We can assume the Acadians took their durable cast iron cookware with them (most families would have only had one cooking vessel that they used for all meals) when they were driven by the British from Nova Scotia to resettle in southwestern Louisiana and start again with nothing (Le Grand Dérangement). Thus ensconced, they would have set their cauldrons over live coals and commenced cooking, a practice that remains central to the lively culture. For the 14th consecutive year the Blackpot Festival will celebrate the indestructible cooking vessel through food, music and competition against the verdant scenery of Vermilionville, a historic museum village. The festival runs October 25-26.
The festival will be preceded by Blackpot Camp, a week (October 20-25) of cooking, music and dancing workshops held at Lakeview Park & Beach in Eunice. Both tents and RVs are welcome and a rollicking barn dance erupts every night. A note on Blackpot Camp: Due to Lakeview’s liability insurance, guests not paying tuition to attend camp must vacate the campground from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. each day but all are invited to join for a la carte dinner and dances each night. When camp culminates with a breakfast on Friday morning the action will move one hour south to Vermilionville, where tent camping will be allowed on the baseball fields starting at 3 p.m.
Live music will start invading from three stages beginning at 6 p.m. The Blackpot Cook-off will happen on Saturday. Both individuals and groups, amateurs and professionals can register in advance of the festival to compete or you can just show up and wander around to the various makeshift “kitchens” to sample the competitors’ creations in the categories of Gravy, Gumbo, Jambalaya, Cracklin’ and Dessert, all of which must be cooked exclusively in cast iron on site.
BONUS BITE
If you are rolling through Krotz Springs on Highway 190 make a stop at Billy’s Diner (24467 Highway 190, Krotz Springs, 337-566-2318) and check out the new grab-and-go offerings from the hot case for the best road food ever: Billy’s Roll Ups. The original is a boudin egg roll. There is also a crawfish version and, my personal favorite, a mash up of the aforementioned with the addition of melt-y pepper jack cheese. Yum.
Blackpot Camp
blackpotcamp.com
Blackpot Festival
blackpotfestival.com
Lakeview Park, Beach & Campground
1717 Veterans Memorial Highway, Eunice
337.457.2881
lvpark.com
Vermilionville Historic Village
300 Fisher ROAD
Lafayette
337.233.4077
vermilionville.org
LINEUP
The Blackpot Festival
Friday, Oct. 25
Main Stage
7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Soul Creole
9 – 10:15 p.m.
Los Texmaniacs
10:45 – Midnight
Pine Leaf Boys
Chapel Stage
6 – 6:45 p.m.
Cajun Jam
with Jesse Lege
7:15 – 8:15 p.m.
Djoukil
8:45 – 9:45 p.m.
Blue Monday All Start
Schoolhouse Stage
6:30 – 7:10 p.m.
Hoot & Holler
7:30 – 8:10 p.m.
Bad Penny Pleasuremakers
8:30 – 9:10 p.m.
Hogslop Stringband
9:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Chas Justus & Friends
Saturday, Oct. 26
Main Stage
11 am – 12:15 p.m.
Squaredance with Hogslop Stringband & Nancy Spero
12:45 – 1:45 p.m.
Djoukil
2:15 – 3:15 p.m.
Big Cedar Fever
3:45 – 4:45 p.m.
Sheryl Cormier and Cajun Sounds
5:15 – 6:30 p.m.
Preston Frank & Ed Poullard
7 – 8 p.m.
Warren Storm & Friends (Featuring Yvette Landry, Sonny Landreth & Eric Adcock)
8 – 8:45 p.m.
Cook-off winners announced
8:45 – 10 p.m.
Lil’ Freddie King
10 – 10:30 p.m.
Costume Contest
10:30 – Midnight
The Revelers
Chapel Stage
12 – 1 p.m.
Tucci Swing
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Johnny Nicholas
3 – 4 p.m.
Jenny Parrot
4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Bluebird Stringband
6 – 7 p.m.
Five Mile Mountain Road
7:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Jesse Lege
Cook-off Stage
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cajun Jam
12:30pm – 1:30
p.m. Choupique
Cajun Band
2 – 3 p.m.
Gerald Gruenig & Gentilly Zydeco
3:30 – 5 p.m.
The Daiquiri Queens
Schoolhouse Stage
12 – 12:40 p.m.
Krekel & Whoa!
12:45 – 1:25 p.m.
McKain Lakey
1:45 – 2:25 p.m.
Morelock & Ferd
2:45 – 3:25 p.m.
Grant Dermody and Dirk Powell
3:45 – 4:25 p.m.
Krista Shows & Scott Sharpe
4:45 – 5:25 p.m.
Morelock & Ferd
5:45 – 6:25 p.m.
Pat Reedy & The Longtime Goners
6:45 – 7:40 p.m.
Bad Penny Pleasuremakers
8 – 8:45 p.m.
Get Up Rounder
9 – 10 p.m.
Old Time Jam, led by Get Up Rounder
*Schedule and lineup subject to change*