The City of New Iberia event invites youth ages 7 to 16 to become vendors and sell products they have grown, made, baked, designed, or created themselves. Eligible items include home-grown fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers, handmade crafts, original artwork, photography, baked goods, and other youth-created products approved by organizers.

The market is designed to give young participants hands-on experience in running a small business. Youth vendors will learn valuable skills such as customer service, product presentation, pricing, responsibility, and money management while interacting with shoppers and fellow vendors.

The City hopes the event will inspire the next generation of local business owners, farmers, artists, and makers while creating a positive and engaging community experience. The Junior Farmers Market emphasizes learning, creativity, and community spirit, encouraging participants to share the stories behind their products and take pride in their work.

Families interested in participating can receive additional information by calling (337) 369-2330.

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UPDATE: Event has been cancelled as of 3/9/26

Books Along the Teche Literary Festival (April 10 – 12) is pleased to announce Tequila Mockingbird, a spirited fundraising evening bringing together lovers of great food, fine spirits, and the written word on March 19, at 6:30 p.m. at Pie Bar (254 W. Main St.).

The event will feature a sumptuous seafood buffet alongside exclusive spirit samplers from the acclaimed Noel Distillery. Proceeds from the evening will directly support the literary festival, which celebrates the rich traditions of southern storytelling and connects readers and writers across Louisiana and beyond.

The Menu:

Guests can look forward to an indulgent spread of seafood created by renowned Chef Alex Patout alongside a curated tasting experience featuring Noel Distillery’s handcrafted spirits. For those who prefer something other than seafood, Chef Patout will also prepare fresh smothered pork sausage with stone-ground yellow grits.

Noel Distillery, known for its commitment to small-batch, artisan spirits, will offer guests an opportunity to sample their distinctive offerings throughout the evening, with knowledgeable representatives on hand to guide guests through each pour.

The event promises to be an unforgettable evening where good taste takes center stage. Capturing the warmth, flavor, and creativity that defines Acadiana, Tequila Mockingbird is a chance to celebrate the spirit of the Teche region while raising vital funds to keep the literary festival sessions free and open to the public.

Tickets are limited, $125 per person and are available by calling (337) 547-2345. All proceeds benefit the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival.

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Mama’s Fried Chicken, the beloved eatery known for fried chicken and Southern fare in the heart of Opelousas, will expand to New Iberia.

The expansion brings additional opportunities to enjoy Mama’s outside of Opelousas, with supporters long calling for more access to the well-known establishment.

“We are committed to bring Mama’s Southern hospitality to more of Acadiana,” said Ryan LaGrange, Operator of the original Mama’s Fried Chicken. “We get so many visitors year-round telling us they wish we would open a location in their town, so our team is excited to take this next step in expanding to New Iberia.”

The original Mama’s Fried Chicken on Landry St. in Opelousas has earned regional recognition for both high-quality southern fare and reliably friendly customer service. Since opening in 1977, they have remained a family-owned and -operated with LaGrange and his sister, Kristin Cooley, handling day-to-day operations.

“Family is at the heart of our business, which extends to our good neighbors in Opelousas. Our mother showed us the importance of building strong relationships with the community and those in it. We attribute the success we have had since opening to the decades of support everyone has shown us. We’re extremely grateful for it,” stated Cooley.

Mama’s Fried Chicken has made countless contributions to the local communities through their many donations and event sponsorships. The team plans to continue this legacy of stewardship in its new home in Iberia Parish.

Mama’s Fried Chicken is expected to open their newest location at 101 E. Admiral Doyle Dr. by early 2026.

To learn more about Mama’s, see their menu, or apply for a job, visit eatmamasfriedchicken.com. For the New Iberia location, click here.

About Mama’s Fried Chicken:

Founded in 1977 in Opelousas, Louisiana, Mama’s Fried Chicken has served generations of customers with its signature Southern recipes, quick service, and friendly hospitality. With nearly 50 years of community engagement and culinary tradition, Mama’s continues to grow while staying true to its roots. Learn more at www.eatmamasfriedchicken.com.

(Updated 12/19/25)

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The International French Bread Festival is proud to announce that Zydeco superstar Chris Ardoin will headline the festival’s 3rd anniversary on Sat., Dec. 20, under the Main Street Pavilion (1630 Main St., Jeanerette).

This year’s festival brings the magic of the holidays to Main Street, honoring Louisiana’s 127th designated Cultural District, the Jeanerette Railroad Avenue Historic Cultural District, by incorporating the timeless wonder of The Polar Express into a full day of music, culture, and community pride.

