A longtime South Lafourche tradition will return to Larose later this month as the 51st annual French Food Festival brings together food, music, carnival rides and cultural activities for a three-day celebration of the region’s Cajun and French heritage.
The festival is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 23, through Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Larose Regional Park and Civic Center, located at 307 East Fifth St, according to a social media post.
The event is organized by the Bayou Civic Club and will feature a variety of Louisiana specialties, live entertainment, arts and crafts, family activities and its popular live auction.
Organizers encourage residents and visitors to come experience the food, traditions and community spirits that have helped make the festival a staple of life in the Bayou Region.
Schedule of events
Festival weekend will offer activities for visitors of all ages, with food booths, live music, carnival rides and cultural exhibits among the featured attractions.
The announced schedule of activities includes:
• Friday, Oct. 23: Festival weekend begins, with Cajun food, carnival attractions and entertainment among the planned offerings
• Saturday, Oct. 24: Festival activities continue, including live music, food, family entertainment and the festival’s live auction
• Sunday, Oct. 25: The final day features additional festival activities, food and opportunities to celebrate South Lafourche’s cultural traditions
Additional festival features include the Folk Like Exhibit, craft vendors and the annual Grand Marshal March. Organizers have also promoted pre-festival activities, including Bon Temps & Bites and the annual pageant.
Live performances from Snapper and the Fishsticks, Ryan Foret, Aaron Foret, JP Bourgeois, Chase Tyler Band, Waylon Thibodeaux, Masquerade and Don Rich will also headline this year’s event.
According to a social media post, ride bracelets are $35 and a weekend bracelet is $85 for the carnival rides that will be offered at this year’s festival.
A festival rooted in community history
The French Food Festival’s history dates back to 1974, when the Bayou Civic Club organized its first food festival to raise money for recreational opportunities and a future youth and civic center in Larose.
According to the club’s historical account, a group of local residents began meeting in 1971 to discuss programs for young people in the community. Led by organizer Weldon Matherne, the group formally incorporated as the Bayou Civic Club in 1973.
The organization’s early fundraising efforts included a baseball tournament, food sales and volunteer work at local events. Those efforts helped establish the foundation for a festival that would eventually become one of the community’s signature annual gatherings.
In July 1974, the first festival was held under a tent in front of LCO Junior High School. Board member Harold Callais suggested the name, ‘Bouillabaisse Festival,’ reflecting the seafood dish and the group’s desire to create an event that represented South Louisiana.
Despite heavy rain during the inaugural weekend, the festival generated around $15,000 in gross revenue, according to the club’s history. Early attractions included the selection of a festival queen, a talent show, a bouillabaisse dress contest, a potato dance contest, a bicycle parade, a Mass of Thanksgiving and pirogue races.
The festival continued to grow as the Bayou Civic Club pursued its larger goal of developing recreational facilities for the Larose community.
In 1976, the organization leased land between East Fourth and East Fifth street for community and recreation projects. The festival was renamed the Larose Civic Center Fair that year to help promote the club’s broader mission.
By 1978, the event had moved to October and was held on the club’s leased property near Holy Rosary Cemetery. The festival’s evolution continued and the event became known as the French Food Festival.
The club’s fundraising work also helped support the development of the Larose Regional Park and Civic Center, which grew into a hub for recreation, community gatherings and local events.
Over the decades, the festival has remained closely connected to the center’s mission, with volunteers, local businesses and residents helping sustain an event that celebrates the area’s culture while supporting community facilities.
Celebrating Cajun food and culture
Today, the French Food Festival showcases the food and traditions that define Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou. Visitors can sample local dishes, enjoy live music and dancing, browse craft vendors and take part in family-friendly activities throughout the weekend.
The festival also highlights the people who preserve its traditions. Ron Bailleaux, a lifelong Larose resident who has volunteered at the event for decades, was named the 2026 Grand Marshal. Bailleaux has worked in festival food booths, served on the Larose Civic Center Board and helped select musical entertainment.
His selection reflects the contributions of the volunteers and community members who have helped keep the festival going from one generation to the next.
With its 51st edition approaching, the French Food Festival continues a tradition that began with a small group of residents working to improve their community. More than five decades later, the event remains an opportunity to celebrate local cuisine, music, heritage and the people who make South Lafourche a distinctive place to call home.
Check out the full schedule of event for this year’s French Food Festival in Larose below:
Friday, Oct. 23
• 5 p.m. to midnight, food booths open
• 6 p.m., opening ceremonies
• 6-11 p.m., carnival rides
• 6:30-8:45 p.m. live music by Snapper and the Fishsticks
• 9 p.m., FFF Grand Marshal, Miss, Teen Miss and Jr. Miss Crown Auction
• 9:30 p.m. to midnight, live music by Masquerade
Saturday, Oct. 24
• 9-10 a.m., bingo and mimosas sales
• 10-11 a.m., bingo and mimosas
• 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., craft show opens
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., folklife exhibit open
• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., carnival rides
• 11:30 a.m. to midnight, food booths open
• Noon to 2:30 p.m., live music by Ryan Foret and the Foret Tradition
• 3-5 p.m., live music by Aaron Foret
• 5 p.m., FFF Children’s Crown Auction
• 5-11 p.m., carnival rides
• 5:30 p.m., auction
• 6:30-9 p.m., live music by JP Bourgeois
• 9:30 p.m. to midnight, live music by Chase Tyler
Sunday, Oct. 25
• 9:30-10:30 a.m., mass in the gym (Past and present royalty arrive by 9 a.m. for pictures)
• 10:30-10:45 a.m., ACA performs
• 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., food booths open
• 10:45 a.m., Grand Marshal march
• 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., live music by Waylon Thibodeaux
• 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., carnival rides
• 2-4 p.m., live music by Don Rich
Dining and Cooking