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Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and PreserveA man shows a younger man how to finger a guitar chord during Prairie Acadian Cultural Center music lessons.
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Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
Prairie Acadian Cultural Center - Eunice
 
Dancers waltz to a Cajun band at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center
Visitors take to the dance floor at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center
 

Slow the pace a bit and waltz into the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice. Discover the life of Louisiana's prairie Cajuns through ranger programs, exhibits, artifacts, and films. Kids can explore the center and earn a badge with the Junior Ranger program. The center's bookstore has books, music, children's books, and craft items on sale. Admission to the center is free. Click here for directions and program listings for specific dates.

250 West Park Avenue, Eunice
337-457-8499                                                                                                                   Open Tuesday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Saturday 8:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.
Closed December 25. Useful information about public transportation, regulations on pets, etc., is available here.

Regularly scheduled programs:

  • Free Cajun music and dancing every Saturday at 3:00 p.m. Let the center's volunteers teach you how to kick up your heels Cajun-style! 
  • Free cooking demonstrations every Saturday at 4:00 p.m. Rangers and volunteers share the secrets of gumbo, etouffee, and other local favorites.
  • Rendez-vous des Cajuns every Saturday at 6:00 p.m. Enjoy an evening of live Cajun and zydeco music known locally as "the Cajun Grand Ole Opry" at the Liberty Theater next door to the center. 

Special events and programs

For more on things to do in Eunice and for information on Cajun history and culture, check out

 

                             

  


 

 

 
 
Prairie Acadian Cultural Center logo shows man wearing a big straw hat and using a scythe
From Acadian to Cajun
Learn how the exiles of Acadie became Louisiana's Cajuns
more...
Gumbo bubbles on the stove
Life the Cajun way
Music, food, and craft demonstrations
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Trees and blue sky reflected in a bayou
Make "America's best idea" even better
Get involved with your national parks!
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Men dressed as 1815 soldiers march across Chalmette Battlefield.  

Did You Know?
Two volunteer battalions of free men of color fought in the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. These men were the first black American troops to receive pay, equipment, pensions, and bounty land grants equal to that of their white counterparts.

Last Updated: September 29, 2009 at 14:33 EST