"This festival contains the greatest collection of Cajun and zydeco artists for any festival in the city and perhaps the state."
-- Charles Laborde, host of "Lache Pas," the weekly Cajun and zydeco show heard on WWOZ-FM

Eighty-year-old Cajun music legen D.L. Menard will make his first appearance at the sixth annual Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival - the Crescent City's premier showcase for the two-steppin' dance music of the Bayou State - taking place June 9-10 at the Old U.S. Mint (map).

Also making their debut at the festival are the Grammy-nominated C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, the world-traveling Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, zydeco hot-shot Travis Matte & the Kingpins and two multi-generational traditional Cajun groups, Al Berard & the Family Band and La Famille Cormier.

Returning to the event are favorites including the Lost Bayou Ramblers, Rosie "The Zydeco Sweetheart" Ledet, Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots, Roddie Romero & the Hub City Allstars and Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas. Other festival veterans performing this year include Bruce Daigrepont, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, the Magnolia Sisters and Les Freres Michot.

In all, we'll have 21 groups performing on three stages over two days. Admission is FREE.

As in years past, the Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival will take place in conjunction with the French Market's Creole Tomato Festival.

With three stages of music, more than a dozen food vendors and a large crafts fair - all in the historic French Quarter - the event has become one of the major attractions of New Orleans' social calendar.

Music Schedule:

Saturday, June 9
Esplanade Avenue Stage
11:30 am to 1:00 pm La Famille Cormier
1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Bruce Daigrepont
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Roddie Romero & the Hub City Allstars
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band

Barracks Street Stage
11:00 am to 12:30 pm T Broussard & the Zydeco Steppers
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Mary Broussard & Creole Royalty
3:15 pm to 4:45 pm Rosie Ledet
5:15 pm to 6:45 pm Lost Bayou Ramblers

Ursulines Street Stage
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Big Red & the Zydeco Playmakers
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Les Freres Michot
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Magnolia Sisters

Sunday, June 10
Esplanade Avenue Stage
11:30 am to 1:00 pm Al Berard Cajun Band
1:45 pm to 3:00 pm Travis Matte & the Kingpins
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie

Barracks Street Stage
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Jeffrey Broussard & the Creole Cowboys
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
3:15 pm to 4:45 pm DL Menard with the Jambalaya Cajun Band
5:15 pm to 6:45 pm Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots

Ursulines Street Stage
12:00 to 1:30 pm Li'l Nathan and the Zydeco Big Tymers
2:00 pm to 3:30 pm Waylon Thibodeaux
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Kevin Naquin & the Ossun Playboys

ARTS MARKET
As at all of our events, we'll have a huge crafts fair, with 30 of the best artisans in the region selling hand-made art, jewelry and other crafts. For the complete list of arts market vendors, please see here.

FOOD VENDORS
We'll have a total of 15 food vendors this year. For the complete list of vendors and menu items, please see here.

FESTIVAL POLICIES
Food, Drinks, Chairs, Pets, etc.:
The Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival is a free event. Please help us to keep this and our other events free by patronizing our food and beverage vendors. Except for those with specific dietary restrictions or special needs, we ask that you not bring coolers or ice chests with outside food and beverages. Camp chairs or folding chairs are welcome. Please respect our other guests by not bringing pets to the festival. Thank you.

COOL! NEW INTERVIEW STAGE
Our partners at the National Park Service and the Louisiana State Museum are providing access to the beautiful new theater on the third floor of the Old U.S. Mint - where we will present interviews with many of our performers. Audience members will hear first-hand how our artists learned their craft and carry on our culture. And it'll be a great place to get out of the heat and enjoy some cool air before heading back out for more dancing, eating and shopping. Interviews will be from noon to 5 p.m. both days of the festival.

Interview Stage Schedule:

Saturday, June 9:
12:00 p.m. Bruce Daigrepont
1:00 p.m. Big Red
2:00 p.m. Roddie Romero
3:00 p.m. C.J. Chenier
4:00 p.m. Louis Michot of the Lost Bayou Ramblers

Sunday, June 10:
12:00 p.m. Dwayne Dopsie
1:00 p.m. D.L. Menard
2:00 p.m. Nathan Williams, Sr.
3:00 p.m. Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes
4:00 p.m. Geno Delafose
 

NO RECORDING:
Please, no audio or video recording of any performances at the festival.

KEEP IT GREEN
The Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival recycles. Please use the deginated receptacles for your plastic and aluminum disposables.

SPONSORS
The Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival is a presentation of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the nonprofit organization that owns the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell. The Foundation uses the proceeds from Jazz Fest, and other funds, for year-round programs in the areas of education, economic development and cultural events. For more about the Foundation and what we do, visit us online at www.jazzandheritage.org.

The festival is also made by possible by generous support from these co-sponsors:

Abita Beer
Peoples Health
The New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation
The National Park Service's New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
Mist Works
Acadian Ambulance Service
The Louisiana State Museum
LouisianaTravel.com
WWOZ
The Louisiana Division of the Arts
Whole Foods
Event Restroom