Cajuns and Creoles are universally known for their "laissez les bons temps rouler" ("Let the good times roll!") spirit. But Mardi Gras in Acadiana is truly a time for Cajuns and Creoles alike to indulge the pleasures of the flesh. Whether your fancy is a city-style Mardi Gras ball in Lafayette, or chasing chickens on horseback in the countryside to make a community gumbo, Southwest Louisiana offers an inimitable way of celebrating the festive holiday.

The second-largest Mardi Gras...