Unusual Spring Festivals
Unusual Spring Festivals – You’ve got to admit, an area that celebrates shrimp & petroleum in the same festival, has some work to do to top the distinctive festival list, but we have some interesting festivals in the spring that you’ll want celebrate a little differently. See our calendar for the full line-up.
Bayou Teche Wooden Boat Festival
Celebrating the craftsmanship and long history of vessels made of wood, this festival for wooden boat enthusiasts takes place along the beautiful Bayou Teche in downtown Franklin in late April. The event includes antique and modern vessels, from small pirogues to larger craft.
See more on the Bayou Teche Wooden Boat Festival.
Bayou Teche Black Bear Festival
Also held in downtown Franklin, this celebration of Louisiana’s Black Bear features educational components along with Louisiana music and festival fare. The Louisiana Black Bear is on the threatened species list, but activities such as this one, highlighting the area’s natural resources and the recent establishment of the Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge, help foster a respect for local wildlife. Find out more about the Bayou Teche Black Bear Festival.
Cypress Sawmill Festival
While the event has been postponed for the spring, the festival in Patterson pays tribute to the cypress timber industry once one of the largest in the nation due to the expansive cypress stands found within the vast swamplands. The history of this industry is displayed at the Louisiana State Museum’s Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum in Patterson. Find out more at the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum.
Cast Iron Cookoff
And, Cast Iron Cookoffs are not unusual in the South, but in South Louisiana, those pots are likely full of the most amazing concoctions, like étouffée, jambalaya, or sauce piquant. Find out more and whet your appetite for more at the Cast Iron Cookoff!
So, prepare for the usual festival fun and a little bit of extra, we call lagniappe, at festivals along the Cajun Coast this spring.
Celebrate Culture & History on the Cajun Coast
St. Patrick’s Day celebrations on the Cajun Coast feature more than just parades in an area known historically for the Civil War Battle of Irish Bend and settlers of many different cultures, including Irish, English, Italian, French, German, Danish, and Native American. Check the history and heritage of this area as well as our Civil War history for itinerary suggestions.
There is, indeed, an Irish-Italian Parade, Saturday, March 18, with the Krewe of Dionysus combining St. Patrick’s and St. Joseph’s Day celebrations. Click here for more information and a parade route.
Festivities continue post-parade, March 18, with the Basin Brewfest & Restaurant Crawl, from 1:30-7:30 at Front Street under the Highway 90 Bridge. Bringing together the best in Louisiana craft beer and Morgan City restaurant favorites, with live music from Coda & Driftwood, the party promises to be a foodies’ delight. For information and tickets, click here.
Then options abound for the evening, with family friendly and grown-up options, from movies in the park to Disco Explosion at Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel. Check the calendar of events for your favorite, and make your plans now.
And spring is a time to get outdoors on the Cajun Coast. Options abound with paddling trails, historic attractions, golf, fishing, and traveling along our trails and byways.
Making the Most of the Coast
Ah, Summer, and the Livin’ Is Easy.
Being on the water, whether on a peaceful inlet bayou or the deep blue seas of the Gulf, is a perennial summer pastime. With the sunlight reflecting off the water, the cares of normal 9-to-5 living slip into the rhythm of the lapping waves.
And, it only makes sense that water sports would play into the mandatory right of being on the water during the summer. Swimming, water skiing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, and fishing are the most common water activities, but swamp tours, birding, and even trips to the wildlife areas, only accessible by boat are also popular. Check out the activities section for options.
There are 27 public boat launches in which to set out into the Atchafalaya Basin or the navigable criss-cross of waterways taking you through brackish bayous and marsh into the Gulf of Mexico. That should tell you something about our relationship with water on the Cajun Coast. That easy, slip-into-summer mindset, is a way of life on the coast. It’s no wonder the people are so friendly.
Of course, not all that water activity is slow-paced, quiet idling time. Summer holds a speed-racing event that could literally blow someone out the water! The Morgan City Volunteer Fire Department will host The Battle on the Basin, Drag Boat Races by the Deep South Racing Association on June 24-25 at Russo’s Boat Landing in Morgan City. It is a fun, family-friendly event with food and drink booths and plenty of excitement, with boats exceeding 100 miles per hour! Get more info.
Even if you don’t plan on going that fast, there is still plenty of excitement on the water during the summer. Pulling in a swordfish or giant tuna, even huge snappers, speckled trout or redfish makes your day, if not your muscles happy! If you didn’t haul your own craft, there are boats for rent, some complete with charter captains, like Blu Rebel Charters. You can even stay on the water, if you are so inclined. Not only do many of the parks and campgrounds have cabins or sites right on the water, several with their own boat launches, but also you can even rent a house boat! Check out the fishing page for more specifics.
