Contraband Days facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louisiana Pirate Festival |
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The boardwalk on Lake Charles
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| Type | Local, cultural |
| Significance | cultural |
| Celebrations | Parties, bands, entertainment |
| Date | Lua error in Module:Wikidata at line 132: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Mardi Gras |
The Louisiana Pirate Festival, also known as Contraband Days, is a super fun 12-day event! It's packed with delicious Cajun food, exciting activities, and lots of family fun. This festival happens every year in Lake Charles. It's one of the biggest parties in Louisiana, with over 200,000 people attending. The very first festival was held way back in 1957.
What is the Louisiana Pirate Festival?
This exciting festival takes place during the first two weeks of May. It's Lake Charles' official way to celebrate the legend of the famous pirate Jean Lafitte. Stories say that Lafitte and his pirate crew often visited the waterways around Lake Charles. People believe they even buried some of Lafitte's hidden treasures, or "contraband," somewhere nearby!
How the Festival Begins
The Pirate Festival kicks off every year with a thrilling event! A pirate ship "attacks" the city at the seawall of the Lake Charles Civic Center. A group of loud and lively buccaneers, led by "Jean Lafitte," takes on the local militia's blazing cannons.
After a fun "battle," the pirates raise their "Jolly Roger" flag. They then "capture" the mayor! With swords drawn, they make the mayor "walk the plank" into the waters of the lake. This exciting show marks the start of the two-week celebration. (No festival was held in 2020.)
Fun Activities at the Festival
Once the pirates have "taken over," the city is ready for days of fun! The festival is full of pageantry and exciting activities for everyone. Here are some of the things you can enjoy:
- Evening parades with colorful floats and music
- Amazing fireworks shows lighting up the night sky
- A carnival midway with thrilling rides and games
- Live entertainment on three different stages
- A sailing regatta (boat race) on the lake
- Lots of tasty Cajun cuisine to try
- Fun contests for all ages
- Exciting beach games
- Thrill attractions for adventure seekers
- Many unique and funny competitions, like bed races, bathtub races, and even crawfish races!
- Nationally-recognized speedboat races
- Special family night events
