8th Cajun Fest set for Saturday

For the Record by Dave Rogers

Rusty Benoit had a Cajun French Music Association but no festival. So he created one.

And from its roots in 2009, Saturday's eighth annual Gulf Coast Cajun Music Festival will be a day-long celebration of all things Cajun at the Orange VFW Post 2775, 5303 16th St.

"It's a family event for everybody that wants to come," notes Benoit, who moved one of the 10 nationwide chapters of the Cajun French Music Association from Winnie to Orange and experienced dynamic growth.

"This area has really supported the club. We have 80-something families, 170 members in all," he said, "and we're still looking for new members."

The Saturday, Oct. 15 event opens to the public at 9 a.m. The first band, Chris Miller and the Bayou Roots, performs from 10 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

A second band, Robert Jardell & Pure Cajun, plays from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Food includes links, gumbo and pork stew. Besides the bands, entertainment includes a cake walk, 50/50 drawing, a live auction and silent auction, and awards and the crowning of a Cajun Festival King and Queen at 11:30 a.m.

This will be the first time to crown a Queen, Benoit said. Last year's King was 98-year-old Buddy Surrette of Orange.

For more information, contact Benoit at 409-736-3640 or 409-791-7734, or call Paula at 409-719-3245.