In addition to the food, Cajun music is one of the most distinctive features of St. Martin Parish. Throughout its long history beginning with the first French Canadian settlers, who brought their love of ballads and folk music, Cajun music has evolved and grown over time. However, one feature that hasn’t changed about the music is the passion for life and fun-loving attitude that has always defined it. Cajun music is alive and well in St. Martin Parish, and both residents and travelers alike have many options to experience it the way it was meant to be seen: in person.
The love of Cajun music is strong in St. Martin Parish, but it’s not just the upbeat rhythm of a two-step and the sound of the accordion that draws residents to the dance halls, or to Louisiana festivals. Cajun music is fun for everyone involved, but it’s also about the community: it brings together people of all backgrounds to share a similar experience. In many ways, it builds a stronger community by allowing everyone to have fun in the same setting and make friends with people who they may have never met otherwise.
When it comes to venues, St. Martin Parish has no shortage of locations where one can enjoy Cajun music and Cajun dancing. Breaux Bridge, a town on the western side of the parish, has an especially strong music and dancing presence, with venues like La Poussiere and Pont Breaux’s—both of which have been around for decades and continue to draw fun-loving crowds. Breaux Bridge is also the home of the famous Zydeco Brunch, now hosted at Buck and Johnny’s every Saturday morning; but the party doesn’t stop there, with the Cajun Jam starting down Bridge Street at Joie de Vivre at 11am and continuing at Angelle’s Burgers in the afternoon. No description of Breaux Bridge would be complete without mentioning the Crawfish Festival, which draws attendees from all over the country to enjoy music, dancing, and of course, crawfish.
The town of Henderson, also in St. Martin Parish and located just a few miles from Breaux Bridge, also plays host to regular Cajun live music and dancing. The Atchafalaya Club has live music on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, while Whiskey River on the Henderson Levee keeps the party going on Sundays starting at 4 p.m. Finally, the colorfully decorated Louisiana Marketshops at the 115 sells a selection of Cajun and zydeco music CDs to enjoy wherever you find yourself.
Cajun music provides an opportunity for both residents and visitors alike to celebrate Cajun culture and its rich history in St. Martin Parish. An important part of http://cajuncountry.org/, this music has endured for hundreds of years, and will continue to live on in the hearts of Cajuns themselves as well as the visitors who are captivated by it.
