Louisiana sounds take over the town

The sixth annual festival boasts eight live bands for the main festival plus an extra curtain-raiser on Thursday March 16.

The festival runs until Sunday March 19.

Spokesman Glyn Roberts said: “This looks like being our best festival yet as we have a wonderful weekend lined up to celebrate the best of Louisiana music, dance and culture.

“Tickets are selling well and we can’t wait to welcome everyone here from all over this country and abroad.”

The festival has two headline bands. On the Saturday night, there will be a festival debut for Chris Hall’s Double Shots. Chris is the undisputed supremo of British Cajun and Zydeco, founder of several top outfits since the ground breaking R Cajun and the Zydeco Bros back in the 1980s. Chris has also played with many leading Louisiana musicians and stars of the rock and pop world including Sir Paul McCartney.

One of Europe’s finest – French band Pain D’Mais (Corn Bread) headline Sunday night with a high energy blend of Cajun and Zydeco music in the style of Steve Riley, Geno Delafose and Keith Frank.

The fun starts on the Thursday with a curtain-raiser for the main festival at Suddaby’s Crown Hotel in Wheelgate, Malton, when festival favourites Miriam and Phil perform. Suddaby’s is also the venue for the music sessions on the Saturday and Sunday afternoons, which are free.

Main venue for the festival is the Milton Rooms in Market Place, Malton, where all bands will perform on stage and festival goers can dance on the wonderful sprung floor. Great cajun/creole food will be prepared by the Cajun Kitchen Krewe.

Opening the main festival on the Friday night will be Bosco Beret with a laid back and country influenced set, followed by all-girl band Joli Blon.

Saturday at the Milton Rooms sees dance workshops, mask making and a Mardi Gras-style, lunch time parade, followed by our own Mardi Gras band Rough Chowder on stage at 1pm.

In the evening are Good Ol’ Boys, Ad and Wolfert from the Netherlands and the UK’s Sam Murray; followed by Chris Hall’s Double Shots, when festival-goers are promised “Creole Zydeco influenced by Geno Delafose, Jeffrey Broussard and Boozoo Chavis”.

On Sunday it will be Yorkshire’s own Cajun Aces from the Bayous of Bradford, in the afternoon, then a climax to the festival will be provided by one of France’s leading ‘Zyde-Cajun’ bands, Pain D’Mais.