Themany people who have enjoyed Cajun cuisine and boogying to Zydeco music over Labor Day weekend for the last 17 years will be disappointed to hear that the Bayou Boogie will not be held in 2010. The Grand Portage Lodge & Casino announced this month that the Bayou Boogie has been cancelled.
The Bayou Boogie was introduced to the North Shore in 1992 and the event brought Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco music; authentic Cajun food such gumbo, voodoo shrimp, and blackened chicken; games and stories for kids; and fun for the whole family. For years, Bayou Boogie brought an entertaining mix of cultures— north and south, Native American and Cajun.
Grand Portage Enterprise Administrator Steven StandingCloud said the decision was not an easy one. “After 18 years of letting the good times roll every Labor Day weekend, the Bayou Boogie has come to an end,” he said, stating that the reason for the cancellation was the economy and declining spectator levels.
Letters have been sent to the people who have reserved rooms for the event, said StandingCloud. Visitors may cancel their stay and ask for a refund.
“We would like to thank everyone who has made this event a success,” said StandingCloud.
Nancy Ting, promoter of the Bayou Barn in Crown Point, Louisiana, who with her husband, Tony, and a number of family members brought a taste of New Orleans up Highway 61 to Grand Portage each year, said she has enjoyed the years of Mardi Gras merriment in the big tent on Lake Superior.
“Our experience with the Bayou Boogie has been incredible,” said Ting, recalling that the North Shore community came together to support New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. “I still remember the funds that were donated to hurricane relief for our community. It is something that we will never forget,” she said.
Just as the folks on the North Shore will never forget the festivities led by “King Louie”—Louie Ting with his colorful Mardi Gras garb and umbrellas and all the other fun activities.
Ting continued, “In getting to share our Cajun culture with the people of Grand Portage and all of the Lodge & Casino customers, we have made friendships that will last a lifetime.”
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