From hot tamales to wooden boats, we’ll throw a festival for just about anything. With close to 400 different festivals each year, its easy to see why Louisiana gets the nickname “Festival Capital Of The America”. Once Spring begins, there’s practically something going on every weekend all the way until winter. While we all know the big festivals like Jazzfest and the Red River Revel Arts Festival, there are several festivals that occur in smaller towns that are equally entertaining and you simply can’t miss them this year.
- Alligator Festival
Alligator Festival/Facebook Play with baby alligators, shop at the arts and crafts mall, and dance the night away at St. Charles Parish’s largest festival. There’s amazing Cajun cuisine to enjoy, thrilling carnival rides, and much more. The festival has been going strong for more than 30 years, and it’s a wonderful family friendly event. The Alligator Festival takes place in the fall, and you can learn more about it here.
- Renaissance Festival
Louisiana Renaissance Festival/Facebook You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another world when you walk into the Renaissance Festival. The festival takes place in Hammond in a massive area that gets transformed into a 16th-century village, Albright. Cast members, vendors and performers are all dressed in their finest 1560s garb, and they love to interact with the guests. Usually taking place during the month of November, this is an event the whole family will love. Learn more here.
- Contraband Days Festival
Louisiana Pirate Festival/Facebook This 12-day festival is filled with delicious Cajun food, parades, fireworks, live entertainment, speedboat races and much more. The festival takes place every year at the seawall of the Lake Charles Civic Center with a pirate ship trying to take control of the city. A gang of pirates, including the legendary Jean Lafitte, takes control and captures the mayor to make him walk the plank. You’ve never seen a festival kick off like this before. The festival takes place in May, and you can learn more about it here.
- Tamale Fiesta
Zwolle Tamale Fiesta/Facebook You wouldn’t normally think of tamales when you think of Louisiana, but remember we do have a bit of Spanish history. The Tamale Fiesta in Zwolle celebrates both Spanish and Indian heritage of the area with a jam packed weekend of entertainment, arts and crafts, parades, and of course, all the hot tamales you could eat. The fiesta is always held the second full weekend in October, and you can learn more about it here.
- Fur and Wildlife Festival
Fur and Wildlife Festival/Facebook Founded in 1955, the Fur and Wildlife Festival is one of the oldest festivals in Louisiana. Head on over to Cameron on January 12-13 to pass a good time. There are several contests such as duck calling, muskrat skinning and trap shooting you can enter to show off your skills. There’s also a 5k run, carnival rides and an antique vehicle showcase. Learn more here.
- Frog Festival
Rayne Frog Festival/Facebook Hop on down to Rayne for the annual Frog Festival and celebrate Rayne’s frog history with live music, delicious food and stomach turning carnival rides. There’s also a frog cookout, a frog eating contest, an accordion contest and frog racing. Learn more here.
- Giant Omelette Celebration
Giant Omelette Celebration/Facebook You better come hungry, because this 5,000 egg omelette could feed a small army. The two-day festival in Abbeville kicks off on the first Saturday of November and includes live performances from talented Cajun and French performers, an arts and crafts show featuring one-of-a-kind, handmade items, an egg cracking contest and a Kids World the little ones will love. Then, on Sunday, the 12-ft. skillet is fired up and multiple chefs get to cooking this massive omelette. A total of 5,000 eggs, 50 pounds of onions, 75 bell peppers, 4 gallons of onion tops, 2 gallons of parsley, 1.5 gallons of cooking oil, 6.5 gallons of milk, 52 pounds of butter, 3 boxes of salt, 2 boxes of black pepper, Louisiana crawfish tails and Tabasco all go into making this delicious omelette. Learn more here.
- Wooden Boat Festival
Wooden Boat Festival/Facebook You’ll see dozens of amazing wooden boats lined up on the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville at this unique festival. There’s also a classic car and motorcycle show, a children’s village full of activities and crafts for the kids, a boat building contest, a beer garden and much more at this fun festival. It takes place in October and you can learn more here.
