The time has come again for the Voice of the Wetlands Festival, now celebrating its 16th annual event. This unique festival will be held on the second weekend of October (October 11, 12 and 13) and will be attended by music fans from throughout the world in a small-town setting depicting Louisiana culture. 

Over a decade ago, Grammy-nominated bluesman Tab Benoit became an advocate for preserving the Cajun way of life and driving awareness about the loss of wetlands in Southern Louisiana. After seeing the wetlands receding, Benoit and some friends set out to organize the Voice of the Wetlands Organization. Not too long after, in 2004, the first Voice of the Wetlands Festival was born to celebrate and advocate for the Cajun way of life, including cuisine, music and more. 

Since then, the Voice of the Wetlands Festival has brought in a wide array of Louisiana music as well as national acts. The festival has always been and still remains a free event. The festival contains two stages for music to be continuously heard from artists of many genres: blues, jazz, rock, country, and Cajun. Cajun culture is also celebrated through late-night jam sessions, camping in the Louisiana wilderness, and plenty of cultural events for the kids to enjoy.

Featured artists for this year’s Terrebonne Parish event include The Friday Night Guitar Fights, Tab Benoit, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Mike Zito and the BB King Horns, Johnny Sansone and more. 

Attendees have the option of tent camping or RV camping (for a fee) on festival grounds, which makes it easier to catch a glimpse of the late-night jam sessions for which the festival has become well known. Those interested in camping can find out more information at here. The festival grounds are located at 5403 West Park, Houma, LA, 70364. For more information, including the full lineup and how to volunteer, click here.