ST. LANDRY PARISH — You’ve heard of boudin festivals, crawfish festivals, even cracklin’ festivals — but have you ever heard of a mosquito festival?
Yep, you read that right — a Mosquito Festival — and it’s happening for the first time in the town of Cankton, hosted at the Landon Pitre Memorial Park.
“We were looking for something quirky — something that grabs attention,” said Caleb Simon with the Coulee Croche Firefighters Association.
Not About Celebrating the Bug 🦟
Before you start itching, organizers want to make one thing clear — this festival isn’t celebrating mosquitoes nor will there be any live ones at the event.
“We’re not pro-mosquito,” said Simon. “We’re anti-mosquito.” The festival is actually a fundraiser for the volunteer firefighters who serve the Coulee Croche Fire District. Money raised will go toward recruitment, training, and retention — helping support the people who drop everything to answer the call.
“They drop what they’re doing when their pagers go off — even at 2 a.m. on Christmas — to protect their community,” Simon said. “That’s what this is for.”
Mixing in the Fun
But it’s not all serious business. Organizers say the event will have live music, featuring six local bands, plus a cook-off, fun jumps, and a dunking booth where even the Mayor and Chief of Police are expected to take the plunge.
There’s also plenty for kids — face painting, games, and even a “buzzing competition” to see who can make the loudest mosquito sound.
“We’re playing into the mosquito theme, but it’s all for a good cause,” Simon added. Tulane University will visit to discuss mosquito prevention and the diseases they carry.
And yes — there will even be a blood drive (no, not for mosquitoes).
“The more money we raise, the better off we are,” said volunteer firefighter Ervin Mernard.
To learn more about the Mosquito Festival — including times, activities, and how you can take part — click here.