The coast is calling you with a summer siren song – Come visit the Cajun Coast.
Getaway with your Sweetie
Ahh – romance! Your eyes adjust to the soft, morning light filtering in through billowing curtains, as you pick up the faint aroma of bacon and coffee wafting in from beyond your suite door. You turn on your side in the sumptuous covers and just take in your beautiful spouse, still dreaming, no doubt, of your paddling excursion, shopping for antiques and unique treasures, touring historic sites, a stroll along the bayou banks at sunset, sumptuous dinner, and dancing the night away like teenagers.
What could be more romantic than a weekend getaway amid the beauty of Louisiana’s Coast! There are well-appointed suites, romantic bed & breakfasts, cozy cabins and even tent sites to snuggle your sweetie on this most romantic holiday. Find out more about things to do and Book Your Getaway Now.
And, we’ve got built-in what-to-do lists for every interest:
If your honey is a history buff, our Civil War trail will guide you with historical markers and interesting tidbits to warm his heart.
If your sweet dove is into Birding and Wildlife Watching, we’ve got you covered.
And if your treasure swoons at the site of Victorian and Antebellum architecture, this historic tour just might just be the start of an historic adventure.
Check out other interesting itineraries, such as movie tours or paddling trails, or chart your own course with a wealth of activities.
And, of course, there is no shortage of great dining options along the Cajun Coast, with the freshest of Gulf seafood and recipes handed down for generations as well as new takes on old favorites. Choose from gumbos and steaks to étouffée’s or po-boys, and a feast of international fare made even better by virtue of being in an area that lives to eat.
And, even though we boast of small-town charm, we don’t roll up the sidewalk after supper. Our nightlife scene, casino action and live music venues will allow you and your darling to dance the night away. Check out our live music calendar for showtimes and dates!
Make the most of your weekend – come to the Cajun Coast!
Flying South for the winter?
Snow birds eager to escape clouds, miserable weather and frigid temperatures often think of Florida for the winter months unless they have family and friends to visit in Louisiana.
But, Louisiana is a great option for all snow birds, and the Cajun Coast is a perfect sampler of the state. From bayous to towns that allow you to slow down, we are rich in cuisine, history, culture and music.
Get ready to visit us with these tips:
-Pack for a variety of temperatures. Winters this far south are mild, especially when compared to any northern state. We’re never quite sure whether we’re going to be wearing coats or shorts at Christmas. Temperature swings of 30 degrees in one day are common. Light layers are your friend.
-Looking to ditch the heavy coat and boots? On the Cajun Coast, it only snows about once a decade, so leave any gear for snow at home.
-It does, however, rain. Carry an umbrella when you’re out and about in case unexpected showers pop up, as they are prone to do.
-Just like in the summer, wear comfortable shoes. Save fashionable shoes for going out to one of our fabulous restaurants and the flip flops for the park. Wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes whether you’re spending the day touring, shopping or hiking. Your feet will thank you.
A Year-Round Angler’s Paradise
Doug Larson said “If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there’d be a shortage of fishing poles.”
On the Cajun Coast, we agree. Everyone can have a fishing pole in their hands year ‘round here. It’s just a matter of choosing where you want to cast your line.
All manner of fish, from bass and red fish to catfish, trout and much, much more can be caught any time of year, but some months are distinctly better than others.
For general guidelines, dependent on weather conditions, here is our guide for waters in St. Mary Parish, furnished by John Flores, author of the Go with the Flo outdoors column:
—January – Crappie (aka: sac-a-lait, white perch) beginning to bite.
—Febraury – Crappie peak biting period this month.
—March/April – Best months for bass, also excellent months for catfishing (species blue catfish and channel catfish).
—April-June – Bream fishing (red ear sunfish known as “chinquapins” around here, blue gills, warmouth known as “goggle eyes” around here).
—July/August – Red fish along the coastal waters. Offshore platforms boast speckled trout and red snapper in deep, deep water.
—September – Redfish, speckled trout. Bass are schooling up in the marsh where great catches take place locally.
—October – Speckled trout.
—November – blue cats (jug lining popular) in the marsh.
—December – red fish bite at times, catfish biting at times, sac-a-lait biting at times.
“Remember, it all depends on weather,” Flores said.
“We had hardly any winter last year and many fish spawn by water temperature. Such was the case with crappie and bass last year, but in many places the river was over flood stage from early January until nearly late June this year, so the conditions locally were all over the board,” he added.
To learn more about Louisiana recreational fishing regulations and obtaining fishing licenses, visit the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.