Top festivals

By Scott Yoshonis

News Editor

Folks in Terrebonne and Lafourche love to celebrate, and any excuse to throw a party will do.

During just about every weekend in the spring and fall you can find a festival of some sort, most of which feature an abundance of local food, friends and fun. Some festivals are larger than others, but all of them aim to make sure those in attendance come away smiling.

Here are a few of them which have scheduled dates in 2021. Due to the ongoing pandemic, they are subject to postponement or cancellation, so be sure to check their websites for the latest information.

Southdown Marketplace: Southdown Plantation, 1208 Museum Drive, Houma. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 27. More than 300 vendors sell local, handmade arts and crafts at one of the area’s biggest fairs, in the shadow of the historic Southdown Plantation house.

Admission: $5 per person. Kids 12 and under free.

Info: 851-0154.

Thibodaux Firemen’s Fair: Thibodaux Fairgrounds, 1101 Tiger Drive, Thibodaux. 5-11 p.m. May 3-4, 11 a.m.-midnight May 5, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. May 6. One of the area’s biggest festivals includes carnival rides, live entertainment, a parade and auctions that benefits the city’s volunteer fire department. The main attraction may be the abundant offerings of food, including an impressive selection of traditional Cajun cuisine.

Admission: Free, with food and ride tickets available for purchase.

Info: firemensfair.com.

TFAE Run for Excellence and Ca-

jun Food Festival: Downtown Houma, in and around the Courthouse Square. May 8, 2021. One of the area’s biggest festivals, this one benefits the Terrebonne Foundation for Academic Excellence, a nonprofit that has awarded more than $1 million in competitive grants to parish public school teachers. The festival includes the area’s biggest 5K race, live music and, most of all, food. Every variety of local cuisine imaginable is available to sample with one price for all you can eat and drink.

Admission: $25 for adults 21 and over, $15 for ages 5-20, Kida 4 and under free. Info: runforexcellence.com.

Jacob Morrison of Thibodaux stirs a hot pot of crawfish at the Thibodaux Mudbug Boil-Off. [FILE]

Mud Bug Boil-Off: Downtown Thibodaux. Noon to 11 p.m. May 8, 2021. Teams compete for the best crawfish and visitors get to eat it. Proceeds benefit the Thibodaux Police Department Fraternal Order of Police, Lafourche Parish Children‘s Advocacy Center and Thibodaux Main Street. A kids’ zone includes magic, face painting, bounce houses and snowballs. Burgers and drinks are also available and sweets will be sold.

Admission: $15 per person. Kids 10 and under are free.

Info: downtownthibodaux.org or 3873000.

La Fete des Vieux Temps: Lafourche Central Market, 4484 La. 1, Raceland. 5 p.m.- 1 a.m. Oct. 1, 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Oct. 2, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Oct. 3, 2021. Translated as the “Festival of Old Times,” this annual event features a celebration of music, dancing and Cajun food, with cook-offs, displays of local culture and demonstrations of south Louisiana culture. Food offerings include a White Beans and Catfish Plate, Shrimp and Catfish Poboys, Grillades, Alligator Sauce Piquante, Chicken-Sausage Gumbo and Jambalaya. Locals look forward to the Bayou Water, a delicious but potent rum drink that has become a staple of the festival.

Admission: Free, with food and ride tickets available for purchase.

Info: lafetedesvieuxtemps.com.

Big Boy’s Main Street Cookoff:

Downtown Thibodaux. Gates open at 3 p.m. and cook-off participants will begin serving at 6 p.m. Nov. 12. Culinary showcase of Cajun cuisine prepared with fresh ingredients found along the bayou, with over 30 teams cooking up dishes like shrimp and grits, jambalaya boulettes and charbroiled oysters. Big Boy’s takes place each year as the kick-off event of the Thibodeauxville Fall Festival weekend.

Admission: $10, which includes samples from cook-off participants.

Info: 413-9886.