The 7th annual Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival is chockablock full of groups from this side of the Basin.
Acadiana's Lost Bayou Ramblers perform at last year's Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival in the French Quarter.
There's nary a better way to support our hard-working Acadiana musicians than by hopping in the car and driving to New Orleans to hear them perform. Plus, it's New Orleans and all.
The 7th annual Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival is chockablock full of groups from this side of the Basin. The festival is an outgrowth of the small street festivals the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation began putting on around NOLA years ago. After Katrina, when the city was flushed of its musicians, the foundation decided to expand the theretofore one-day festivals into bigger events, in large part to provide opportunities for New Orleans musicians to find work at home. The Cajun-Zydeco Fest is an outgrowth of that initiative.
At least half of the bands performing at this year's festival at the Old U.S. Mint (corner of Decatur and Esplanade behind the French Market at the "back" of the French Quarter) - did we mention it's free? - are from our bend in the bayou.
Here's the lineup:
**(SATURDAY, JUNE 8)
Esplanade Avenue Stage**
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mary Broussard & Sweet La La
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band
3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. T-Broussard & the Zydeco Steppers
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Rosie Ledet
Barracks Street Stage
11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dikki Du & the Zydeco Krewe
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Les Freres Michot
3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Bruce Daigrepont
5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Corey Ledet
French Market's Creole Tomato Festival
Ursulines Street Stage
10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. TBA
12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. The Babineaux Sisters
2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Ganey Arsement
4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sean Ardoin
**(SUNDAY, JUNE 9)
**
Esplanade Avenue Stage
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic
1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie
3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunpie & the La. Sunspots
Barracks Street Stage
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Li'l Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers
1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
3:15 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. Beausoleil
5:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Lost Bayou Ramblers