Fairs & Festivals for Oct. 12, 2012

Advocate photo by APRIL BUFFINGTON A group of people ride the Extreme Experience at the Livingston Parish Fair at the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds last year. This year's fair runs through Sunday, Oct. 14.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, OCT. 12-13

• ATCHAFALAYA CATFISH FESTIVAL: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Melville Festival Park, Melville. Rides, games, food. [phone].

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, OCT. 12-14

• LIVINGSTON PARISH FAIR: Fairgrounds, U.S. 190, Livingston. Midway, rodeo, parades, exhibits, pageants. [phone] or [phone].
• FESTIVALS ACADIENS ET CREOLES: Girard Park, Lafayette. Weekend events include the Louisiana Craft Fair, Bayou Food Festival, Festival de Musique Acadienne, La Place des Petits and the new Culture Sur la Table. http://www.festivalsacadiens.com.
• LOUISIANA CATTLE FESTIVAL: downtown Abbeville. Bands, trail ride, beef cook-off, cattle stampede, food, games, more. http://www.louisianacattlefestival.org.
• CRESCENT CITY BLUES & BBQ FESTIVAL: Lafayette Square, New Orleans. Local and international blues and R&B musicians including Keb Mo, Clarence Carter, Latimore, Sugar Blue, Larry Burton and Chris Thomas King, along with homestyle barbecue. Sponsored by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. Free. http://www.jazzandheritage.org.
• Louisiana Seafood Festival: Woldenberg Riverfront Park, adjacent to the Mississippi River, New Orleans. Live entertainment, celebrity chef cooking demonstrations, local arts and crafts and world-famous cuisine from top New Orleans restaurants and caterers. Festival proceeds benefit the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation. Free.
• LOUISIANA COTTON FESTIVAL: North Side Civic Center, Ville Platte. Crowning of king and queen, music, pet show, carnival rides, parade, Running of the Tournoi and more. http://www.louisianacottonfestival.com.
• WASHINGTON OLD SCHOOLHOUSE ANTIQUE MALL FAIR AND YARD SALE: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., 210 Church St., Washington. [phone].

SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, OCT. 13 AND 14

• AWESOME ARTS OF THE BAYOU FESTIVAL: 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Jambalaya Park, 1015 E. Cornerview St., Gonzales. Varied live music, 80 arts and crafts vendors, children's projects and puppet performances, more. http://www.artgumbo.org.
• WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL: Madisonville. Hundreds on boats on display on the banks of the Tchefuncte River. Other attractions include the Quick 'n' Dirty Boat-Building Contest, music, parades, food, children's village and arts and crafts. http://www.woodenboatfest.org.

SUNDAY, OCT. 14

• SUGAR FESTIVAL: 11 a.m.-6 p.m., grounds of the LeBeau Plantation in Old Arabi. Celebrate local culture and heritage with live music, food, and crafts. The Office of Tourism will sponsor free tours of Old Arabi throughout the festival. [phone]

SUNDAYS, OCT. 14, 21, 28

• ANGOLA PRISON RODEO: Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola. The public can watch inmate cowboys competing in convict poker, wild cow milking, bull riding, wild horse racing and the guts-n-glory contest. Also, bands, food, inmate-made arts and crafts available for sale. Gates open at 9 a.m.; show starts at 2 p.m. crafts open until 5 p.m. $15. http://www.angolarodeo.com.

WEDNESDAY-SUNDAY, OCT. 17-21

• TREME 200 BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION AND MAHALIA JACKSON REJOICIN' IN THE PARK FESTIVAL: throughout the Greater Treme neighborhood. Lecture series, evening concerts, club crawl, united Second Line, gospel jazz Mass and community tributes to Rebirth Brass Band and the late "Uncle" Lionel. http://www.treme2012.com.

THURSDAY, OCT. 18

• TASTE OF THE HARVEST FESTIVAL ON FALSE RIVER: 6-8 p.m., Scott Civic Center, New Roads. Live music, food, cash refreshment bar, free carnival ride tickets. $30, adults. [phone], ext. 204.