Opelousas, Louisiana: French Friday in Zydeco Land

2010 Vendredi Francais (“French Friday”)
105 North Main Street Parking Lot
Opelousas, Louisiana
Friday, November 5, 2010 6PM - 11 PM
www.LouisianaMaintoMain.org.
 
A parking lot, a city street, or a field. That’s all you need down here in southwest Louisiana to put on a dance. Set the band up on a flatbed or a makeshift stage. Run wires for the amplifiers to a local store, a generator, or tap into a grid somewhere. Morning, noon, night, just say the words music, food, dance and, like bees to nectar, people will come.
 
The fact that this is one of the hugest tailgate states in the USA doesn’t hurt. Tens of thousands of fans tailgate every fall Saturday when their beloved LSU Tigers play football. And now that the New Orleans Saints are SuperBowl winners…Good Lordy.
 
People in this part of Louisiana have partying down to a science. I’d bet that most households down here have their lawn chairs, blankets, coolers, umbrellas (to ward off the rays of the sun or the drops of the rain), stowed in the hallway or the trunk of a car, a snatch and grab job at the mere suggestion of something fun to do that involves food or music.
 
The annual party up in Opelousas last Friday was a perfect example. Before noon, the corner at 105 North Main Street was a plain old patched up macadam municipal parking lot. By 6 PM, some kind of civic fairy dust transformed the lot into the site of "Vendredi Francais", "French Friday" in the middle of Opelousas, Louisiana.
Little kids in cowboy hats started hopping away in a Charlie Chaplin version of zydeco as they got close to the band stand. The lawn chair brigade settled down a respectable distance away, giving dancers room to maneuver.

Listening to the band was only half the fun. The dancers come in all sizes, shapes, colors, and outfits and all have their particular style. You can count on seeing a few hotshots putting on their own floorshow. And you can count on seeing parents two stepping with an infant in their arms. Your folding chair on the sidelines is a great place to see it all.
 
If you think the music and the food were the only reasons people from miles around show up, you’re missing the point. They’re proud of their French and Creole cultures. Opelousas celebrates those heritages the first November weekend of every year.
 
Geno Delafose provided the Creole music tonight. Geno was born into a zydeco family. At the tender age of eight, he began playing the rubboard with his late father’s band, the Eunice Playboys. He switched to the accordion in the early 1990s and released his first CD “French Rockin’ Boogie” in 1994.  Delafose was nominated for for a Grammy Award in the "Best Zydeco Or Cajun Music Album" category in 2007. When he’s not making music, he operates his Double D Ranch, raising cattle and horses in Duralde, LA.
 
French Friday’s other music headliner Horace Trahan learned to play the accordion when he was 15 and was singing Cajun songs in French by the time he was 16. Trahan began touring with D.L. Menard (b. 1932) one of the most influential players and singers of Cajun music, and cut an album with him in 1996. Quite the business man, Trahan, born in Ossun, LA, recorded his fourth CD "Keep Walking," with his own publishing company.

Horace Trahan and The New Ossun Express and Geno Delafose and the French Rockin’ Boogie draw big, appreciative crowds wherever they play down here.
 
The mayor of Opelousas, Donald Cravins, Sr., who was reelected last week, was an unabashed booster when he addresses the crowd. “Opelousas is becoming the mecca of southwest Louisiana. I want to thank all the people here from Lafayette, but pretty soon the flow of traffic is going to be heading from Lafayette to Opelousas, not the other way around.” he says with a sly grin.

“I want you to enjoy the exhibits here, have a beer but be careful on the way home. Enjoy the fine music and enjoy the food, but most of all, enjoy each other’s company.”
 
There you have southwest Louisiana in a nutshell.
 
This weekend event was part of  “Louisiana Main to Main”,  a state-wide initiative to foster economic development and cultural pride in participating communities.
 
Tim Marks, one of the organizers, explained. “We have two main cultures in Opelousas, Creole and Cajun. We wanted to set up an annual event where both cultures can come together and enjoy themselves. This city is full of good people. We want to have a tradition that will give people a reason to keep living here and give our young people something to do and stay rooted here when they grow up. “

There was plenty to do tonight. A face painting booth (no charge) was a big hit with the kids. Local artist Jerome Ford donated a painted oversized fiberglass fiddle as a raffle prize. An arts and crafts walk features tents filled with work of local artisans (no fee to set up). A photography contest themed “Louisiana Past” was organized by a Youth Board member.
 
