It’s always better when you share. The Creole Tomato Festival and Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival know this lesson well, as they return to the French Market and Old U.S. Mint to share a weekend of live music, local tomato-inspired cuisine, and artisan booths.
Sunpie Barnes at the 2011 Creole Tomato Festival. Photo by Kim Welsh.
On Saturday and Sunday, June 9-10 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., festival-goers can enjoy cooking demonstrations featuring authentic creole tomato recipes, participate in the Creole Tomato Eating Contest or hear Cajun and zydeco musicians who are a rare treat to see in New Orleans.
Marking the arrival of the year’s first harvest of creole tomatoes, the French Market’s Creole Tomato Festival has been held annually on the second week of June since 1986. While the main events will take place in Dutch Alley and at the Farmers Market, shoppers who spend $30 or more in French Market District stores will receive a free basket of tomatoes (first come first served). Designated the official vegetable plant of Louisiana in 2003, the creole tomato flourishes in the sub-tropical climate and soil of South Louisiana. This year’s tomatoes will be provided Becnel’s, George’s Produce and La Greco Farms in St. Bernard Parish, and can be purchased throughout the festival as well as sampled at one of the food booths in the Farmer’s Market.
2011 Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival. Photo by Kim Welsh.
Not to be outdone, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation‘s Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival will contribute three live music stages, at Esplanade, Barracks, and Ursulines, in addition to a new interview stage on the third floor of the Old U.S. Mint. Headliners include D.L. Menard, C.J. Chenier, Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Travis Matte & the Kingpins, all making their first appearances at the six-year-old festival, and returning artists Lost Bayou Ramblers, Rosie Ledet, Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots, Roddie Romero & the Hub-City Allstars.
Here’s the full music schedule:
Saturday, June 9
Esplanade Avenue Stage
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. — La Famille Cormier
1:30 – 3:00 p.m. — Bruce Daigrepont
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. — Roddie Romero & the Hub City Allstars
5:30 – 7:00 p.m. — CJ Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band
Barracks Street Stage
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. — T Broussard & the Zydeco Steppers
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. — Mary Broussard & Creole Royalty
3:15 – 4:45 p.m. — Rosie Ledet
5:15 – 6:45 p.m. — Lost Bayou Ramblers
Ursulines Street Stage
11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Big Red & the Zydeco Playmakers
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. — Les Freres Michot
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. — Magnolia Sisters
Interview Stage:
12 p.m. — Bruce Daigrepont
1 p.m. — Big Red
2 p.m. — Roddie Romero
3 p.m. — C.J. Chenier
Sunday, June 10
Esplanade Avenue Stage
11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. — Al Berard Cajun Band
1:45 – 3:00 p.m. — Travis Matte & the Kingpins
3:30 – 5:00 p.m. — Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Chas
5:30 – 7:00 p.m. — Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie
Barracks Street Stage
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. — Jeffrey Broussard & the Creole Cowboys
1:00 – 2:30 p.m. — Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers
3:15 – 4:45 p.m. — DL Menard with the Jambalaya Cajun Band
5:15 – 6:45 p.m. — Sunpie & the Louisiana Sunspots
Ursulines Street Stage
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. — Li’l Nathan and the Zydeco Big Tymers
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. — Waylon Thibodeaux
4:30 – 6:00 p.m. — Kevin Naquin & the Ossun Playboys
Interview Stage
12 p.m. — Dwayne Dopsie
1 p.m. — D.L. Menard
2 p.m. — Nathan Williams, Sr.
3 p.m. — TBA
4 p.m. — Geno Delafose
