Harvest Season Equals Festival Season in Acadia

Historically, Cajuns and Germans alike are of the celebrating sort—it doesn’t take much to get them rowdy. But give them an occasion, something real to celebrate, and you’ll end up with festivals heard about the world over. Here's a taste.

KBON 101.1 Music Festival : October 6–8

This fundraiser for the Downs Syndrome Association of Acadiana takes place over the course of three days at the Rayne Frog Festival Pavilion, and draws more than twenty of the area’s most beloved bands in local genres ranging from Swamp Pop to Zydeco, not to mention thousands of festival-goers ready to fais-do-do until the cows come home. The lineup comes straight from the experts, the folks at KBON 101.1 FM, the Acadiana area’s go-to for Louisiana-made hits. This year’s festival includes performances by the likes of Rusty Metoyer & Zydeco Krush, Tommy G & Stormy Weather, and Dustin Sonnier & The Wanted—plus many, many more. $5 on Friday and Sunday ; $10 Saturday. 

Robert’s Cove Germanfest : October 7–8

Celebrating the almost-200 families descended from the original immigrants from Gangelt,  Geilenkirchen in Germany who came to this area in 1881—this popular festival is held on the grounds of St. Leo IV Church, the heart of the Roberts Cove community. The church and this festival are the main sites where Acadia Parish’s German traditions are collectively practiced and celebrated through the performance of German folk songs and dances, the exploration of German heritage and genealogy, and enjoyment of food traditions passed down for generations, including Apfel Kuchen (German Apple Cobbler), Zucher Platzkens (German Sugar Cookies), sausage from the Zaunbrecher family, and bratwurst from the Hoffpauirs. Visitors to the festival can expect various folklore presentations and demonstrations, a home brew competition, as well as tours of the onsite German Heritage Museum. $8 admission each day; kids twelve and under are admitted for free. 

International Rice Festival : October 19–22 

Billed as one of Louisiana’s oldest and largest harvest festivals, Crowley’s International Rice Festival has been held almost every year since 1937, honoring the impact of the area’s rice industry on the community’s success and the regional culture. Drawing Acadia Parish’s two distinct cultures together, the festival is also an acknowledgement of the role German immigrants played in establishing the commercial industry, and the Acadians’ incorporation of the crop into their foodways. The event annually draws thousands of attendees from across the state, as well as visitors from far beyond—the most famous of these were the Kennedys, who attended the event in 1959 as special guests, shortly before the then-senator announced his candidacy for President of the United States.  

The festival has grown far beyond the main weekend itself, kicking off the preparations as early as September with events like a Poker Run, a Rice & Gravy Cook-off, a blood drive, and the Queen’s Ball. Live music on two stages and the carnival midway get things started on Thursday, October 19th, but the festival really ramps up starting on Friday, with the Rice & Creole Cookery Contest and the Children’s Parade—which rolls through downtown Crowley at 1:30 pm. Saturday brings a car show, 5K, and fiddle & accordion contest, all leading up to the Grand Parade at 3 pm.  This year’s musical lineup includes Chris Ardoin, Wayne Toups, Spank the Monkey, Three Thirty seven, Louisiana Red, and Jamie Bergeron. Also: don’t miss the chance to see how rice was threshed in the old days in a special demonstration hosted by the Gulf Coast Tractor and Engine Association—held on Friday and Saturday from 10 am–noon. The festival is free to attend, $30/per day for the carnival (or $54 for a 4-day pass). Visit ricefestival.com to learn more.