Feature
February
17
Swamp Stomp
by Graham Harvey
The entire region is invited to attend the third annual Louisiana Swamp Stomp Festival—a musical celebration of south Louisiana culture slated for Friday, Saturday and Sunday, March 18-20, at Nicholls State University.
“Beginning with our hugely successful inaugural festival in 2009, Swamp Stomp is quickly becoming a Thibodaux tradition,” says Brenda Haskins, festival committee co-chair and director of auxiliary services at Nicholls. “It’s a festival specifically dedicated to Cajun culture and we believe the people of the Bayou Region recognize the value of that. Swamp Stomp is a great entertainment venue for anyone who loves Cajun and Zydeco music, local foods, locally made art and crafts, and south Louisiana culture.”
Musical talents scheduled to perform include Curley Taylor and Zydeco Trouble, the Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band, Grammy-nominated Feufollet, Foret Tradition, Grammy-nominated Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole, Ryan Brunet and the Malfecteurs, Lost Bayou Ramblers, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Tab Benoit and Waylon Thibodeaux, Grammy-nominated Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, T’Canaille, Grammy-nominated The Pine Leaf Boys and Geno Delafose and the French Rockn’ Boogie. Free Zydeco Cajun dance lessons will be offered an hour before the first band starts playing on each day.
Festival attendees can also enjoy the cultural offerings of the Bayou French Education Program also known as Tresors du Bayou. This program will feature local artists, historians and craftsmen performing for local school children, Nicholls students and guests. There will be a swamp pop band playing Zydeco and Cajun Music and dance instructors who will teach guests how to dance the Cajun Waltz, Cajun Two-Step and Cajun Jitterbug. Tresors du Bayou will conclude with a free concert featuring Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys.
The festival will take place in the parking lot adjacent to John L. Guidry Stadium Admission is $10 per day or $25 for the weekend, children 11 and under get in free. Tickets will be available at the gate. The festival gates will open to the public at 2:30 p.m. Friday, at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and at 10 a.m. on Sunday.
