After a two-year break due to COVID, the Original Southwest Louisiana Music Festival returns to Opelousas Saturday. Festival executive director Lena Charles says Zydeco gained popularity with poor farm workers as a way to boost their spirits after a long day in the fields. She says it has the same effect today.
“No matter what’s going on in your life, you know, you had a good week, a bad week, whatever, you could always start listening to Zydeco and it would take you away from that,” said Charles.
It starts at noon at the Yambilee Festival Building and it goes until midnight. There are seven bands, including Grammy winner Chubby Carrier, and a tribute to the King of Zydeco, Clifton Chenier.
Charles says the festival began in a soybean field in 1982. It was started by a group called The Treasures of Opelousas. At the time they were afraid that Creole music was dying. The festival has drawn large crowds for many years. Charles says it’s taken a commitment to keep it going.
“ We redefined, rebranded, made it a community event, got the City of Opelousas certified as the Zydeco Capital of the World, and moved it into Opelousas. We are the keepers of the culture and tellers of the story,” said Charles.
Charles said they had virtual events during the COVID break, but there’s nothing like being able to share the best of Southwest Louisiana in person.
“I’m just excited to see that our Louisiana folks are going to be there to greet all of the people that are coming from out of the state. There’s no hospitality like Louisiana hospitality. You know that.” said Charles.
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