Dancing to Wayne Toups live, entering a crawfish eating contest and catching Elite Redfish Series weigh-ins are highlights of the Cajun Heritage Festival on April 7 in Port Arthur.

Here’s another perk: You can visit with Jim LaBove, who will be selling his book “Sunrise over Keith Lake.” This Cajun autobiographical cookbook is a follow up to his first one, “Cotton’s Seafood,” about the Sabine Pass area. He’ll be selling books, and I hope he’ll bring some of his cool mugs featuring his drawing of a crab that are waiting to be filled with strong Cajun coffee. You also have to meet Dodie, his wife, a former New Orleans Saints cheerleader whose assets include her popular cocktail sauce.

LaBove, a regular at the Farmer’s Market in Beaumont, lovingly writes about childhood boucheries with bouree, café au lait, ecrevisse (crawfish), dewberry gallet, teal tucks and chicken with the wishbone. Relax and turn pages filled with drawings, photos, stories and observations of Keith Lake flounder, gossolay probing the shore for a meal, cleaning “deadmen” from the crab. When you meet him, ask him about the time Aunt Rita went fishing and forgot her snuff.

The Cajun Heritage Fest will be at the Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center at Lamar State College-Port Arthur. Wayne Toups & Royal BluGarou is the headliner. Jamie Bergeron & the Kickin’ Cajuns, Travis Matte and the Kingpins and Donovan Bourque will also take the stage.

The Series will be headquartered at the Parker Center April 5–7 with weigh-ins at 3 p.m. daily. These weigh-ins are free to the public, fast-paced and filmed for TV. Bring the family to watch host Pat Malone kick up the excitement as anglers wait to see how their big catches fare in the competition.

The Elite Redfish Series will kick off its 2018 season when professional red fish anglers from all across the country hit the stage in conjunction with the Cajun Fest with an Open Qualifier! This is an opportunity for weekend and professional anglers alike to battle it out, head to head for their chance to move up to the Elite All-Stars Series and fish for over $150,000.00! The Series will be headquartered at the Parker Center April 5–7 with weigh-ins at 3 p.m. daily. These weigh-ins are free to the public, fast-paced and filmed for TV. Bring the family to watch host Pat Malone kick up the excitement as anglers wait to see how their big catches fare in the competition. For more information, check out the Elite Redfish Series on Facebook or send them and email at info@htseries.com.

Tickets to the festival are available online, by calling 409-835-2787, or at the gate. Go to www.CajunHeritageFest.com to sign up for our Crawfish Eating Contest and check out the prizes, including 10 tickets to the 2019 Cajun Heritage Fest!

Keep an eye on www.CajunHeritageFest.com in case other events or musicians are announced. If you’re a vendor and would like a booth or if you would like to be a sponsor for the Cajun Heritage Fest, forms are available on the website.

Cajun Heritage Festival presenters include Southeast Texas Arts Council with support from Cajun Sounds Internet Radio, Texas Commission on the Arts and the Foundation for Southeast Texas.

If you have ideas for Culinary Thrill Seeking, contact Darragh at darraghcastillo@icloud.com