After finishing the harvest, farmers gathered with neighbors to roast a pig and dance to music that they called “La La.” The “instruments” they used to create La La music were a washboard, spoons, fiddle, triangles and an accordion.

In the 20th century, Louisiana musicians who loved La La music helped to popularize it beyond its rural roots. The late Clifton Chenier, in particular, became known for his mastery of the style. He came to call the music “zydeco,” and ultimately became known as the “King of Zydeco.”

In 1981, a group of southwestern Louisiana residents who aimed to perpetuate zydeco music helped to organize under the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, under the sponsorship of Southern Development Foundation. The first festival was held in a field near Opelousas.

Today, the festival is held each year in early September in Plaisance, just northwest of Opelousas. It features the best zydeco performers and bands in the state, along with dance events, traditional story-telling, discussions and presentations about the history of the music, including its Creole French, African-American and Caribbean influences.

For information about the next Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, visit zydeco.org.