One thousand five hundred miles northeast of Lafayette is one of the nation’s newest Cajun and zydeco festivals.
The Bayou Boogie, three days of dancing and camping in the rolling Connecticut hills, features some of Acadiana’s finest: Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie, the Pine Leaf Boys, and Steve Riley — the festival’s headliner, co-organizer and booker.
Gigs like these are the bread and butter of Lafayette’s traditional music scene. It’s how most touring players make a living. And in 2025 that’s getting harder, many say, as folk festivals across the country close or shut down stages long reserved for Cajun and zydeco bands…