3 Festivals for August
Arts & Crabs Fest
Aug. 18 / Lake Charles.
The yearly Arts & Crabs Fest is a fundraiser by the Arts & Humanities Council and the SWLA Convention & Visitors Bureau. Enjoy a crab and seafood dish tasting and chef’s contest for the “Best Crab Dish,” complementary craft beer samples, live music and an art market. artscouncilswla.org
Le Cajun Music Awards and Festival
Aug. 16-18 / Lafayette
This year will see the 30th annual Le Cajun Music Awards and Festival, which the Cajun French Music Association touts as the “Grammy Awards of Cajun music.” The three-day event will host an award ceremony, Miss Le Cajun crowning and a day full of Cajun music – beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday (doors open at 8 a.m.). cajunfrenchmusic.org
Shrimp Festival
Aug. 15-18 / Delcambre
Each year, Delcambre hosts an annual festival honoring the area’s most lucrative business – shrimp. The whole town dedicates their entire weekend to the festival, which includes fais-do-dos, carnival rides, a blessing of the shrimp boat fleet and, of course, a shrimp cook-off. This year’s events include music from national recording artists Josh Ward and Tracy Byrd. shrimpfestival.net
3 Festivals for September
Cajun Food Fest
Sept. 7-8 / Lydia.
Each year, the Lydia Cancer Association holds the Cajun Food Fest. Besides the food festival and cook-off — including a people’s choice award — the two-day event includes a fais-do-do, a cancer survivor walk, carnival rides, a car show and live entertainment. Parking is free, festival merchandise can be purchased and they ask that no one brings their pets or outside ice chests. lydiacancerassociation.org/food-fest
Kiwanis Pepper Festival
Sept. 7-8 / St. Martinville
This event full of flavor and fun is held annually to support the children of the community. The Kiwanis Pepper Festival features live music, craft vendors, a 5k race and a pepper eating contest. For 27 years, this event has been “fun for the whole family” in the St. Martinville community. cajuncountry.org
Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival
Sept. 27-30 / New Iberia
The Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival Association’s five-day festival is jam-packed with events like a 4H live auction, cooking contest, 5k, car show and “Stars of Style” fundraiser. hisugar.org/wordpress
