The Mamou Insider
We’d like to lead you on a wild chicken chase
On Mardi Gras in the rural prairies of Louisiana, just over a hundred and fifty miles from the balls and krewes of New Orleans, the descendants of French Acadian immigrants annually embark on the noble quest of begging. The courir de Mardi Gras, or “Fat Tuesday Run,” is characterized by costumed revelers on horseback traveling across the countryside, gathering the ingredients (chicken, some rice) for an enormous communal gumbo. In return, they proffer a dance to a lively concert of accordions, fiddles, and washboards. As a child, my dad, once a rider himself, would hoist me on his shoulders so I could watch wide-eyed as the Cajun joie de vivre took over the riders’ colorfully clad bodies in a mesmerizing performance unlike any other. Today as an adult, I join old friends and new from across the state on Mamou’s 6th Street for a weekend of dancing, food, friendship, and celebration of life. Bringing together tips and experiences from my own fond memories and those of friends, family, and Mardi Gras long-timers, we hope to show people from all over the state—hell, all over the world—how to come be a part of our grande fête in Mamou. Your itinerary follows ...
Saturday
The only way to start off a morning in Mamou is with coffee and boudin. Enjoy some of T-Boy’s world-famous links, then head on over to Fred’s Lounge. Called the home of “the real Cajun Mardi Gras,” legend has it that Fred’s is where the idea for the courir in Mamou was born. Open since 1948, the bar has maintained its status as an icon in Mamou, opening only once a week on Saturday mornings and hosting live Cajun bands from all over the state.
Today, it will take a squeezed-in jig to make your way to the bar, but the Bloody Mary and the company will be worth it. You might meet a local who has come here every single week since he turned 18, a retired accordion player who is enjoying the chance to sit back and let someone else take the wheel, or a traveler from Nova Scotia who has come to soak up Acadiana culture. People of every age will be pulsing to the sound of the Cajun music coming from the corner, spinning and stumbling their way through the bar, some already fully dressed in their costumes for the weekend.
[You might also like: Capitaine, Leader of Chaos]
Ask the bartender for a Schlitz beer, as Fred’s is one of only a few places in America that continues to serve it, and a bottle of cinnamon-flavored Hot Damn to stick in your back pocket. Now, ready to take on the day, join the crowd milling in the street or take to the dance floor. No point in being shy; these people aren’t. Before you know it, you’ll find yourself spinning and dipping to a song you will hear over and over and over again before the weekend is over, “La Chanson de Mardi Gras”: Capitaine, capitaine, voyage ton flag.
The celebration will last until 8 pm, so meet the locals and step into the other bars on 6th Street like Diane’s Brass Rail, the Bon Temps Grill, or Judy’s NiteCap. Many of these businesses make enough money during Mardi Gras weekend to get them through the rest of the year. Local organizations like the Mamou Fire Department and local softball teams will sell home-made barbecue to feed the hungry, drinking masses while raising money for various causes. And while you’re there, don’t forget to step into the ‘50s-style Krazy Kajun Café alongside the famed and fabled Hotel Cazan.
Ask the bartender for a Schlitz beer, as Fred’s is one of only a few places in America that continues to serve it, and a bottle of cinnamon-flavored Hot Damn to stick in your back pocket.
Sunday
Sunday is a day of rest in Mamou, as everyone prepares for the upcoming Tuesday, giving visitors a great chance to relax and explore the Acadian countryside. Drive past the miles of rice and crawfish fields on which Evangeline Parish is built or enjoy a hike through the dark hilly woods and swampy elegance of Chicot State Park.
If you’re feeling restless, though, nearby towns will be celebrating Mardi Gras full force. Head over to Duralde to watch or even participate in their courir, which runs through Duralde into L’Anse Maigre. Unlike Mamou’s rigidly traditional run, in Duralde women are allowed to ride and even lead the chicken chase, which meets at 6:30 am right off of Highway 13. Visitors can also hop on over to Eunice where a live band will perform Cajun music all day long. For night time entertainment, Lakeview Park & Beach is the place to be—presenting its annual slate of Cajun and Zydeco musicians.
Lundi Gras
Monday is a return to 6th Street for the official Mardi Gras Street Dance. The crowd will now stretch between two focal points: Fred’s Lounge and the bandstand on the other end of the street, where a Cajun band will hold court throughout the night, accompanied unceasingly by twirling couples young and old, crooning out the words to our favorite French songs in a relentless fais-do-do. If you're up for "bar hopping" across the prairie, Lakeview will hold another well-attended concert that night, and the Faquetaique crowd will likely be cutting up at the mystical Holiday Lounge just down the road.
Fat Tuesday
There are a few ways to experience the courir, which will depend on your resilience, sense of adventure, and perhaps your gender: Strictly adherent to tradition, the courir de Mardi Gras in Mamou unfortunately does not allow women riders, but that doesn’t mean female festivalgoers can’t participate in the revelry. Here are the three best ways to take in the courir de Mardi Gras experience:
Regarder [to watch]: Visitors are welcome to set up anywhere along the route to watch the courir. You might like to watch the rowdy bunch head out in the morning, starting at the American Legion at 7 am. Another hot spot is the Savoy Care Center, Mamou’s nursing home. Here you can watch the elderly, who likely participated in the revelry in their own day, spring to life, energized by the spirit of the Mardi Gras, dancing with the runners and even sneaking a cold one.