The entertainment lineup features an exceptional blend of local and regional talent, including Jeanerette’s very own Grammy winner Wayne “Blue” Burns, the soulful duo Kernny & Diane LeBlanc, and legendary Zydeco artist Wayne Singleton & The Urban KREYOL Band — all leading up to a powerhouse headline performance by Zydeco superstar Chris Ardoin. Together, these artists bring a rich mix of culture, rhythm, and Louisiana tradition to the festival stage, creating a musical experience that reflects the heart and spirit of Jeanerette.

Festival-goers can look forward to the “Something Good on That French Bread” cook-off where chefs will showcase their culinary skills using French breads as their main ingredient. Top-notch vendors will offer a diverse selection of delicious foods, local art and crafts, and a stunning display of vintage vehicles at the Classic Car show. Kids can enjoy activities, holiday attractions and pictures with Santa. There will also be a holiday cash giveaway.

The festival’s grand highlight will be the crowning of the 3rd French Bread Festival Queen and King.

“We are honored to welcome Chris Ardoin to Jeanerette,” said Councilwoman Lady Fontenette Brown, a member of the French Bread Festival Board. “Our festival was created to celebrate our heritage, our people, and the joy this season brings to families. Having an artist of his caliber elevates this year’s experience for both locals and visitors.”

Now entering its third year, the International French Bread Festival has grown into a signature cultural event for Iberia Parish, celebrating Louisiana’s foodways, community spirit, and Creole history.

About the Festival:

The International French Bread Festival showcases the beloved French bread, symbolizing the historical connections between Louisiana and France and the importance of preserving culture in shaping the unique identity of Louisiana’s people.

(Updated 12/10/25)

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The Shadows-on-the-Teche would like to announce the eighth annual Farm Fest! This family-friendly event will take place on Thurs., Sept. 25, 2025, from 4 – 8 p.m. on the grounds of the Shadows (317 E. Main St., New Iberia).

Once through the gate, attendees can enjoy a variety of games from old-fashioned carnival ones to Farm Fest staples, like Magic Fishing and Rubber Duck Pull. Hang out with the Frosted Apron and decorate a rice krispie Ttreat, or stop in at the art tent for face painting and crafting.

Shadows is excited to welcome Rylan’s Ranch Petting Zoo who are bringing the farm with them to the fest. Attendees will get a chance to see baby goats, baby pigs, chickens, ducks and rabbits. Balloon animals are back and better this year!

Attendees can enjoy burgers, hot dogs, chili fritos, and other festival fare along with cold beverages, including beer and wine. Live entertainment will be on the stage during the entire event. 2NL Jazz Combo will play from 4 – 6 p.m. and Andy Smith will play from 6 – 8 p.m.

Admission is $10 per family. Minors must be accompanied by adults. Tickets for food and games available for purchase. Games stop at 7 p.m.

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If you enjoyed, read this:

• Quick Guide: Halloween in Iberia Parish
• Quick Guide: Fall Festivals

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From shrimp to sugar, gumbo to getaways, get ready to fall for Iberia Parish in this quick guide!

1. Delcambre Shrimp Festival

In August, shrimp rules with one of the best five-day festivals in South Louisiana. The Delcambre Shrimp Festival has gained its popularity by serving up a variety of delicious dishes and top notch entertainment including national recording artists.

Enjoy signature shrimp dishes like boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, shrimp sauce piquante, shrimp salad and many more, prepared by volunteer members of the festival association. If you’re not in the mood for shrimp, vendors also offer a variety of other “festival” foods, beer, cold drinks and water.

2. Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival

September brings the first true tendrils of fall with the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival (September) kicking off the season of one of the state’s premiere industries. For 80 years, the festival has brought together sugar producing parishes to honor the sugar industry with royalty, delicious foods, Cajun entertainment and a great time.

Fais-do-do’s, parades, carnival and more are just the start of what the festival has to offer.

3. World Championship Gumbo Cookoff

October calls forth more than ghosts and pumpkin spice everything in the south, it’s gumbo season. It’s no surprise the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff calls Iberia Parish home for more than 30 years. Every year, on the second weekend in October, the Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce hosts the cookoff in Bouligny Plaza on New Iberia’s historic and award-winning Main Street.

Saturday is fondly dubbed “Cajun Creole Foodfest” with teams cooking their favorite Cajun and Creole dishes for lunch, including two mini-competitions, “Meanest Beans” and “Youth Gumbo Cookoff” throughout the day. The main event happens on Sunday with the judging of more than 100 types of gumbos. Teams are divided between professional and amateur and are required to cook a minimum of 60 quarts. Visitors can try as many types of gumbos as their hearts desire.

Other fall events include pumpkin patches, Halloween storytime event “Terror on the Teche,” trick-or-treating at the Isle of Iberia RV Resort and countless other fun activities for the entire family.

For a full schedule for each festival, visit their websites: Delcambre Shrimp Festival, La Sugar Cane Festival and World Championship Gumbo Cookoff.

