmore Cotton Gin and Plantation, Natchitoches Pecan Co, LSU Center for River Studies, Sugarfield Spirits, Fullness Farm, ICCR Dairy, and Cannatella Farms.
Let Heartland Tours take care of the details and enjoy the ride!
On Tuesday, April 26, stop by to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center. There will be cake and beverages to enjoy among the intriguing collection of artifacts and photos.
To much fanfare, the museum opened in April 1992 under the administration of Mayor John Joseph. A forward-thinking team of residents championed the effort that involved extensive fundraising for a dream. Professional historians, exhibit designers, and other consultants helped create beautiful displays to showcase the history and culture of Opelousas.
Exhibits cover prehistory, agriculture, home and family, business, music, and food. One room is dedicated to the Civil War, and two rooms house the Geraldine Smith Welch Doll Collection of over 400 dolls. The Rod Milburn exhibit holds memorabilia of the Olympic Gold Medalist. The museum also holds the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival Archives Louisiana and Video Collection.
The Washington Museum & Tourist Center is open and ready for business. On select Saturdays, they will spotlight cultural touchstones in the community ranging from musicians to artists and craftsmen.
On September 17th, at 10am, the Town of Washington Museum will be having Mr. Howard Ware as its guest speaker. Mr. Ware was a star athlete at Paul L. Dunbar High School, who went on to become the head coach of track and field at a university in Austin, Texas. He was also the founder, and president of the Austin Striders Track Club, where he trained and developed youth to compete in track and field events.
Stay tuned for more events to come! Call the museum at 337-826-3626 for more information.
This springtime event is a comprehensive tour of the Spiritual Influence of Classical Architecture in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. On Saturday, April 9, 2022 from 9am – 5pm, visit classically inspired buildings such as the St. Borromeo Catholic Church, St. Charles College, the Academy of Sacred Heart, and more.
At the end of the course, participants will be able to identify religious history and classical symbolism in the Jesuit and Sacred Heart religious orders, as well as, recognize classical art in Catholic structures. They will also be able to identify local religious and residential building materials in southern Louisiana dating from 1796 to 1909 and recall proper renovation techniques of antebellum structures.
All attendees will receive take-home information about the St. Charles Borromeo architecture, art, and history. Throughout the tour, professional speakers will provide intimate knowledge of the buildings, sites, people, and cultural significance of these classically-inspired places.
A boxed lunch and afternoon refreshments will be provided. Participants will need their own transportation from each venue.
For questions contact Peter Patout at peter@peterpatout.com or Eddie Cazayoux at edwardjc@centurytel.net.
Download a complete itinerary here.
See nearby accommodations.
Fête de la Nature is a celebration of Acadiana’s natural surroundings through art, music, food, and science. This event takes place at Atelier de la Nature in Arnaudville, Louisiana. Throughout the day, scientists will lead an open-to-the-public BioBlitz. At the BioBlitz, participants search for every species of bird, reptile, insect, plant and fungus living at the reserve.
A benefit lunch will be run by Chef Colt Patin of the Culinary Institute of Baton Rouge, his students, and Scouts Troop 174. Food will be sold at the event with proceeds will help fund Atelier de la Nature’s youth education programs.
Register for this event for free here.
This event is made possible in partnership with Cycle Zydeco.
Multilingual accessibility (French/Spanish/English). Please contact Atelier de la Nature for other accessibility requests.
About Wayne Singleton and Same Ol’ 2 Step:
Wayne Singleton, founder, lead vocalist and accordionist of the band Wayne Singleton & Same Ol 2 Step, was raised in Lewisburg, Louisiana; a community centered in the area considered to be the birthplace of Zydeco, Wayne has been playing Zydeco music since the age of seven.
Now, nearly 25 years in the music industry, Wayne writes most of his own songs, and is a very versatile musician having mastered every instrument played in his band. Wayne Singleton has earned his status and reputation of being one of elite of among zydeco musicians. He has experience of playing with many of legendary Zydeco bands and Zydeco artist like Beau Jocque, Zydeco Force, Keith Frank, Chris Ardoin, Sean Ardoin, Andre Thierry and many more.
Wayne Singleton & Same Ol’ 2 Step can not only produce and perform traditional and new Zydeco music, the band has also the canny ability to give soul and country hits a Zydeco/Creole flavor. The touch of nouveau Zydeco music has put them at a different level, without compromising their traditional roots. The demand for the music of these 2-steppin’ guys is growing daily, and you can find Wayne Singleton & Same Ol’ 2 Step playing at historical Zydeco venues, and they are in great demand for local and national festivals. When you see Wayne Singleton & Same Ol’ 2 Step at work, you will see the best. Wayne Singleton & Same Ol 2 Step will make you dance!
Ride for Rox is an annual springtime bike ride in celebration of the life of Roxanne Richard. Check out LATrail.org/ride4rox for a complete route description.
Mileage Options: 9, 18, 34, 44, 73
Start and finish from Bayou Teche Brewing in Arnaudville. Registration includes water, lunch from Tante Marie, and one free specialty draft from Bayou Teche Brewing.
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.
