Editing Opelousas, Louisiana (section)

==Festivals==
The annual [[Yambilee Festival]] in Opelousas began in 1946.  The harvest festival took place on the last weekend in October. Activities included agricultural competitions, carnival rides, pageants, and parades with floats.  [[John F. Kennedy]] once attended. The festival has since been cancelled.<ref>[http://www.dailyworld.com/story/news/local/2015/04/19/organizers-hope-sprout-new-yambilee-festival/26035831/ "Organizers hope to sprout new Yambilee Festival"], ''Daily World'', 19 April 2015</ref>

Since 1982, Opelousas has hosted the Original Southwest Louisiana [[Zydeco]] Festival.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.zydeco.org|title=zydeco.org|publisher=zydeco.org|date=2013-08-31|access-date=2013-09-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012093406/http://www.zydeco.org/|archive-date=2013-10-12|url-status=live}}</ref> Usually held the Saturday before Labor Day at Zydeco Park in [[Plaisance, Louisiana|Plaisance]], the festival features a day of performances by Zydeco musicians, with the goal of keeping the genre alive.<ref name="festivals">{{cite web|title=Opelousas Festivals|publisher=City of Opelousas|url=http://www.cityofopelousas.com/TOURISM_festival.htm|access-date=2007-03-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705093201/http://www.cityofopelousas.com/TOURISM_festival.htm|archive-date=2007-07-05}}</ref>[[File:Lighting Of the Old Village Performers.jpg|thumb]]Additional annual events include:
* Annual Gumbo Cook-off – January
* Holy Ghost Festival<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.holyghostcreolefestival.com|title=holyghostcreolefestival.com|publisher=holyghostcreolefestival.com|access-date=2013-09-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602115121/http://holyghostcreolefestival.com/|archive-date=2013-06-02|url-status=live}}</ref> – first weekend of November, near [[All Saints Day]] (Nov. 1)
* Christmas Lighting of Le Vieux Village- first Friday every December
* Opelousas Imperial Mardi Gras Parade- [[Mardi Gras]] (Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in French Catholic tradition)
* Opelousas Mardi Gras Celebration/Street Dance on Court St.- Mardi Gras