Mansura’s Cochon de Lait Festival Returns to Traditions
The Cochon de Lait festival in Mansura, Louisiana mixes Cajun food, good times and Louisiana music with the roast suckling pig for which the festival is named. ABC 31 News Joel Massey shows us what to expect this year.
Meyhan Chenevert, president of the Mansura Chamber of Commerce said, “The Cochon de Lait festival originated back in 1960 and it was the celebration of the town’s anniversary and then it became a yearly event after that and that’s how we became known as the Cochon de Lait capital of the world.”
Chenevert is happy that Mansura is hosting the full two-day Cochon de Lait festival this year after a brief hiatus due to Covid.
“It’s a tradition. It speaks for Mansura. It’s all about what we’re known best for and that’s the roast pig, suckling pig. People come from all through the state, all the states all around. It’s a tradition.”
Ursula Dupas, vice president of the Mansura Chamber of Commerce highlights some of the activities that will be going on.
“On Friday afternoon is the lighting of the pigs. We’re going to have a whole bunch of pigs lit up and they’re going to cook all night. And then Friday during the day we’ll have arts and crafts booths out on the walking track. We will have vendors out here, souvenir booths and a lot of stuff going on.”
Two bands will play Friday night and one will play Saturday night. In addition there will be a 5K run and 1 mile run/walk Saturday morning. Organizers recommend booking hotel rooms early. Chenevert says the hog calling contest is a must see.
“We’re bringing back a lot of the old traditions, old contests that all the people are very anxious for. If you’ve never been to the Cochon de Lait festival you need to come because we have the traditional hog calling contest which is hilarious.”
The Cochon de Lait festival will be Friday May 12th and Saturday May 13th in Mansura.
