The weather is warming, the flowers are starting to bloom — it must be spring festival season in south Louisiana. Pick and choose from these 28 celebrations in the Baton Rouge area and Acadiana.
Don't see your festival listed here? Let us know by emailing red@theadvocate.com.
FRIDAY-SATURDAY
COOKING IN CENTRAL: Amazing Place, 10305 Blackwater Road. Cook-off, food, vendors and carnival fun. The music lineup features Thomas Cain, Parish County Line, Chris LeBlanc and Lauren Lee Band. cookingincentral.com.
Dean and Nancy Whitsett dance to the music of Chubby Carrier at the Scott Boudin Festival on April 6, 2024.
SATURDAY
CAJUN EATS & BEAUSOLEIL FESTIVAL: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Arceneaux Park, 835 E. Main St., Broussard. Three cooking contest divisions, live music, taste-testing, concessions, kids' activities. $10, adults; $5, kids 10 and younger; free, kids 5 and younger.
HOLI FESTIVAL: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Girard Park, 500 Girard Park Drive, Lafayette. Colorful celebration featuring music with a live DJ, dance, performances, drummer (Dholi), exchange of colors and Indian cuisine. lafayetteholi.org.
SUNDAY
TASTE OF MID CITY: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., The Executive Center, 250 S. Foster Drive, Baton Rouge. The food festival brings together the area restaurants and chefs in a family-focused event to benefit Kids' Orchestra. Samples from restaurants, games, activities for kids and live music. $6-$35. eventbrite.com.
HOLIFEST: 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., Repentance Park, 275 S. River Road, Baton Rouge. An afternoon filled with vibrant colors, live music, food and fun. Holi is considered one of the most revered festivals in India and is celebrated in almost every part of the country. Free. www.holifestivalbr.com.
Amanda Frayle of Metairie heads for home with a flat of strawberries during the 2023 Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival.
APRIL 4-5
ROCK THE COUNTRY: Fairgrounds, 19869 Fairgrounds Road, Livingston. Two-day music event with headliners Kid Rock, Nickelback, Hank Williams Jr. and Lynyrd Skynyrd. $99.99, single day pass; $159.99, weekend. rockthecountry.com.
APRIL 4-6
BATON ROUGE BLUES FESTIVAL: downtown Baton Rouge. A weekend-long annual celebration of the swamp blues. Headliners include Grammy-winning Chris Thomas King, Grammy-nominated Kenny Neal, Grammy-winning Cedric Burnside, gothic blues singer-songwriter Adia Victoria, Louisiana bluesman DK Harrell and Grammy-winning Lost Bayou Ramblers. Free, but VIP experiences available. www.brblues.org.
BOOKS ALONG THE TECHE LITERARY FESTIVAL: various locations, New Iberia. Author talks, children's book fair, trivia, live oak bike tour, Dave Robicheaux’s walking tour, Great Southern Chef seafood demo and more. booksalongthetecheliteraryfestival.com.
BOUDIN FESTIVAL: 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, 125 Lions Club Road, Scott. Games, bungee jumping on Sunday, beer and daiquiri booths, pageants in several age ranges, Mass on the grounds on Sunday, a huge bandstand and dance floor, 50 vendors selling all kinds of items, and live music. $10; children 12 and younger, free. scottboudinfestival.com.
Rancho Aparte entertains the crowd at Festival International de Louisiane in Lafayette on April 28, 2024.
APRIL 5
FESTIVAL DES FLEURS DE LOUISIANE: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Blackham Coliseum, 2330 Johnston St., Lafayette. Premier garden show and sale which serves as a fundraiser for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Ira Nelson Horticulture Center. More than 100 garden-related vendors, displays, informational kiosks and food trucks. https://www.festivaldesfleurs.org/.
APRIL 6
EDIBLE BOOK FESTIVAL: 3 p.m., Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. An international celebration of books, food and bad puns held on or around April Fools’ Day. Participants choose a book and create an edible representation of its title or a wordplay on its title. Voting will take place and prizes will be awarded to winners at 5:30 p.m. ebrpl.com.
APRIL 10-12
LOUISIANA RAILROAD DAYS: 4:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, Railroad Museum Park, 400 Lake Charles Ave., DeQuincy. Free, family-oriented, no-alcohol celebration featuring gospel night, railroad "Idol," children's events, old-timers reunion, pageant and parade. larailroaddaysfestival.com.
APRIL 11-13
PONCHATOULA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL: noon to 10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday, Memorial Park, 301 N. Sixth St. Parade, food, strawberry treats in many forms, live music, contests including strawberry eating and egg toss, arts and crafts. Free. www.lastrawberryfestival.com.
