2020 VOICE OF THE WETLANDS FESTIVAL – CANCELLED!

Voice of the Wetlands Cancelling Festival 2020


The 2020 Voice of the Wetlands (VOW) Festival, scheduled for October in Houma, LA, has been cancelled. The continuing uncertainties surrounding the pandemic and the potential risks involved with holding the festival contributed to the cancellation, according to Tab Benoit, VOW founder and president. 2020 would have marked the 17th year of the festival, first held in 2004.

“Our fans have been supporting us for all of these years, and we have a true VOW family; many come to volunteer from across the country every year, and along with the dedicated cooks and local fans and volunteers, we owe it to everyone to make their safety our first priority” said Benoit in making the decision to not hold the festival this year.

Voice of the Wetlands is a 501-c-3 organization, founded by Houma musician Tab Benoit and other local activists in 2004 to bring awareness to the environmental challenges facing coastal Louisiana. Their award-winning annual festival celebrates the unique cultural diversity of the region through music, food, a celebrated art market, and informative displays. Performers such as Dr. John, Elvin Bishop, Joe Bonamassa and Jimmy Hall have appeared, along with regional favorites Louisiana LeRoux, Zebra, Chubby Carrier, the Radiators and many others over the years.

Become a Festival Volunteer! Your expenses may be tax deductible.



Buy 2019 Poster – Click link below!

Quick Links: Festival FAQ’s / Music Schedule / Volunteer Application / Vendor/Exhibitor Application / VOW Camping

We are looking forward to OCTOBER 11-12-13 for the 2019 16th Annual Voice of the Wetlands Festival. It is a FREE festival located on the beautiful Ponderosa in Houma Louisiana on October 11/12/13. Lock in the address and get ready for a fun & musical filled weekend at 5407 West Park Ave in Houma, Louisiana. For more information or to join our team of volunteers visit www.voiceofthewetlands.org

Along with Live Music the festival also features Authentic Cajun Cuisine, Art Market, Kids Area, Late Night Jams, and RV and Tent Camping. The festival is attended by music fans from throughout the world. Join us for a day or spend the weekend under the stars. If camping is not your thing Houma has Uber and many hotels. Take advantage of flights over the Wetlands and Swamp Tours while in the area. We look forward to seeing you!

We would like to welcome you all to the 2019 16th Annual Voice of the Wetlands Festival in Houma, LA. This year we are excited to bring you the best in Cajun Cuisine, Louisiana Crafts, Music, Art, and Good Times all wrapped in our special atmosphere. Join us on the Ponderosa in the wetlands of Terrebonne Parish at 5403 West Park, Houma, Louisiana 70364.

STAY AND CAMP – Sign up for our camping and safely stay all night and enjoy the late night jam sessions that have become the talk of the area. Sign up to camp here!

After the main stage closes we kick off the ultimate jam session at our Wetlands Rambles that run late through the night into the morning . It is perfect for the campers. Come Join us on October 11, 12, and 13th for the 16th Annual 2019 Voice of the Wetlands Festival and bring the kids to our small petting zoo and kids area. Make the 2019 Voice of the Wetlands part of your October 11-13 family weekend. Come fall in love with the Wetlands and you too will see how special they are.

It all starts Friday October 11, 2019.

2019 Festival Line Up

Friday October 11

6:15pm- 7:00pm ~ Frank Ball

7:30pm – 8:30pm ~ Josh Garrett

9:00pm – 9:45pm ~ Jeff McCarty Band

10:00pm – 11:30pm ~ Friday Night Guitar Flights
w/ Jonathon Long, Tab Benoit, Eric Johanson, Eric McFadden, Chris Leblanc

Saturday, October 12

1:00pm – 2:00pm ~ Sister Slick

2:30pm – 3:30pm ~ Ben Labatt

4:00pm – 5:15pm ~ Jonathon Long

5:45pm – 7:00pm ~ Charlie Wooton Project

7:30pm – 8:45pm ~ Eric McFadden featuring Doug Wimbish and Terence Higgins

9:15pm – 10:30pm ~ Tab Benoit

Sunday October 13

1:00pm – 2:00pm ~ Baton Rouge Music Studios

2:30pm – 3:30pm ~ Waylon Thibodeaux

4:00pm – 5:15pm ~ Johnny Sansone

5:45pm – 7:00pm ~ Chubby Carrier

7:30pm – 9:30pm ~ Mike Zito with BB King Horns w/ special guest Annika Chambers

 

Music has always been the centerpiece of the VOW Festival showcasing acts that come from many genres; blues, jazz, rock, country and cajun. Again there will be two stages set that will allow music to be heard continuously.

Food – For fifteen years our chef team has been made up of great cooks who volunteer their time and their stories adding a little friendliness to the dish. You can expect some of the areas best cuisine that South Louisiana is famous for. Our food is made from some of the great natural resources of our area.

Camping – Stay the night and enjoy the moon, the stars and some late night jam sessions. Some say late night is when the magic happens. Musicians get together who you may never have pictured together creating and inventing music as the night goes on. Save the trouble of a late night drive and visit www.voiceofthewetlands.org to sign up for tent or RV space.

Crafts Market – We go through a long list and choose some of the best Artist and people from our area which include painters, carvers, builders, creators, and inventors. Talent runs wild throughout the wetlands.

Poster Artist – We would like to welcome Steve Johanssen , the great concert poster Artist who has worked with the Grateful Dead, Phish, Government Mule, The Allman Brothers, and our own Tab Benoit. Steve has delivered exceptional art that will become historical in telling the Voice of the Wetlands story. Pick up last year’s copy and start your collection today.

