Crawfish Derby

The downtown bridge in Breaux Bridge—the one that makes it “Breaux Bridge” instead of just “Breaux”—is one of the most photographed objects in the state of Louisiana and a symbol of the city and region. When the department of transportation came to inspect it and said, essentially, “It’s fine for now, but it’s old; so when it gets rickety we’re eventually going to replace it with a standard concrete bridge,” town residents sprang into action. The bridge now has landmark status, protecting it to some degree; but it still takes money to keep the structure in good repair. That’s where the Breaux Bridge Crawfish Derby, now in its second year, comes in. A typical Louisiana festival, you can look forward to live music, dancing, and delicious food. Plus there are some pretty sweet raffles. Free. 10:30 am–6 pm at Parc des Ponts. crawfishderby.com.