- Rougarou Fest
Rougarou Fest/Facebook We’ve all heard stories about this mythical swamp creature and Houma celebrates it proudly with live music, costume contests, parades, carnival rides and kids activities. It always takes place at the end of October near Halloween, so start thinking of your costume now! Learn more here.
How many of these festivals are you planning on attending? Let us know in the comments below!
Alligator Festival/Facebook
Play with baby alligators, shop at the arts and crafts mall, and dance the night away at St. Charles Parish’s largest festival. There’s amazing Cajun cuisine to enjoy, thrilling carnival rides, and much more. The festival has been going strong for more than 30 years, and it’s a wonderful family friendly event. The Alligator Festival takes place in the fall, and you can learn more about it here.
Louisiana Renaissance Festival/Facebook
You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to another world when you walk into the Renaissance Festival. The festival takes place in Hammond in a massive area that gets transformed into a 16th-century village, Albright. Cast members, vendors and performers are all dressed in their finest 1560s garb, and they love to interact with the guests. Usually taking place during the month of November, this is an event the whole family will love. Learn more here.
Louisiana Pirate Festival/Facebook
This 12-day festival is filled with delicious Cajun food, parades, fireworks, live entertainment, speedboat races and much more. The festival takes place every year at the seawall of the Lake Charles Civic Center with a pirate ship trying to take control of the city. A gang of pirates, including the legendary Jean Lafitte, takes control and captures the mayor to make him walk the plank. You’ve never seen a festival kick off like this before. The festival takes place in May, and you can learn more about it here.
Zwolle Tamale Fiesta/Facebook
You wouldn’t normally think of tamales when you think of Louisiana, but remember we do have a bit of Spanish history. The Tamale Fiesta in Zwolle celebrates both Spanish and Indian heritage of the area with a jam packed weekend of entertainment, arts and crafts, parades, and of course, all the hot tamales you could eat. The fiesta is always held the second full weekend in October, and you can learn more about it here.
Fur and Wildlife Festival/Facebook
Founded in 1955, the Fur and Wildlife Festival is one of the oldest festivals in Louisiana. Head on over to Cameron on January 12-13 to pass a good time. There are several contests such as duck calling, muskrat skinning and trap shooting you can enter to show off your skills. There’s also a 5k run, carnival rides and an antique vehicle showcase. Learn more here.
Rayne Frog Festival/Facebook
Hop on down to Rayne for the annual Frog Festival and celebrate Rayne’s frog history with live music, delicious food and stomach turning carnival rides. There’s also a frog cookout, a frog eating contest, an accordion contest and frog racing. Learn more here.
Giant Omelette Celebration/Facebook
You better come hungry, because this 5,000 egg omelette could feed a small army. The two-day festival in Abbeville kicks off on the first Saturday of November and includes live performances from talented Cajun and French performers, an arts and crafts show featuring one-of-a-kind, handmade items, an egg cracking contest and a Kids World the little ones will love. Then, on Sunday, the 12-ft. skillet is fired up and multiple chefs get to cooking this massive omelette. A total of 5,000 eggs, 50 pounds of onions, 75 bell peppers, 4 gallons of onion tops, 2 gallons of parsley, 1.5 gallons of cooking oil, 6.5 gallons of milk, 52 pounds of butter, 3 boxes of salt, 2 boxes of black pepper, Louisiana crawfish tails and Tabasco all go into making this delicious omelette. Learn more here.
Wooden Boat Festival/Facebook
You’ll see dozens of amazing wooden boats lined up on the Tchefuncte River in Madisonville at this unique festival. There’s also a classic car and motorcycle show, a children’s village full of activities and crafts for the kids, a boat building contest, a beer garden and much more at this fun festival. It takes place in October and you can learn more here.
Rougarou Fest/Facebook
We’ve all heard stories about this mythical swamp creature and Houma celebrates it proudly with live music, costume contests, parades, carnival rides and kids activities. It always takes place at the end of October near Halloween, so start thinking of your costume now! Learn more here.
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