Port Barre Cracklin Festival
Of course, all true Road Trips Foodies know what cracklins are. But for those of you who haven’t yet experienced this regional delicacy, in Cajun cuisine, they’re fried pieces of pork fat with a small amount of attached skin that’s usually flavored with a mix of traditional spices.
Yes, crispy pork rinds have been celebrated each year since 1985 at the Port Barre Cracklin Festival in Louisiana’s St. Landry Parish. This year’s dates are November 10 through 13, 2011.
The festival contains all of the usual features found in many Southern Louisiana community festivals. There is a Queen’s Pageant with fifteen different age divisions, a parade down Main Street, carnival rides for all ages, live musical entertainment from local and regional artists, great food and drinks, and of course, the Cracklin Cook-Off.
The Cook-Off is not only a test of cracklin cooking ability but showmanship as well. It’s divided into a Professional category for restaurants and chefs and an amateur category for people who just love to cook cracklins.
(Image is the event’s logo)