Kids Area – We’ve always felt that this is a fun family event. We’ve had family reunions in the past and some make the journey from out of state to have birthdays or celebrate anniversaries, or meet up with longtime friends. Let the music be the background to the kid’s fun as they jump in the jump houses, spend time in the petting zoo, or just play a friendly game of tag with the other kids. The vibe is always nice and having families comfortable while they are here has been our goal.

Volunteer Today!! We need you. Spend a little time as a volunteer and help us keep this great event going and FREE. Become a Volunteer by visiting www.voiceofthewetlands.org and sign up to join one of our fun teams.

A Note From Our President
“I live in the heart of it,” he said. “I grew up on 300 acres. We have 40 left. That’s a big deal. You tell anybody who has 300 acres of land in 20 years you’re going to have 40. It’s not that somebody took the land. It’s not land anymore. It’s open water. The places I wrote my first songs are gone. The places I learned to play and camp and hunt and fish are gone. It’s open water now. It used to be cypress swamps and bayous and trees. That hits home when it happens so fast.” Tab Benoit

The Voice of the Wetlands Organization is a non-profit group that was founded in 2004 by local musicians and businessmen in a time where little was heard about coastal erosion. Their continuous efforts paid off for news of South Louisiana’s wetlands gradually gained an international voice. They have raised awareness prior to Hurricane Katrina and Rita through national and international press, radio, TV interviews as well as documentaries including the Imax/Universal movie “Hurricane on the Bayou. The Voice of the Wetlands has used culture and music to bring the message to the world that that South Louisiana’s Wetlands are worth saving.”

Please stay tune to more information about the festival by visiting them on their website at www.voiceofthewetlands.org and social media platforms: Facebook – Voice Of The Wetlands  and Twitter – @VOWetlands

For publicity needs: please contact Rueben Williams PR – Tel: 985-688-5258 / Email: thunderbird@viscom.net


Although VOW has received far reaching recognition through its coastal awareness efforts for nearly a decade, it has been the annual Voice of the Wetlands Festival that has drawn both attention to the cause as well as thousands of music and food lovers to the bayou.

The VOW Festival draws heavily on the traditions of our bayou community fairs – weekend long celebrations with a perfect mix of music, food, dance and drink all within a festival atmosphere. Literally, a festival with dual purpose – providing an extraordinarily pleasant social ambiance while serving as the conscience of a struggle by America to save the history, culture and geography of a unique American place.

The first festival, though held under a tent due to the remains of Tropical Storm Matthew, literally set the stage for the years to come. Great music, exquisite local food, educational and environmental displays as well as enlightening presentations created an event unique and special from the start.

Each year, the festival has showcased dozens upon dozens of world class musical artists . Kicking off the weekend on a serious musical note is the traditional “Friday Night Guitar Fights” with performances from the likes of Joe Bonamassa, Tab Benoit, Sonny Landredth, Paul Barrere, Camille Baudoin, Mike Zito and Joe Stark. Continuing through the weekend, we have listened to the extraordinary sounds of Dr. John, Beausoliel, The Radiators, Susan Cowsill, The Producers, Zebra, Amanda Shaw, Chubby Carrier and especially Louisiana LaRoux, whose appearances at the Festival have become a true South Louisiana must see tradition. Completinh the perfect weekend, a performance by the acclaimed Voice of the Wetlands All Stars, recognized by rave reviews and sold out performances across the nation as a truly talented cultural and blues musical ensemble.

The festival’s cajun food fare teases the visitor’s palate with traditional cajun dishes like jambalayas and sauce piquantes while still offering a selection of classic American fair food.

Exhibitors educate and share their knowledge of all aspects related to coastal land loss as well as plans and strategies for sustainability. The Annual Voice of the Wetlands Festival – a balance between cultural celebration and real-world environmental awareness for a disappearing ecosystem, Coastal Louisiana.


Voice of the Wetlands Cajun Food Experience
(Subject to Additions)

Shrimp Etouffe’
Alligator Sauce PiquanteChicken 
Cajun Sausage Jambalaya
Southern Louisiana Gumbo
Southern Fried Seafood
All American Hamburgers/Hotdogs
Chili Cheese Fritos
French Fries
Homemade Desserts
Assorted Alcohol and Non-Alcohol Beverages
 

 


THE RED DOG SALOON!


Friday, October 11


7:00pm – 8:00pm ~ Joe Haydel

8:30pm – 9:30pm ~ Southern Troubadour w/ Eric McFadden, Jonathon Long, Johnny Sansone

10:00pm – 11:00pm ~ Nonc Nu

11:30pm – 12:30am ~ Dave Jordan and NIA

12:30am – till ~ The Wetlands Ramble Jam Session

 

Saturday, October 12

1:30pm – 2:45pm ~ Jenna Guidry

3:15pm – 4:30pm ~ Calling Home

5:00pm – 6:15pm ~ Chris Leblanc Band

6:45pm – 8:00pm ~ Eric Johanson

8:30pm – 9:15pm ~ Michael Doussan

9:45pm – 10:45pm ~ Nonc Nu & the Wild Matous

11:00pm – ? ~ The Wetlands Ramble Jam Session

 

Sunday, October 13

2pm – 3:15pm ~ Johnny Stassi and the Wild Hares

3:45pm – 5:00pm ~ Keith Stone

5:30pm – 6:45pm ~ Danny Alexander Band

7:15pm -8:30pm ~ Josh Garrett & Jonathon Long

9:00pm – 10:15pm ~ Nonc Nu & the Wild Matous

10:30pm ~ Wetlands Ramble Jam Session


Buy 2018 Poster – Click link below!
Buy 2017 Poster – Click link below!

Vendor/Exhibitor Form


Area Attractions

  

Houma Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
 

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