Wooden Boat Festival

×

Expand

jim kubik

From pirogues to classic Chris-Crafts, there's just something so appealing about wooden boats. And in Louisiana, there's no place they look better en masse than abroad on the placid waters of the Tchefuncte River. As the major fundraiser for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum, the Wooden Boat Festival in Madisonville attracts gorgeous examples; just ask one of the thousands of attendees who've been flocking to this celebration for a quarter century. In addition to upwards of one hundred boats—from pirogues to seventy-five-foot cruisers and trawlers—the fest features a main stage with live bands throughout Saturday and Sunday, with performances by Bottoms Up, Chase Tyler Band, Monster Crawfish, SugarBomb, and Remnant 23—plus a Saints tailgate hosted by The Blenderz. Don't miss the return of the Quick 'n Dirty Boat Building Contest and Parade. Gates open at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday, with entertainment till dusk, all along the banks of the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville. $10. maritimemuseumlouisiana.org/wbf.