Opelousas
Around Opelousas
Illustration made for Popchat
Town and around · Louisiana · 80k people
Opelousas
“Zydeco Capital”
Where the bayou sings and the crawfish boil
Vermilion redGold
Welcome to the heart of Cajun and zydeco country! Whether you're here for the music, the food, or the friendly folks, you'll find a rhythm that feels like home. Come ready to dance and eat well.
Clubs for Opelousas
No clubs for Opelousas yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Opelousas. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Opelousas. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Liberty Theater Historic theater in Eunice hosting Cajun music.
- Louisiana State Arboretum Oldest state arboretum in Louisiana, near Ville Platte.
- Chicot State Park Large lake for fishing, camping, and hiking.
- Opelousas Historic District Downtown with Creole architecture and antique shops.
- Fred's Lounge Famous zydeco dance hall in Mamou.
- Eunice Depot Museum Railroad museum in a historic depot.
- Outdoors Birdwatching in the rice fields
- Outdoors Fishing at Chicot Lake
- With kids Visit the Louisiana State Arboretum
- With kids Swim at Chicot State Park
- Evenings Dance at Fred's Lounge in Mamou
- Evenings Listen to zydeco at a local club
- Locals love Dance halls
- Locals love Zydeco clubs
Through the year
- Louisiana Yambilee Festival October Sweet potato festival in Opelousas.
- Zydeco Music Festival September Celebrates zydeco music in Opelousas.
- Port Barre Crawfish Festival May Crawfish and live music in Port Barre.
- Eunice Cajun Music Festival Spring Cajun music performances in Eunice.
- Rendez-Vous des Cajuns Every Saturday Live Cajun music radio show at the Liberty Theater.
Hot, humid summers and mild winters, with the best weather in spring and fall. Best: Spring and fall are ideal with mild temperatures.
Talk like a local
- “Cher”
- Term of endearment, like 'dear'.
- “Lagniappe”
- A little extra, a bonus.
- “Fais-do-do”
- A dance party, often with live Cajun music.
- “Down the bayou”
- A phrase meaning 'far away' or 'down the bayou'.
Getaways
- Lafayette Bigger city with more dining and music.
- New Iberia Historic town with Tabasco factory tours.
- Baton Rouge State capital with museums and LSU campus.
- Alexandria Central Louisiana hub with riverfront.
Local flavour
Rooting for LSU Tigers, UL Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans
Eat and drink
- Crawfish Boiled, étouffée, or in pies—a staple of every spring.
- Boudin Smoked sausage of pork and rice, found at every gas station and butcher shop.
- Gumbo Rich roux-based soup with okra, filé, and whatever the bayou provides.
- Étouffée Crawfish or shrimp smothered in a spicy sauce, served over rice.
- Jambalaya One-pot rice dish with meat and vegetables, a Cajun classic.
- Cracklins Fried pork skins, crispy and addictive.
- King cake Mardi Gras tradition, a cinnamon-sugar cake with a hidden baby.
Where people go
- Dance halls Historic venues like the Liberty Theater in Eunice where zydeco and Cajun music live.
- Zydeco clubs Small, intimate spots where the accordion and rubboard rule.
- Rice fields Vast, flat expanses that turn gold at sunset.
- Crawfish ponds Flooded fields where crawfish are harvested in spring.
- Bayous Slow-moving waterways lined with cypress and Spanish moss.
- Historic downtowns
- Music festivals Cajun Music Festival in Mamou and other celebrations of local culture.
Heritage and traditions
This region is deeply proud of its Cajun and Creole heritage, especially its music, food, and the preservation of the French language and traditions that make it unique in the world.
This time of year in Opelousas
- Rice harvest Fall Combines working in the fields, a sign of the agricultural cycle.
- Hunting season Fall/Winter Duck and deer hunting are popular in the wetlands and woods.
- Louisiana Cotton Festival October Celebrates the cotton harvest with a parade, live music, and cotton-themed events.
- Opelousas Spice and Music Festival October Showcases local spices, zydeco and Cajun music, and cooking demonstrations.
Say it like a local: “Mais oui” — But yes, an affirmation.
Festivals
- Courir de Mardi Gras Mardi Gras season (February/March) Masked riders on horseback travel through the countryside, chasing chickens and begging for ingredients to make a communal gumbo.
