The 20th Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week begins Monday with a program at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice.
In partnership with Balfa Week, the Center is offering cooking and singing programs in French from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The program at the Center continues from 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday with Nathan Williams & Zydeco Cha-Chas entertaining.
Balfa Week mainly focuses on Lakeview Park Tuesday through Friday.
The week is named for Dewey Balfa, a lifelong resident of the Eunice area and a legendary musician.
Luisiana Folk Roots is 25 years old and is in its third year at Lakeview Park, according to Jeanne Solis, executive director for Louisiana Folk Roots.
“Last year we had folks from seven countries 20 different states including Louisiana participating — about 700 folks during the week. It’s very much an education -based activity but at night there are dances with top-notch bands,” she said.
From beginner to advanced levels, participants can study Louisiana-style Cajun/Zydeco guitar, fiddle, accordion, percussion, French-language vocals, dance, cooking, and folklife cultures. Evening dances will be open to the public at Lakeview Park.
The Balfa Camp offers one-day to full-week tuition rates. The registration form, schedule, and sponsor opportunities are found at LAfolkroots.org.
Since 2001, Louisiana Folk Roots has produced the immersive Louisiana music and folklife education camp in a nature-based setting. Louisiana-style meals are included with full-time or part-time camp registrations, with music jam camaraderie, campfires and hospitality.
Music Camp instructors include Trey Boudreaux, Paul “Bird” Edwards, Gina Forsyth, David Greely, Chas Justus, Jesse Lege, Wayne Singleton, Kelli Jones, Brazos Huval and more.
Evening dance bands play 7:30 to 10 p.m. featuring:
Balfa Toujours, Tuesday;
Allstar Zydeco, Wednesday;
Savoy Family, Thursday; and
Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole, Friday.
Louisiana Folk Roots, Inc., is a non-profit 501C3 organization. Support for Balfa Week is provided in part by the Ochsner Health System, National Park Service, National Endowment for the Arts, Louisiana Division of the Arts, St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission, Acadiana Center for the Arts, Evangeline Parish Tourist Commission, Al Berard Music Fund, and Friends of Louisiana Folk Roots.
Email BalfaWeek@lafolkroots.org or visit lafolkroots.org for more information.
