Traditions WHY JUST LEARN ABOUT A CULTURE WHEN YOU CAN COME LIVE IT? ARTS & CULTURE Louisiana’s traditions go far beyond the everyday. The state’s music, food and holidays are extensions of centuries-old practices from many of the diverse groups that have formed here. Join in our sacred, delicious and delightful heritage with this fun roundup of events and experiences. LIKE NO OTHER From roux-making tips to Sunday hymns, traditions here are practiced, played and passed down from hand to hand. CONGO SQUARE, NEW ORLEANS Holiday Gatherings Warm up along the levee at Christmas Eve bonfires, flames flickering as children wait for Papa Noël, the Cajun Santa Claus. When Courir de Mardi Gras rolls around, head to Cajun country to see horseback riders gallop from door to door, gathering ingredients for a community-made gumbo. Culinary Heritage Look for gumbo, a long-honored tradition, once the first autumn breeze stirs. Come winter you can experience a boucherie, a communal pig feast and reunion-style gathering that features Cajun delights like boudin and andouille sausage. Tables spring up in front yards and courtyards covered in steaming seafood at crawfish boils in the spring. Musical Celebrations Hear music in any corner of the state, from a fiddler’s swamp-pop tunes to the bright hum of an accordion in a Cajun café. Hear the smooth sound of jazz drift across a French Quarter courtyard, plates of shrimp and grits on deck, or a blues riff echo out of a local juke joint. Chris Granger EXPLORE MORE LOCAL TRADITIONS! ExploreLouisiana.com 41
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