For those who crave great food and good music, the Margaret T. Hance Park in downtown Phoenix was the place to be Saturday afternoon.
The Southwest Cajun Festival took hold of the park April 18 and gathered seafood, Cajun barbeque, Louisiana brews and some eclectic performers together for a picnic-styled day under a hot Arizona sun.
When first walking into the locale, everything available was nearly within sight. Tucked into a set of trees was the biggest spot of shade as families relaxed with brews and food. Rounding this out, a group of inflatable slides and mazes were running for the kids to enjoy.
Shaped like an oval, the festival had a smattering of vendors on one side, but the main attraction was the food area, dubbed the “French Quarter” after the famous locale in Louisiana.
Festival sponsor and local restaurant Angry Crab Shack held a huge booth there, offering delicious bowls of boiled shrimp, mussels and crawfish among other choices. Daring were those that wanted their food at the spiciest, with the lady at the counter double and triple checking their choice with a hilarious reaction.
Thankfully, Scottsdale ice cream parlor The Treatery had smartly placed its booth next door to the Angry Crab’s, with amazing scoops of ice cream in a waffle cone or even an ice cream sandwich.
From there, Phoenix’s Honey Bear BBQ and JJ’s Louisiana BBQ from Peoria smoked anything from chicken to brisket for festival goers.
Focused on Cajun classics such as po’boy sandwiches and fried catfish, the Sandra Dee’s catering booth was so popular that its stock ran out before the show ended. To round off the "French Quarter," Ragin’ Cajun’s booth supplied the frog legs and barbecued alligator.
Those looking for something to wash down all that food had only a few options. Louisiana brewer Abita ran the event as the main sponsor, but it wasn’t clear if that kept any other beer companies out. Southern Comfort was also present in a big way, offering hurricane drinks in neat Louisiana-esque goblins.
However, Abita brought a massive beer truck with them, complete with offerings from fruity tastes to Indian Pale Ales. Its Purple Haze tasted great, with hints of blueberries rounding out the flavor.
Only three musical acts carried the show, but that was more than enough for folks that wanted to listen and dance the afternoon away. Opening the festival was Phoenix’s own Bad Cactus Brass Band, whose set was steeped in New Orleans jazz flavor.
Afterwards, South Carolina native Zach Deputy’s unique set of looping instrumentals kept folks of all ages entertained.
Closing out the show was the ever-popular Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, whose powerful set showcased the band’s playful swagger and style, bringing a big crowd to the performance that showed a love for the group and swing jazz as a whole.
The Southwest Cajun Festival carried itself like one big picnic. With kids and dogs running about, older folks dancing and people relaxing with friends to a bite and a beer, it was the best place to spend a Saturday if you had a long week. The smiles and cheerful festival goers made the place feel nothing short of welcoming.
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