Cajun Hot Sauce Festival set for April 13-15

Monday, March 26, 2007 1:32 PM CDT
By Steve Bandy The Daily Iberian

National recording artists Billy Currington and Percy Sledge will headline two nights of concerts for the seventh annual Cajun Hot Sauce Festival April 13 -15 at SugArena.

In addition, a Cajun food court, arts and crafts, a street fair, helicopter rides and various children’s events will be featured during the three-day festival.

In 2004, Currington memorably swung from a chandelier in the music video for his duet with Shania Twain, “Party For Two.” He parlayed his exposure into a successful second album, Doin’ Somethin’ Right, in 2005. The first single, “Must Be Doin’ Somethin’ Right,” reached No. 1 on country radio at the end of 2005. Sledge is a perennial entertainer perhaps best know for his signature “When a Man Loves a Woman.” He will be accompanied by The Blue Eyed Soul Revue for his 10 p.m. performance April 14. Currington will perform at 9 p.m. April 13, opening day for the 2007 festival.

Gates at the SugArena will open at 5 p.m. and Jaryd Lane will take the stage at 7 p.m. for the opening act in a long list of musical acts on tap for the weekend. Following Currington’s performance, Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin’ Cajuns will entertain until the festival closes for the night.

On Saturday, gates open at 11 a.m., with Highway 329 providing music beginning at noon. After that it’s Terry Broussard and the Zydeco Sidesteppers, Cracker Jackson, Cajun Nation, T.K. Hulin and G.G. Shin. The Blue Eyed Soul Revue takes the stage at 9:30 p.m. with Sledge due to perform at 10. The Revue will provide music until closing that night.

Concert tickets are $20 for the Friday and Saturday events. Sunday entertainment is free, beginning with Junior Flores at 10 a.m. when the gates open for the final day. Geno Delafose, SpitKup, the Tabasco Girls and Rosie Ledet round out the musical lineup for the festival.

This year’s event also will feature the first Jambalaya Cookoff, sponsored by Tabasco. The cookoff will be Sunday, and everyone attending will be encouraged to vote for the “People’s Choice” award.

The festival is the SugArena’s marquee event, providing about one-fifth of the annual budget for the arena.