It began in 1984 as a two-day street festival in downtown Shreveport. Today, the Mudbug Madness Festival brings south Louisiana-style fun to north Louisiana every spring and has become one of Louisiana’s largest and most popular Cajun festivals.

Through the past few decades the event has stuck with its original purpose: to provide an entertaining event that celebrates Louisiana’s rich Cajun heritage. Despite its name, Mudbug Madness is more than a big crawfish boil. Revenue from the event fuels downtown Shreveport initiatives and provides sponsorship dollars for projects and events including “Let the Good Times Roll,” “Jazz & Gumbo Festival,” “Cinco de Mayo,” “Rockets Over the Red” and the Shreveport Police Mounted Patrol Unit.

The best part for visitors, of course, is the food and music. The festival features renowned Cajun, zydeco, blues and jazz artists, mouth-watering Cajun cuisine and activities for all ages. Having grown into a four-day festival held each Memorial Day weekend, Mudbug Madness is recognized as one of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events, drawing more than 50,000 people per day.

Keep an eye on MudbugMadness.com for details of the 2010 event, scheduled May 27-30, and don’t be surprised to see such big names in Cajun and zydeco music as Terrence Simien or Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. and the Zydeco Twisters.