Leave it to Louisiana to make food a competitive sport.  Cook-Offs are a regular fixture in civic life here. Tonight’s was a small one.

A “Perfectly Seasoned Cook-Off” pitted Scott and Sue Rahner of Rahner Chiropractic and the local office of the Central Louisiana Electric Company in a friendly duel to see who could come up with the tastiest Cajun or Creole dish.

For two bucks, you got a bowl of each  contestant’s creation (simmered in huge twenty five gallon pots) and a ballot to cast for your favorite. Rahner Chiropractic won with a gumbo of spicy shrimp atop grits.
 
I’ve commented before about what I describe as ‘salt and pepper’ crowds I’ve encountered here. There are all sorts of racial configurations tonight. Everyone seems to have made it a point to leave their differences at the gate and have a good time. All it takes is one “How you doing tonight?” to start a friendly conversation.
 
“I organize Cook-Offs to raise money for charitable causes,” Tim Marks said. “I watch people who have real differences of opinion roll up their sleeves and work together when it comes to getting behind a good cause.”
 
The whole shebang was sponsored by City of Opelousas, Louisiana Travel, St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission, Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino, CLECO, CenterPoint Energy, Shop Rite, KSLO-KOGM, and Quik Quarter.

I took Mayor Cravins' advice. By the time I left I’d met the Zydeco Queen and King of the event, organizer Tim Marks, a chiropractor, a friendly fellow from the local office of the Central Louisiana Electric Company, a few more Louisiana dance partners, and lots of people who wanted to know the identity of the fellow taking notes, photographing everything and everyone in sight.
 
“Come back soon,” they said. Trust me. I will.

 

 

This mural appears on a building at the perimeter of the parking lot in which French Friday is held.

A group of young adults with Down Syndrome were welcome guests...

and this stylishly dressed dancer made sure they were included in the fun.                                             

Who knew Mardi Gras beads could be used to create so many artistic products?

I have a friend who would die to purchase these shoes.
I
Two bucks to purchase a Taster's Bracelet and vote for the best offering in the "cook-off"...

or spend a few bucks on sweet potato pie -or frito pie (on my list for the next trip).

Photo contests...

and an "Art Walk" featuring local artisanal works, including those Mardi Gras bead creations, were part of the event. 

People watching from the perimeter is a favorite pastime...

but dancing is more fun...

as you can see...

and so is meeting royalty - like this year's Queen and King, Mona and Clifton, whose grandchildren were having a grand time dancing to the music of Geno Delafose.

Then there was Carolyn Fakouri, local Century 21 realtor, who won the "Louisiana Past" photo contest...

and Sue and Scott Rahner of Rahner Chiropractic, who won the cook-off with their Creole Shrimp served over grits.

Comments

[Bill Ives]

great post - just tweeted it

[Paul aka pt at large]

Thanks, Bill. I welcome comments from your audience.

[Jeff Kelly Lowenstein]

Glad to read that you've made another pilgrimage to your adopted homeland.

[rosemary st clergy]

Paul--thank you so much for the lovely article on Opelousas and our French Friday event. you perfectly described our "joie de vivre"!

[Gloria Nye, LSU AgCenter]

Really a sweet article, lots of truth, and fun to read too. Come back to Opelousas soon! -As you probably know, we do this (almost) every weekend.

[Paul aka pt at large]

Rosemary,
Nothing better than hearing from someone from Opelousas who says that I got the feeling of French Friday right. Your "joie de vivre" is certainly contagious...got a case of it myself.
Thanks for your comment.

[Paul aka pt at large]

Gloria,
That's the amazing thing about southwest Louisiana. I check the http://www.arnb.org/ site every time I visit.

It's sort of an exquisite triage system to have to decide which great music/dance option I'll go to on any given night. And weekends, good lordy.

One Saturday I went to Breaux Bridge - Cafe des Amis in the morning, Plaquemine to a fair with Floyd Brown playing in the afternoon, and Whiskey River in Henderson for a fund raiser for wetlands with Bonsoir Catin in the evening.

I'll check out the goings on in Opelousas next time I visit.
Gloria, three quick Qs.

