Crowley Travel Guide

This festival caters to the locals mostly. Everyone seems to know each other, and there's open drinking and dancing on the street. The police presence is hardly noticeable, but it seems to be a very safe festival by standards of the USA. Zydeco music is distinguishable not only by the washboard and accordian instruments, but also by the polka style bouncey dance locals perform in the street. Blues style music increasingly dominates, substituting the saxophone for the accordian...

The food here is overpriced to pay for the music venues and probably raise funds for charity, so don't expect any bargains. The pooboy sandwiches are good meat, but put in a cheap Wonderbread style hot dog bun. Most food is deep fried. But, enjoy! This IS authentic Cajun festival food...Beer is widely available also...

Favorite thing: The Crowley International Rice Festival website provides all the information, including the exact dates of the festival each year. The festival is normally during an October weekend. Take folding chairs, because the festival is poorly outfitted this way. I had to gobble my food standing in the crowd. Bring cash for your purchases, although there are a couple of ATM machines downtown. Take I-10 Exit 80 and drive the mile or so into town. Parking is on the street outside the thinly tape barricades of downtown. Then, follow the sound of Zydeco and Blues style music.