- Louisiana Cotton Festival October Celebrates the cotton harvest with a parade, live music, and cotton-themed events.
- Krotz Springs Catfish Festival May Features fried catfish dinners, live music, and a carnival.
- Opelousas Spice and Music Festival October Showcases local spices, zydeco and Cajun music, and cooking demonstrations.
Landmarks with a story
- St. Landry Catholic Church One of the oldest churches in Louisiana, founded in 1776, with a rich history in the heart of Opelousas.
- Le Vieux Village Heritage Park An open-air museum in Opelousas with restored historic buildings showcasing local life.
- Cajun Music Hall of Fame and Museum Honors Cajun and zydeco musicians, with exhibits and memorabilia in Eunice.
- Chretien Point Plantation A Greek Revival plantation home in Sunset, known for its architecture and Civil War history.
Food traditions
- Boudin runs A weekend ritual of stopping at a local butcher or gas station to buy fresh boudin, a sausage of pork, rice, and spices.
- Boucherie A community pig slaughter where neighbors gather to make cracklins, boudin, and other pork delicacies, often with music and dancing.
- Fais-do-do A dance party with live Cajun music, often accompanied by gumbo, jambalaya, and other communal dishes.
- King cake During Mardi Gras season, families share a sweet cake with a hidden baby; whoever finds it hosts the next party.
- Crawfish boils Springtime gatherings where crawfish are boiled with corn, potatoes, and spices and eaten outdoors.
Music and arts
- Zydeco music A blend of Creole, R&B, and blues, born in the area with legends like Clifton Chenier.
- Cajun music Traditional fiddle and accordion tunes, kept alive at dance halls and festivals.
- Accordion making Handcrafted accordions, particularly in Eunice, are prized by musicians worldwide.
- Cajun French storytelling Oral traditions and jokes passed down in the French language.
A little history
- 1720s Opelousas founded as a trading post
- 1862 Opelousas briefly served as the capital of Confederate Louisiana
- 1920s-1930s Amédé Ardoin pioneers zydeco music
- 1940s-1950s Clifton Chenier popularizes zydeco
- 1960s-1970s Dewey Balfa leads the Cajun music revival
Rivalries
- Opelousas vs Eunice high school football Friendly cross-town rivalry.
- LSU Tigers vs UL Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns College football rivalry.
- Outdoors Attending a boucherie
- Outdoors Going to a fais-do-do
- With kids Making a boudin run
- With kids Watching the Courir de Mardi Gras
Locals speak English with a distinct Cajun accent, often peppering conversation with French phrases. Many older residents are bilingual in Cajun French, and the language is preserved in music and daily life.
Only here
- The Courir de Mardi Gras, where masked riders on horseback chase chickens through the countryside.
- The boucherie, a community pig slaughter that's both a work party and a feast.
- The weekly Rendez-Vous des Cajuns radio show at the Liberty Theater in Eunice.
- Eunice is known as the 'Prairie Cajun Capital' for its preserved traditions.
New here? A few tips
- Learn a few French phrases like 'cher' and 'mais oui'—locals will appreciate the effort.
- Try boudin from a local gas station or butcher; it's a staple you'll learn to love.
- Be prepared for hot, humid summers and mild winters; always have a cooler for drinks.
- Don't be surprised if you hear French spoken—it's a living language here.
- Attend a fais-do-do to experience the music and dance culture firsthand.
Make this page better
Know a place, a festival, a word locals use, or something here that's wrong? Suggest it; someone at Popchat checks every one.
Sign in and join a club here to suggest.
Part of Lafayette area
Nearby
Every areaLafayetteLouisianaWhere the music is live and the boudin is hot.Ville PlatteLouisianaWhere the prairies meet the pinesNew IberiaLouisianaWhere the bayou runs with spice and sweetnessAvoyellesLouisianaWhere the bayou meets the cotton fields.Baton RougeLouisianaWhere the Mississippi bends and the crawfish boil.AlexandriaLouisianaWhere the piney woods meet the bayouLake CharlesLouisianaCajun heart, lake soul.DeRidderLouisianaLocal rooms for Beauregard Parish.
Opelousas, LA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.