11 Birding on the Coast

The best time to catch colorful birds on the Louisiana coast is spring and fall, when our feathered friends are migrating to and from warmer places down South. During the summer, you can still spot plenty of species at the woods, beaches and marshes of Grand Isle and along the Louisiana coast. As many as 2 million birds visit the 40-acre Peveto Woods Bird & Butterfly Sanctuary along the Creole Nature Trail, west of Holly Beach. Peveto’s oak chenier is maintained by the Baton Rouge Audubon Society.

Put on Your Dancing Shoes

The LeCajun Music Awards and Festival is a three-day event that features an awards ceremony honoring the best in Cajun music and Cajun musicians and this year will be Aug. 18-19 at the Rayne Civic Center. Best of all, the event includes a two-day dance festival with award-winning Cajun bands. So, dust off those dancing shoes and grab your partner. cajunfrenchmusic.org/lecajun

Attend a Festival

Louisiana hosts more than 400 festivals a year, mostly in spring and fall when the weather’s less than stifling. But summer has its share. Look for the St. Landry BBQ Fest June 9-11; Rockin’ on the Runway airshow and fly-in June 10 in Sunset; Gheens Bon Mangé Festival June 2-4; Holly Beach Crab Festival June 9-11; Lebeau Zydeco Festival July 1; the Erath 4th of July Festival July 30-Aug 4; and the Delcambre Shrimp Festival Aug. 16-20. One of the state’s largest and oldest festivals, Shrimp & Petroleum, takes over Morgan City at summer’s end, Labor Day weekend.

The newest brewery to Acadiana comes with a bark. Lafayette’s Adopted Dog Brewing not only serves craft beers from its taproom at 329 Dulles Drive (close to South Louisiana Community College), but offers a full food menu as well. Naturally, there’s a dog-friendly outdoor area and plenty of bar games to keep both pooch and owner entertained. adopteddogbrewing.com