It's All About "Creole" at the French Settlement Creole Festival

The French Settlement Creole Festival is celebrated annually here in the south at French Settlement, Louisiana. The festival will celebrate the heritage of this early group of settlers to Louisiana and give visitors a unique look at the way they lived in the early 1800s. It's a great way to learn about the culture and history of southern Louisiana and the people that migrated here many years ago from Germany, France and Spain.

The Creole Festival will be held this year on Sunday, October 19, 2008 on the grounds of the Creole House Museum, located on Highway 16 right behind the Town Hall in French Settlement, LA.

The festival will highlight life in the past days of Creole life. Demonstrations will be made to recreate crafts such as blacksmithing, brick making, quilting, tatting, making cisterns, churning butter, cooking cracklin' over an open fire, making soap and other of the period. There will also be lots Creole food to experience, including creole gumbo with andouille sasauge, jambalaya and lots of other homemade goodies.

The French Settlement Creole Festival will also feature local entertainment. Scheduled to make appearances are: the French Settlement Dance Company, the Lagniappe Ducimer Society, Kim's Kids, Jimmy Little, Amite River Foxy Trotters, Kenny Cornette & Killin' Time and a troupe of cloggers.

There will be numerous activities just for kids which will including skits performed by Hannah Matherne's Kids. Beta Clubs from the immediate area will have members volunteering to work in the children's area.

While you are there, be sure to visit the Creole House Museum which was built in 1898 out of cypress by the Lambert family for the daughter, who married Alexander Decareaux. The museum represents a typical dwelling of the early 1800's. The house was eventually purchased by the Village of French Settlement and served as the Town Hall until 1977 when a new Town Hall was built. The Creole House was then turned into a museum and furnished with antique furniture from the early 1800's. It also contains genealogy records of families that lived in the area.