NEW IBERIA SPANISH FESTIVAL: 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 102 W. Main St. Arts and crafts, carnival rides, live music, parade, jambalaya cook-offs, Easter egg hunt, car show. Free. www.newiberiaspanishfestival.com.
APRIL 12
SNEAKER FEST: 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., Rhorer Plaza, 200 St. Louis St., Baton Rouge. Family-friendly free event for buying, selling or trading authentic sneakers, streetwear and collectibles. Also includes live performances, food, drinks and fashion show. More details TBA.
APRIL 23-27
FESTIVAL INTERNATIONAL DE LOUISIANE: downtown Lafayette. Music from around the world, gourmet food, handcrafted artworks, authentic Asian, Cajun or Greek food, Belgium stilt walkers and more. www.festivalinternational.org.
APRIL 25-26
CRACKLIN COOK-OFF FESTIVAL: Cecile Rousseau Poche Memorial Park, 1019 Periou St., Parks. Cracklin cooking, judging, poker run, live music and raffle. www.parkscracklincookoff.com.
APRIL 25-27
THE ITALIAN FESTIVAL: 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, U.S. 51 (next to City Hall), Tickfaw. Italian food, live music and carnival rides. www.theitalianfestivalorg.com.
ÉTOUFFÉE FESTIVAL: 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Little Flower Auditorium, 370 Main St., Arnaudville. Cook-off, carnival rides, live music, bingo, auto show, and shopping at St. Therese’s Boutique.
APRIL 26
DENHAM SPRINGS ANTIQUE VILLAGE SPRING FESTIVAL: 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., downtown. Vendors, games, kiddie rides, food booths, antique store shopping, art exhibits, Old City Hall exhibits and music at the Old Train Station. Free. denhamspringsantiquedistrict.net.
APRIL 27
BATON ROUGE EARTH DAY FESTIVAL: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Repentance Park, 275 S. River Road; Rhorer Plaza, 200 St. Louis St.; Town Square, 222 North Blvd. Fun-filled day of community and environmental awareness as the planet is celebrated. Free.
MAY 2-4
CRAWFISH FESTIVAL: 4 p.m. to midnight Friday, 10 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Parc Hardy, Breaux Bridge. Heritage tent, music, food, crawfish races, Cajun and zydeco dance contests, crawfish étouffée cook-off, carnival rides, arts and crafts, crawfish eating contest and parade. $10, Friday; $15, Saturday; $5, Sunday; and advance three-day pass, $25. bbcrawfest.com.
MAY 8-10
FROG FESTIVAL: Frog Festival Pavilion, Rayne. Frog racing and jumping, frog cook-off, frog-eating contest, history, music, family-friendly entertainment, pageants, diaper derby, parade, and arts and crafts.
May 17-18
8TH ANNUAL BATON ROUGE SOUL FOOD FESTIVAL: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Main Library at Goodwood, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Family-friendly, free event with blues, soul, R&B, gospel and Christian music, vendor’s village, judged soul food cooking contest and pioneer award for contributions to the soul food industry. www.brsoulfoodfest.com.
MAY 22-25
JAMBALAYA FESTIVAL: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, noon-midnight Saturday, and noon to 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Lamar-Dixon Expo Center, Gonzales. Cook-off, food, bands, carnival rides, vendors, car show and more. Thursday, free; Saturday, $10; Friday and Sunday, $5; weekend pass, $15; children 12 and younger, free. www.jambalayafestival.net.
MAY 23-25
CAJUN COUNTRY JAM MEMORIAL DAY FESTIVAL: North Park, 30373 Eden Church Road, Denham Springs. Frank Foster, Craig Morgan and Dylan Scott headline three days of music. Tickets start at $75. www.thecajuncountryjam.com.
MAY 23-JUNE 1
CAJUN HEARTLAND FESTIVAL: Cajundome, 444 Cajundome Blvd., Lafayette. Carnival midway, food, free attractions and family-oriented games. $5, Monday-Thursday and before 7 p.m. Friday-Sunday; $10, after 7 p.m. Friday-Sunday. cajundome.com.
MAY 26
ZYDECO EXTRAVAGANZA MUSIC FESTIVAL: 1 p.m., Parc International, 200 Garfield St., Lafayette. Featuring Keith Frank, Alphonse Ardoin, The Williams Family, Rusty Metoyer, David Sylvester and Step Rideau. Cajun food, vendors, arts and crafts, and more. www.zydecoextra.com.
