Louisiana Swamp Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Frank Donze
Office 504-212-5335
Cell 504-232-7461
fdonze@auduboninstitute.org

Louisiana Swamp Festival

Saturday and Sunday, November 3 and 4, 2012
(New Orleans, La.) - Cajun music and dancing, Cajun cuisine and cultural demonstrations straight from the bayou offer a perfect recipe for fun at Audubon Zoo for Louisiana Swamp Fest, November 3 and 4, 2012.
Celebrating its 28^th anniversary, Louisiana Swamp Fest is the Zoo's signature family-style festival spotlighting the sounds, tastes and rich history of South Louisiana.. The celebration spotlights Cajun cooking, Cajun and Zydeco music on two stages and one-of-a-kind crafts - all against the unique backdrop of Audubon Zoo in beautiful Uptown New Orleans. Zoo hours for Swamp Fest are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

Louisiana Heritage presentations delve into subjects such as the meaning of Creole and Cajun, the evolution of the Cajun fiddle and the history of the culture and ecology of our region - featuring a Zydeco workshop and a Cajun instrument petting zoo.

New this year, the festival features non-tradtional fried delicacies including deep fried chicken and dumpling wrap, fried boudin balls and deep fried Oreo cookies.

As usual, Swamp Fest presents Cajun and Zydeco superstars including the Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band, Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience and BeauSoleil.

Many of the region's traditionational dishes will be front and center, including fried stuffed shrimp, fried alligator sausage on a stick, fried hot sausage and oyster po-boys and seafood fritters with fried green tomatoes. For the less adventurous, standard Zoo fare such as hot dogs, hamburgers, ice cream and the traditional Roman candy are all on the menu, too.

Visitors may take some indigenous swamp culture home, with arts and crafts such as oil paintings reflecting Louisiana life, jewelry, jams and preserves, candles and paintings on driftwood. Cultural demonstrations at the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit feature wood carving and basket weaving.

Everyone is invited to watch or join in as dancers from around the area enjoy a musical line-up unique to this special part of the country. Don't know how to Cajun dance - or do you want to learn Zydeco? Check out the free lessons in the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit and on the Capital One Stage.

2012 Swamp Fest Music Schedule
Saturday, November 3, 2012

CAPITAL ONE STAGE
10:25am - 11:45am Lafayette Rhythm Devils
12:05pm - 1:25pm Swamp Fiddler Tribute featuring Sarah Jayde Williams
1:45pm - 3:05pm Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
3:25pm - 4:45pm Dwayne Dopsie & The Zydeco Hellraisers

LOUISIANA SWAMP EXHIBIT
12:00pm - 1:15pm Lafourche Cajun Band
1:30pm - 2:15pm Cajun Music Petting Zoo
2:15pm - 4:00pm Lafourche Cajun Band

Sunday, November 4, 2012
CAPITAL ONE STAGE
10:25am - 11:45am Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band
12:05pm - 1:25pm Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie
1:45pm - 3:05pm BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet
3:25pm - 4:45pm Sunpie & The Louisiana Sunpots

LOUISIANA SWAMP EXHIBIT
12:00pm - 1:15pm Tour Les Soirs
1:30pm - 2:15pm Cajun Music Petting Zoo
2:15pm - 4:00pm Tour Les Soirs

LEARN HOW TO CAJUN OR ZYDECO DANCE:

2012 Swamp Fest Dance Lessons
Saturday, November 3, 2012
11:30am - 12:00pm Cajun Dance Lessons (Swamp Exhibit)
1:25pm - 1:45pm Zydeco Dance Lessons (Capital One Stage)

Sunday, November 4, 2012
11:30am - 12:00pm Cajun Dance Lessons (Swamp Exhibit)
11:45am - 12:05pm Zydeco Dance Lessons (Capital One Stage)

SOME SWAMP FEST HISTORY
The Louisiana Swamp Festival was conceived around the time of the opening of the award-winning Louisiana Swamp Exhibit, a five-acre urban swamp. The last alligator feeding of the season always happens during Swamp Fest, drawing big crowds to the Swamp Exhibit boardwalk. Guests will see nutria, otters, snakes and catfish along their way to the white alligators.

AUDUBON ZOO
Audubon Zoo is located at 6500 Magazine Street in New Orleans. Admission to the Louisiana Swamp Festival is included in regular admission, which is $16 for adults, $11 children (2 -12) and $13 Senior (65+). Audubon Zoo members are admitted free of charge. No outside food or beverage allowed during special events and festivals.
For information on the Louisiana Swamp Festival at Audubon Zoo, call 504-581-4629 or visit http://auduboninstitute.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=58440837dab4d883e3efe0453&id=0621922fdb&e=df5ee0077c.

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