Saturday, November 6, 2010

Giant Omelette Festival - Saturday, November 6


My previous post described my drive from New Orleans to Abbeville LA on Friday afternoon and evening, November 5 (yesterday), for the Giant Omelette Festival. This post will recount what I did on Saturday, November 6 (today). The main day of the festival is actually Sunday, November 7 (tomorrow), when the Giant Omelette will be cooked and served.

This morning I got up early and drove to Breaux Bridge LA for the Zydeco Breakfast at Cafe des Amis, which occurs every Saturday morning. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., and that's right when I arrived. There was, of course, a line of people, but I did get seated in a great spot. I was at a table right by the dance floor but with my back against the wall. Since the Zydeco Breakfast draws quite a crowd, if you come singly or as a party of two, you share your table with others. I sat at a table with Barb and Rich, who are a registered nurse (Barb) and a marriage and family therapist (Rich) from Texas, as well as Sue from Lafayette. We were a nice mix of people and enjoyed each other's company.

Today's musicians were Leroy Thomas and group. The music was wild, and the dancing was wild! There is dance floor (I was seated right next to it), but if the dance floor gets crowded, people just dance between the tables. There are some very enthusiastic dancers! Honestly, the floor pounds, the tables shake, and the cafe au lait in the coffee cups makes waves. It's very energizing!

Now, here's an example of one of the songs. These are the first three lines:

I can't rooster like I used to. (Pronounced "I can't roosta like I usta.")
So I need a booster. (Pronounced "So I need a boosta.")
The girl gave me Viagra.
Abracadabra!

Believe it or not, I actually danced! Rich and Barb at my table asked me if I'd like to dance, in which case I could dance with Rich. So I said I wasn't much of a dancer but I'd give it a go. Rich was very nice and did just one simple repeated step, which I could follow, though a bit stiffly. It was fun to be part of that dancing crowd!

After the Zydeco Breakfast at Cafe des Amis, I drove back to Abbeville and the Giant Omelette Festival. Several blocks in downtown Abbeville are devoted to the festival. There, booths are set up with food and with many arts and craft. There is also a music stage. I hung out downtown for the early part of the afternoon.

At 1:30 p.m., we had two egg-citing events. (No kidding - in the program for the festival, these are listed as "egg-citing events.") First, you could compete to back a tractor into an egg held in a vise at just the right height, the goal being to crack (not squash) the egg with this projection on the back of the tractor. Most people squashed the egg, but a few succeeded in cracking it. Second, you could participate in an egg toss, but it was with hard-boiled (not raw) eggs.

I ended the day with a delicious supper at Riverfront Restaurant, where you sit overlooking Bayou Vermilion. (Abbeville is in Vermilion Parish.) I had an eggplant dish.

My next post will be about the events of Sunday, November 7 (tomorrow). These will include the Blessing of the Eggs at Mass, the Procession of Eggs and Chefs, and the cooking and serving of the Giant Omelette!

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