Would you give me an example of the 'lots of truth' you referred to in my story?
What part of the LSU AgCtr do you work with?
How did you find my blog?
I'll appreciate any response you're able to send.
Many thanks.
Paul

[Gloria]

Hi Paul,

Here's another event source (especially trail ride dances) for you: http://zydecoevents.com/louisianazydeco.html

I'm located in the Opelousas / St. Landry LSU AgCenter Office. We're part of the national Cooperative Extension Service. In other states, we're called "County Extension Agents." Here in LA we're Parish Extension Agents. I got my bachelors @ CA State College @ Sonoma, my masters @ Purdue, and my PhD @ LSU! Geaux Tigers! I'm a financial resource management specialist. I was working on-campus in Baton Rouge until after Katrina, and then a position opened up in Opelousas and here I am.

I found your blog thanks to a link sent out by Opelousas Tourism, which I forwarded to my friends, Sue and Scott Rohner, the shrimp and grits cooks!

Examples of "lots of truth" in your story:
Lawn chairs stowed in the hallway or trunk -yes, mine is.
Dancers come in all sizes, shapes, colors, outfits, and all have their particular style - absolutely, I say this all the time.
They're proud of their French & Creole cultures - amen to that.
They enjoy each other's company - tru dat!
Both cultures come together and enjoy themselves - every time.
All sorts of racial configurations...have a good time - yes we do.

As an academic gypsy, I've lived in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Delaware, Florida, California, Nevada & Louisiana. My husband and I (both white) raised 2 sons (both white) who are both married to black women, so my grandchildren are bi-racial. Our daughter is adopted, she's black, and she was married to a white man. In LA, it really doesn't matter. I was one of those dancers out there that Friday night, having a good time. I'm also honored to be seen dancing on the Opelousas zydeco wall mural, right above the picture of Queen Ida. I teach a beginning zydeco dance class for the City of Opelousas Parks & Recreation Dept. on the 1st Tues. of each month, 6-7 p.m. at North City Park. The next class is 12/7. I attend the Zydeco Ballers dance and exercise class on Thurs. nights, a really good workout. I'm usually the only white person there and the black kids hug me, dance with me, and make me feel right at home. I've owned 13 houses and lived lots of places, but no place has ever felt as much like "HOME" as Opelousas.

Best wishes, thanks for the great article, and "Come Back Soon!"

[Paul aka pt at large]

What a terrific and helpful response, Gloria.
Among other things, the first response ever from an 'academic gypsy'!
Thanks for sending to the Rohners.
I really appreciated your "lots of truth" response. I feel those examples every time I come down there and wanted to write about them and will keep on writing about them. Very satisfying to know that my observations are on target ( chuckled at "true dat").

I know with certainty how you can call Opelousas HOME after sampling just about every region in the USA. I feel so at home when Im down there. It's the most unique area I've ever visited - I've felt those qualities of friendliness and openness all the way from New Orleans to Lafayette.
You and your husband are blessed with quite a family, thank you so much for sharing.
I can say with certainty I will come back soon.

[Gloria]

Good morning, Paul. BTW, that's my son's name too. It's all my truth, so you can post whatever you want. One correction though, my wonderful husband, who was the dean of agriculture at the University of Delaware, died in 2002. We had both been at LSU prior to going to the University of Delaware, so I wanted to come "home" to LSU after he died. I never felt at "home" at Purdue or University of Delaware. The people there acted so different, so not welcoming or accepting. It sure isn't like that here, especially not in St. Landry Parish. Everybody here hugs, and that is a blessing for this widow. I looked at that mural photo again and I'm dancing above and to the left of Queen Ida, with a local man from Leonville named Albert Kennerson. FYI and hugs, Gloria

[Paul aka pt at large]

Good Morning back to you, Gloria,
First of all, sad to hear of your husband's death in 2002. From my own experience, I understand how 'at home' you feel in Opelousas in St Landry Parish and why it became important for you to return there after he died.

I'll start paying attention to parishes on my next trip - French Friday in Opelousas might have been my first foray into St Landry Parish. I feel very welcome in Lafayette Parish where I spend lots of time dancing and listening to music. The people are friendly, engaging, easy to sit down with.
Would you say this is a common trait amongst the parishes in SW Louisiana?

I see you up there on the mural - would that be you in the brown top dancing with Albert in the white shirt?
A good ol cajun hug back to you
Paul