LOUISIANA FOLKLIFE VILLAGE

Like its signature dish, gumbo, Louisiana is a spicy stew comprised of many distinctive elements: African- American, Cajun, Creole, Latin, French, Isleño, Native American, and practically everything in between. To experience this unique culture firsthand, step into the Louisiana Folklife Village and discover many of the state’s generations-old traditions - and some emerging ones, too!

Here you can see musicians meticulously handcraft accordions and fiddles, artists create elaborate sculptures for Mardi Gras floats, and a Creole cook grind sassafras leaves into filé for gumbo. Learn the art of shoe repair, how to braid horsehair, or cook up an Isleño cure for the flu. These are only a few of the dozens of traditions featured in the Louisiana Folklife Village that bear witness to our state's unique cultural history.

This year, we tip our hats to the Festival’s country music influences by featuring a new tent in the Folklife Village: Les Cowboys de la Louisiane: Cowboy Culture in Louisiana. This tent will be featured during weekend one.

Weekend 1 (April 25 - 27)

Tent B
THE WORK OF MANY LIVES: ARCHITECTURAL TRADES IN LOUISIANA

Restoration Carpentry
Dwayne Broussard
Patterson, St. Mary Parish

Lathe Woodturning
John Hartsock & Marvin Hirsch
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Slate & Copper Roofing
Lionel "Lonnie" Smith, Jr.
Kenner, Jefferson Parish

Demo Annex

Architectural Iron Work
Darryl Reeves
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Tent C
LES COWBOYS DE LA LOUISIANE: COWBOY CULTURE IN LOUISIANA

Bull Whips
Billy Anderson
Baker, East Baton Rouge Parish

Saddle Making & Repair
Johnny Richard
Abbeville, Vermilion Parish

Horsehair Braiding
Nancy Cooper & Brenda Shope
Longville, Beauregard Parish

Sport of Rodeo
Klancy Shope
Longville, Beauregard Parish

Cowhide Furniture
Preston Watley
Eunice, St. Landry Parish

Tent F
LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER: RITUAL & CELEBRATION IN LOUISIANA

Cajun Mardi Gras Masks & Costumes
Georgie & Allen Manuel
Eunice, St. Landry Parish

Mardi Gras Sculpture & Design
Randy Morrison
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Mardi Gras Indian Beading
Ronald W. Lewis
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Muses Glitter Shoes
Krewe of Muses
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Tent G
MADE BY HAND: CRAFTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN LOUISIANA

Cajun Accordions
Clarence "Junior" Martin
Scott, Lafayette Parish

Cajun Fiddles
Marc Taylor
Sunset, St. Landry Parish

Shoe Repair
Glenn Cheatham
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Cornshuck Dolls & White Oak Baskets
Geraldine Robertson
Lafayette, Lafayette Parish

Weekend 2 (May 4 - 6)

Tent B
THE WORK OF MANY LIVES: ARCHITECTURAL TRADES IN LOUISIANA

Cypress Shingles & Water Cisterns
Ray Weimer
Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish

Cypress Shutter Making
Sean Wilkerson
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Stained-Glasss Restoration
Albert Lips, Jr.
Chalmette, St. Bernard Parish

Millwork
Heinz Gautschi
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Demo Annex

Blacksmithing
Jim Jenkins
Tickfaw, Tangipahoa Parish

Tent C
THE WORK OF MANY LIVES: WATERWAYS OF LOUISIANA

Traditional Boat Building
Tom Colvin
Mandeville, St. Tammany Parish

Net Making & Miniature Boat Building
Charles Robin, III
St. Bernard, St. Bernard Parish

Isleño Garden Remedies
Cecile Robin
St. Bernard, St. Bernard Parish

Crawfish Traps & Deepwater Nets
Kernis Huval
Sunset, St. Landry Parish
 
Traditional Isleño Duck Decoys
Irvan Perez Family
St. Bernard, St. Bernard Parish

Tent F
LAISSEZ LES BON TEMPS ROULER: RITUAL & CELEBRATION IN LOUISIANA

Social Aid & Pleasure Clubs Crafts & Traditions
Ladies of Unity
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Mardi Gras Floats
Brian Bush
Marrero, Jefferson Parish

Dia de los Muertos Altar
Cynthia Ramirez
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Mardi Gras Ball Gowns
Ilaine Hartman
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Tent G
MADE BY HAND: CRAFTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN LOUISIANA

Cultural Hairstyles
Zina Harris
New Orleans, Orleans Parish

Accordion Making
Greg Mouton
Crowley, Acadia Parish

African-American Quilting
Cecilia Pedescleaux
Marrero, Jefferson Parish

Filé Grinding & Walking Sticks
Lionel Key, Jr.
Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish

Special Appearance - SUNDAY ONLY
Pine Needle Baskets
Savannah Lewis
New Orleans, Orleans Parish