If you enjoyed this post, read:

• A Whole Lotta Shrimpin’ Goin’ On
• 6 Facts About Sugar Cane
• Gumbo Cookoff Recipe

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Classic and muscle cars will roll through Iberia, St. Martin and St. Mary Parish for Cruisin’ Cajun Country to be held May 15 – 17, 2025.

Participants will experience the area’s hottest attractions, award-winning Main Street historic district and delicious food, while spectators will enjoy free car shows.

“People from many parts of the United States are coming to Cajun Country to be a part of something really special,” said Kim LeBlanc, Event Chair and Marketing Director. “They cruise around in their classic and muscle cars experiencing all the things that make this area so special. The food, the music, the people and the culture.”

The host hotel will be the Hampton Inn in New Iberia. The cost to participate in the three-day event is $65 (early bird by April 30) and $80 (if registered May 1 – 17). The fee includes a commemorative t-shirt. Dash Cards will be given at time of registration and must be present to enter all events.

“We want the participants to enjoy the Cajun life as much as we do,” said John Chauvin, President of Cruisin’ Cajun Country. “Participating in a classic or antique vehicle is an exceptional way to learn the Cajun culture and history, and experience the friendliness of the locals.

About Cruisin’ Cajun Country:

Cruisin’ Cajun Country is a non-profit organization that promotes the preservation of classic, muscle, antique and modern sports vehicles, with open membership.

The organization’s goals include enjoying and raising awareness of antique vehicles, increasing revenues in the parishes and donating to many charities.

For more information, call Kim LeBlanc at (337) 277-7220 or visit their website or Facebook.

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By: Brittany Racca

One of our most asked questions by visitors is, “Where can we find boiled crawfish?” So, we thought we would go on a hunt and sample a local favorite of the Louisiana staple dish for first hand knowledge. Our destination? Jane’s Seafood & Chinese Food.

Jane’s History:
Khai Tran and his wife Ngoan came to the United States from Vietnam in 1982. Working as a fisherman, his goal was to build a business with which he could provide for his family, their education and see his children all settled in good jobs. In 1991, he realized his goal of owning his own business with the opening of Jane’s Seafood and Chinese Restaurant, in New Iberia.

Although Khai still spends time in the restaurant, the daily running of the business has been passed on to his youngest son, Vu Tran, who took over the restaurant about 2 years ago. Vu, who completed three years of college before leaving to take over the family business, said he is proud of the honors given the restaurant by the people of the Teche Area.

In addition to Vu and his parents, the restaurant employs other family members who do a variety of jobs. This unique family restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday from 4 p.m. until with both dine-in or take-out meals, offering a great variety of boiled and fried seafood, Chinese food and more.

What We Ordered:
One thing to note, Jane’s Seafood does not skimp on portion sizes. We found you really got great value for your money and most of our meals were under $15 before tip. We ordered 2lbs of crawfish seasoned “medium” for the table to share. The crawfish comes with potatoes, corn and sausage included. Visitors have the choice on how much they’d like their lips to tingle after the meal by choosing to have their crawfish cooked mild, medium or spicy. In addition, we also each separately ordered plates to try. These included a cup of seafood gumbo, stuffed shrimp dinner, chargrilled oysters and chicken lo mein (sans veggies because this writer is a picky eater).

Our Review:
The crawfish were delicious and the table wholeheartedly agreed that they were easy to peel and a very good size even though it was still relatively early in the season. Where we were split was on the spice factor. Two said that “medium” was just the right spice level from the beginning as they don’t like their crawfish overly spicy. The other two said it had a more “mid-mild” flavor on first taste but had a kick after a few bites. Where the heat turned up was in the sides. The sausage was juicy, and very flavorful while the potatoes and corn were well prepared and not cooked too long. I find that, if overly cooked, boiled potatoes tend to fall apart or turn to a messy mush while the corn has a soggy taste to it, but these were perfection! The potatoes cut nicely and the corn had a good crunch. Both were well seasoned, but much hotter than the crawfish.

As for the other dishes, the consensus was that Jane’s hits it out of the park on all fronts. We chose to eat our 2nd courses after finishing the crawfish so they weren’t cold upon arrival. The seafood gumbo was as a traditional gumbo should be, soup-like in texture with plenty of oysters, shrimp and crabmeat. Perfect for a cold day or a hot treat. The stuffed shrimp was also well received. It was stuffed with a crabmeat breading and served with a side salad, fries, hushpuppy, fried banana and bread. One thing I noticed immediately was that the chicken lo mein didn’t have that slimy taste that mall Chinese food is well known for, rather it tasted home cooked and fresh. I’d assume that the veggies would add a lot more flavor to an already delish dish.

Other locations that serve boiled crawfish in New Iberia include:

Click each location for more information and call for availabillity.

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