A good time was had by all attending the Simi Valley Cajun Music Festival. I blogged about this the other day that this was coming to Simi Valley, Ca.on Memorial Weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Parking is usually a nightmare but it was very organized thanks to the Simi Valley Rotary Club. We met about a mile away at the Simi Valley High School. Parked in their parking lot and we were bussed to the Rancho Simi Park where the Cajun Festival was being held.
Once we entered in to the grounds there were many kiosks of local, as well as outside vendors set up under the typical tents. There were jewelry vendors, banks, our local paper (VC Star), some crafts, some salsa tasting tables, some wine tasting but the biggest and the most duplicated vendor was the sunglasses (2 for $5) and hats. This year there seemed to be more fedora's and cowboy style hats than ever before.
In the background we could hear what we came for. Blues, Zydeco and a mixture of the Cajun style music that had us movin and shakin to the romp. Many patrons danced on the large floor in front of the main stage.
Then after a little entertainment we stepped over to the food vendors. I was not going to have a hot dog or a hamburger of any sort. There was a selection of Jambalaya, Gumbo, Gator, Crayfish, roasted corn on the cob and sweet potato curly fries. Many more items to choose from but too many to list. For dessert, and the longest line, was the famous funnel cake. Topped off with either powdered sugar, chocolate, strawberries and whipped cream, ice cream or bananas. Or you can have the works all of it combined.
Outside of the areas mentioned was an area designated for the kids. Many slides, bouncers, rock climbing walls and gyroscopes. There was also a large area set up for crafts for the kids.
Back to the music area there was one stage on the West side of the grounds specifically for Blues. There was one name that came forward to me, Elvin Bishop. The other main stage is where the Cajun music was. In this group the one name that comes forward, although there were some fabulous entertainers, was Buckwheat. He was a 2010 Grammy award winner for the best Cajun and Zydeco music. To follow is a collage I put together of that group. They were amazing.
Toward the end of the day, the Simi Valley High School band paraded their traditional Cajun Festival dance where patrons danced behind and did a parade through the grounds as well.
Also, included in my pictures is the famous Budweiser Clydesdale group of horse and carriage. With the horse and carriage was Blake, the Dalmatian mascot.
So we had a great time at the Simi Valley Cajun Festival and expect to make a plan to go next year. I would encourage you to set aside a day to go.
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