73rd Annual Delcambre Shrimp Festival begins today

DELCAMBRE — As it does every year, the 73rd Annual Delcambre Shrimp Festival will bring music, fun and food inspired by the festival’s name.
The event will begin this evening, Wednesday, Aug. 13, at the festival grounds. It will run through this Sunday.
“Everyone is excited and ready to get the national holiday for Delcambre started,” Shrimp Festival President Jason Migues said on Monday morning. “There’s going to be lots of entertainment and some new items on our menu that we are excited about.
“We are looking forward to another great event.”
Members of the organization have helped put in the work to make it just that, especially when it comes to the menu.
“I have always said that our festival is unique,” Migues said, “given the fact that our members prep all of our food. There are no outside vendors.
“Everything is done in-house.”
And everything is local.
“You have seen a lot about importation in the past year,” Migues said of seafood coming in from other countries. “One of the things that we pride ourselves on is that in every shrimp dish that we serve, the shrimp comes from right here in the community of Delcambre.”
That assurance represents more than simply having the best, freshest product available.
“This is the essence of our festival,” Migues said. “It’s about supporting our local shrimpers. It’s about celebrating them for the job that they do. They bring fresh shrimp to our tables. It’s harder and harder for our shrimpers to make a living, with the new aspect of imported shrimp.
“Anything that we can do to support them, as well as the community, we are all about that.”
One of the new items that will include local shrimp is a potato topped with étouffée.
“I am looking forward to that,” Migues said. “I can’t wait for it to open up on Wednesday night.”
For those with a bigger appetite, there will be an opportunity to showcase that on Saturday. For the first time, the Delcambre Shrimp Festival will have a shrimp-eating contest. It will begin at 5:30 p.m. under the pavilion, with a $5 entry fee. Each contestant will be given 12 shrimp, and the first to finish will be declared the winner. It’s an idea championed by Shani Sonnier, this year’s Shrimp Festival Queen.
“You go around to the other festivals,” Migues said, “and they have contests. They have a crawfish-eating contest at the Crawfish Festival. There is a boudin-eating contest at the Boudin Festival. I am really excited for us to bring that aspect to our festival. I have always thought about it, but it never came to fruition.
“Shani had a dream, and we made it happen.”
There will be plenty of talent to make the music happen, including national recording artist Joe Nichols, who will perform Saturday night, as well as many Acadiana area and returning favorites. The Troubadour - Jon Melancon will get the ball rolling when takes the stage tonight at 7 p.m.
“There is a lot of great entertainment and acts,” Migues said. “We are really looking forward to that.”
There is a great deal of hard work that goes into making this event happen each year. For those involved, it’s worth the effort.
“People come here and have a good time,” Migues said. “It allows us to give back to our community. We provide monetary donations to various local organizations. 
“It’s truly a community event.”

Schedule of Events

Wednesday, August 13
No Gate Fee
• 6:30 pm: Concessions Open
• 6:30 pm - 10 pm: Family Night at the Street Fair.
Ride all rides for one price $27
• 7:00 pm: Music by
The Trounadour- Jon Melancon

Thursday, August 14th
No Gate Fee
• 6:30 pm: Concessions Open
• 6:30 pm - 10 pm: Family Night at the Street Fair.
Ride all rides for one price $27.
• 7:00 pm: Music by
Kip Sonnier

Friday, August 15
Gate fee $10.00
(12 years and under free)
• 6:30 pm -10:00pm: Concessions &
Street Fair Open. Ride all rides for one price $30
• 7:00 pm: Music by:
Jake Rounds
Jr. LA Crosse & Sumtin Sneaky
Rouge Krewe

Saturday, August 16
ALL DAY Gate Fee $10.00
(12 years and under free)
•All Day Fais-do-do begins

Saturday, August 16
Music By DJ Homer Stelly
• 9:00 am: Fireman Water Fights & Shrimp Cook-off
For Info Email: libroussard1966@gmail.com (Lisa)
• 11:00 am: Concessions and street fair open
• 11:00 am - 11:00 pm: Street Fair,
ride all rides for one price $30
• All Day Fais-do-do Continues with Music by:
Cajun Roots
Swampland Revival
The Beau Young Band
Parish County Line
National Recording Artist
Joe Nichols

Sunday, August 17th
No Gate Fee
• 10:00 am: Fisherman’s Mass at the Shrimp
Festival Building followed by the traditional
“Blessing Of The Fleet”
• 11:00 am: Concessions & Street Fair Open,
• 12:00 pm - 4:00pm Fais-do-do Under
Pavilion with Music by:
Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition
• 4:00 pm: ALL Consessions Close