Cajun Country meets NYC: Burlesque, alligator appetizers + music at Louisiana Tourism event

This week I attended the Cajun Country media event at Bourbon Street Bar in midtown Manhattan.  It was sponsored by the State of Louisiana and the Acadiana Tourism Coalition.

I enjoyed live music (by Grammy-winning artists), sipped Pinot Grigio and chatted with a dozen burlesque performers and tourism reps.  I learned a great deal about Cajun culture and the thriving arts scene in Lafayette, LA.

Performers with the "Les Marionettes" troupe performed musical selections from their show "Dream of the Marionettes", which is part of the FringeNYC festival.

>> Check out my article on Examiner.com for details: "Louisiana promotes Cajun Country tourism at Manhattan's Bourbon Street Bar"

@LeslieTravel posing with two of the friendly performers from the "Les Marionettes" theater company.

In retrospect, I dressed a bit too conservatively for the occasion! I was told the dancers' stunning costumes were handmade by a Lafayette, LA local.

The live band got the crowd on its feet!

The music was a fusion of Cajun and other styles.  The musicians were all multi-taskers: the guitarist co-wrote the "Dream of the Marionettes" show, and the bassist doubled as an accordion player.

>> Click here to view the full article, which includes a slideshow and video of "Les Marionettes"