Today I begin my virtual tour of Louisiana festivals as part of the annual A to Z Blogging Challenge. My goal is to highlight various aspects of Louisiana culture as they are celebrated throughout towns and cities across the Bayou State. I have been to many of the festivals I'll write about this month, but many more I have not. An extra benefit of the Challenge is that I'll add to my adventure to-do list.
Many of the festivals I feature will be found here in my hometown of Lake Charles, La. After all, with over 70 annual festivals, the Lake City is known as the festival capital of Louisiana! Plus, I love to tout the merits of southwest Louisiana.
A is for Art, Alligators, and Andouille Sausage!
The Arts and Crabs Festival takes place every summer here in Lake Charles. At this annual fundraiser for the Arts and Humanities Council, numerous local chefs and restaurants feature their best crab dishes while artists display their work. And no festival is complete without lively music. Find out more here.
This is a photo of one of my favorite watercolor artists in Lake Charles, Sue Zimmermann, taken at the 2011 Arts and Crabs Fest.
The Rotary Club of St. Charles Parish in Luling sponsors an Alligator Festival each September. Enjoy carnival rides, a 5K race, arts and crafts, a golf tournament, music, and of course, food, including alligator burgers, alligator sauce piquant, fried alligator, smoked alligator sausage, alligator tamales, and seafood alligator gumbo.
What is Louisiana cooking without Andouille sausage? October 2016 marks the 43rd annual Andouille Festival in LaPlace. Andouille is one of those uniquely Louisiana things I'd never heard of until I moved to Louisiana. And then it took me years to learn how to pronounce it -- "an doo ee". It's a smoked pork sausage that originated in France. Which is why it's hard to pronounce. It's a primary ingredient in many Creole and Cajun recipes such as gumbo and jambalaya.
Stay tuned! Tomorrow you'll read about beer and boudin!
Many of the festivals I feature will be found here in my hometown of Lake Charles, La. After all, with over 70 annual festivals, the Lake City is known as the festival capital of Louisiana! Plus, I love to tout the merits of southwest Louisiana.
A is for Art, Alligators, and Andouille Sausage!
The Arts and Crabs Festival takes place every summer here in Lake Charles. At this annual fundraiser for the Arts and Humanities Council, numerous local chefs and restaurants feature their best crab dishes while artists display their work. And no festival is complete without lively music. Find out more here.
This is a photo of one of my favorite watercolor artists in Lake Charles, Sue Zimmermann, taken at the 2011 Arts and Crabs Fest.
The Rotary Club of St. Charles Parish in Luling sponsors an Alligator Festival each September. Enjoy carnival rides, a 5K race, arts and crafts, a golf tournament, music, and of course, food, including alligator burgers, alligator sauce piquant, fried alligator, smoked alligator sausage, alligator tamales, and seafood alligator gumbo.
What is Louisiana cooking without Andouille sausage? October 2016 marks the 43rd annual Andouille Festival in LaPlace. Andouille is one of those uniquely Louisiana things I'd never heard of until I moved to Louisiana. And then it took me years to learn how to pronounce it -- "an doo ee". It's a smoked pork sausage that originated in France. Which is why it's hard to pronounce. It's a primary ingredient in many Creole and Cajun recipes such as gumbo and jambalaya.
Stay tuned! Tomorrow you'll read about beer and boudin!
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