Mamou Cajun Music Festival set this weekend

The Mamou Recreational Center Complex will once again host the Mamou Cajun Music Festival this weekend as Reggie Matte will be honored.
The festival itself dates back to the early 1970s. “Some of the citizens of Mamou grew concerned that our culture was dying,” the festival staff said in a statement. “These people felt that there was a need to renew the community’s interest in our culture. In its beginning, some 20 or so volunteers presented this festival, which was then sponsored by the Mamou Area Jaycees.”
“In the early 1980s, this group officially became the Mamou Cajun Music Festival,” continued the staff in a statement. “On February 11, 1985, this organization gained its non-profit status as a corporation based on the premise that we would dedicate ourselves to the preservation of our Cajun culture and heritage through our traditional Cajun music.”
The festival currently prides itself on getting the children, the residents of Mamou, and the many tourists from all over the world engaged in preserving the Cajun culture.
“Our organization takes pride in the fact we have been able to continue the traditions of our culture and have been able to provide a platform for many traditional Cajun musicians in our area, through which they can gain exposure and compensation for their art.”
The festival has grown from a one day festival to two days with more than 60 volunteers from Mamou and the surrounding area. Terral Aymond is the President of the organization and the project director, and other officers include Vice President Mark Young, Secretary Tessie Manuel, and Treasurer Wanda Verrette. All proceeds of the festival will benefit next year’s event to ensure the Cajun culture lives on.
Taking the stage Friday night from 7:00-10:00 p.m. is The Cajun Tradition Band. The music starts Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. with The Cajun Cowboy and the Stirrups and a KVPI Live Broadcast. The music continues with Kajun Craze at 11:15 a.m., Jason Frey and Lagniappe at 1:30 p.m., The Jambalaya Cajun Band at 3:45 p.m., and Paul Daigle and Cajun Gold at 5:45 p.m. to close out the festival.
Games will begin Friday night at 9:00 p.m. with the potato dance. Saturday’s games will feature an egg throwing contest, Cajun dizzy dash, children’s sack race, boudin eating, children watermelon eating, women’s and men’s beer drinking, washerboard tournament, children’s guinea chase, women’s and men’s arm wrestling, women’s and men’s nail driving, women’s and men’s passe partout, and greased pole climbing.
The highlight event Saturday will be at 3:00 p.m. as the honoree presentation takes place to honor Reggie Matte. Other events for Saturday are the Cajun Dancing Workshop with David and Lynda Stockinger from noon to 1:00 p.m. and a Capuchon Makin Workshop from 1:15 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Admission for the festival is $7.00 per day for adults 12-years and older. It will take place in the air conditioned facility located on Main Street adjacent to Highway 13.