For More Than 80 Years, This Town Has Hosted The Longest-Running Festival In Louisiana

Louisiana throws a lot of festivals. In fact, there are more than 400 festivals and events in Louisiana throughout the year! One of my favorite festivals is the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival, and this isn’t just any ordinary festival--it’s the oldest festival in the state! This historic festival in Morgan City has been going strong in 1936, and it’s coming up in just a few weeks! This is one festival you don’t want to miss, so let’s take a look at how this fest began and what we can look forward to this year, shall we?

The Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival was born after the port at Morgan City and Berwick received the first ever boatload of jump shrimp ever caught in the deepest waters of the Gulf by a small boat.

I think it’s safe to say that the first “festival” was more of a celebration, but the seed was planted. The celebration went down on Labor Day, and fishermen, trappers, and hunters from all over Louisiana came out to celebrate. This included frog trappers, alligator hunters, crabbers, oystermen, and shrimpers. All your favorite Louisiana foods!

The following year in 1937, they organized the first-ever Blessing of the Fleet, a tradition that still continues today.

Not only for a fruitful harvest, but also for the safety of the fishermen.

It wasn’t until 1967 that the shrimp festival merged with the oil industry to celebrate both.

Both shrimping and the oil industry are important pillars for the area’s economy. Sure, it raised a few eyebrows when the merge happened... and it even earned the title of “Most Unusual Festival Name” for many years.

The festival still takes place over Labor Day weekend, so mark your calendars for Thursday, August 31 through Monday, September 4, 2023.

This will be the 88th year for the festival! If you’re on the hunt for a place to stay in Morgan City, you can’t go wrong with the Hampton Inn.

The four-day festival is jam-packed with events that the entire family can enjoy.

You can check out the events schedule on the website for a full listing, including the times for the parades, band schedule, and more.

In addition to the carnival rides, there will be plenty of kid-centric activities for the youngest festers.

The Children’s Village is the place to be. Face painting, bounce houses, and games will all be set up from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and it’s free!

Visit the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival website for all the details, and be sure to follow the Shrimp & Petroleum Festival on Facebook so you can stay up to date on any announcements as the festival gets closer. While you’re in the area, be sure to visit Mr. Charlie, it’s the only place in the world where you can step aboard an authentic offshore drilling rig!