The route alternates every other year. This year’s parade will head west, down the Bieber Road, turning onto Mike Lane, and heading back to town on Oberlin Road. Set yourself up, either in the back of a truck or with lawn chairs, at the intersection of Mike Lane and Oberlin Road. Here you’ll be audience to the activities when the courir stops at Mike Dupuis’ home, and then be all set to join the troupe at their lunch stop, which will consist of boiled eggs and boudin.
Before it’s all over, be sure to make your way back to Mamou for the grand finale!
If you are without a steed, just settle into the “Drunk Wagon,” an open-air trailer arranged to house anyone who struggles to stay on their horse throughout the day.
Suivre [to follow]: Every year, a snake of vehicles follows the courir at a snail’s pace for all eight hours of the journey. Locals and tourists alike pile into trucks and trailers stocked with beer and food for the show. Whether you join up from the very start of the morning, or file into the line later, this is a great option for those who can’t or would rather not get their hands dirty and catch the chicken themselves, but would like to participate in the day’s adventure. You’ll get to watch as the courir makes each stop and to interact with the riders up close and personal, free to join each and every celebration.
Courir [to run]: At the crack of dawn, you’ll need to shake off your hangover, perhaps by downing another beer. The group will meet at the American Legion at 7 am to receive the rules for the day and have your costumes examined, ensuring that it adheres to traditional standards. You must have a full costume, with a hat and a mask. (Learn how to make your own courir costume, here!) Then it is time to hop on the horses! If you are without a steed, just settle into the “Drunk Wagon,” an open-air trailer arranged to house anyone who struggles to stay on their horse throughout the day. From there, follow the capitaine, who will be the only man without a mask. The group will embark for the first home, and ask permission in French to “run”. Now is your moment! If you’ve got a horse, stand upon its back and show off your best moves. Place your Bud Light can on your head for good measure. Maybe try to turn yourself upside down while you’re at it. On the ground, grab a willing gal and do a little two-step.
[Now read: Masked Merriment]
Now you’re ready to chase a chicken. The owner of the home will stand up, and after a few moments of strained anticipation, toss it into the air. Run! Not only do you have to catch up to the poultry, but you’ve got to beat your fellow riders to it. Catch the most chickens by the end of the day, and you’ll be honored with the highly esteemed chicken chasing award.
This process will continue from home to home for around 10-15 miles, which can last until late in the afternoon, depending on how many locals have volunteered their homes this year. In a victorious final march, you will then return to 6th street, where the town will be awaiting you with open arms and one last fais do do.
A tight-knit community built proudly on our eccentric traditions, we Cajuns love nothing more than sharing our fêtes with the rest of the world. Such is the infectious spirit of Mardi Gras that even the most refined city slicker might find himself behind a screen mask, dancing on a horse to the persuasive whine of a Cajun fiddle.
The weekend ends with a communal gumbo for everyone at the American Legion, the (supposed) fruits of the day’s labors. Savor every drop, for Lenten fasting begins at midnight!
Where to Stay
Mamou’s recently renovated historic Hotel Cazan boasts a vibrant history and a location right on 6th Street in Mamou, the heart of Mardi Gras weekend. You’ll be a hop and a skip away from Bloody Marys at Fred’s Lounge, and you’ll hear the live music through your bedroom window.
Only a 30-minute drive from 6th Street, Chicot State Park’s cabins and campsites serve as a cool and restful contrast to the raucous celebrations in Mamou. Lakeview Park & Beach, set directly between Mamou and nearby Eunice, supplements the courir de Mardi Gras with its own festivities throughout the weekend. With 95 RV sites and a set of cottages, the campsite offers a fun campground designed for families and live Cajun music every night.
Dress the Part
Costumes for the courir traditionally use scraps and rags left over from around the house. Today, the more peculiar and creative you can get, the better. A favorite trend in recent years has been sewing hundreds of Crown Royal bags together into a regal representation of rascalry. Locals across Acadiana spend the months leading up to the grande fête sewing colorful bits of pieces together to create an assortment of completely one-of-a-kind ensembles, complete with a capuchon, a tall pointed hat that nods to medieval traditions in which peasants would mock the clergy and nobility. You’ll also want a mask. The traditional Couirir de Mardi Gras mask is made of a bit of front porch screen with various odds and ends serving as decorative and outrageous renditions of noses, mouths, or beards. Local businesses in the area will have them on display—try Cottage Couture in Ville Platte and Hole in the Wall Taxidermy in Eunice. One year I was able to scoop one up last minute from J&K’s Market on 6th street in between bar-hopping on Mardi Gras Saturday. For custom orders made by private crafters, you can also contact Lydia Godeaux at Granny’s Creations, (337) 580-1564; Kimberly Soileau (children’s only), (337) 412-7492; or Taylor McCaulley, (337) 336-2031.