GUEYDAN — The Gueydan Duck Festival is celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend. The festival started in 1976.
Patricia LeDoux, a face painting vendor at the festival, said the celebration's meaning goes beyond the music and food.
"It's tradition. Big duck hunters, big hunting families," LeDoux said. "They all grew up hunting. They all grew up sitting in the rice fields, getting in the duck blinds."
Organizers said security measures will be in place because of the increase in attendance, including a clear bag policy.
"We have a lot of surveillance cameras from the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office, as well as a lot of Sheriffs that'll be around," said Todd Scott, president of the Duck Festival.
The music lineup includes:
Thursday, August 27
6:30 pm to 8 pm - The Johnson Brothers Band
8:30 pm - 10 pm - Gage Myers
Friday, August 28
6:30 pm to 8 pm - Ben Ragsdale
8:30 pm to 10 pm - Tracy Byrd
10:30 pm to 12 am - Parish County Line
Saturday, August 29
4:30 pm to 6 pm - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie
6:30 pm to 8 pm - Casey Peveto
8:30 pm to 10 pm - Wayne Toups & ZydeCajun
10:30 to 12 pm Gyth Rigdon
Sunday, August 30
9:30 am to 11 am - Adam Saltzman & Friends
11:30 am to 1 pm - 4 Horses
1:30 pm to 3 pm - Richard LeBouef & Two Step
