Christmas Party in the Bayou

Southern Living, Dec 2003 by Parker, Melanie

Come to Louisiana's annual Festival of the Bonfires, and share in the season's glow.

When gumbo calls, the band warms up, and sparks fly high above the Mississippi River, you know St. James Parish's annual Festival of the Bonfires in Lutcher, Louisiana, is under way.

Share the Tradition

According to local legend, elaborate fires along the Mississippi once served as beacons to guide Papa Noel's visits by pirogue (or Cajun canoe) and to light the way for the faithful to attend Midnight Mass. Now the festival is an excuse to have a good time in this small town west of New Orleans. The first bonfire is torched at 7 p.m. on the second Friday of December. The threeday event is a warm-up for the main celebration on Christmas Eve, when the levee is ablaze with up to 120 fires and when houses along the River Road are open to hundreds of visitors. For those who prefer to stay at home "hanging the stockings with care" on the 24th, this earlier festival offers a taste of the bigger celebration, with gumbo, Cajun music, and local crafts.

Explore the River Road

The festival heats up about 5:30 in the evening, but arrive early on Friday to have plenty of time for other sights in the area. Stop by the St. James Parish Welcome Center, housed in an 183Os French Creole cottage built with Mississippi mud bricks. Here you'll find information and souvenirs such as tepee-shaped bonfire ornaments for $5 or an original plantation desk for, well, a lot more.

Lunch is just down the road at Nobile's Restaurant & Bar, a favorite among locals. Built in 1895, the simple exterior gives way to a welcoming atmosphere and monumental Victorian mahogany bar. Winky Nobile's crab-corn bisque is big on flavor and low on cream. You'll also enjoy her pan-griddled catfish; spicy creamed spinach; and marvelous baba, a dessert with antebellum origins.

By the Flicker of Candlelight

Long afternoon shadows beckon you to holiday candlelight tours at nearby historic River Road plantations. Laura: A Creole Plantation is a house that reflects Caribbean architecture. Tours here provide a glimpse into the French Creole way of life. Check out the gift shop's regional cookbooks and crafts.

just a few miles down River Road stands Oak Alley Plantation, renowned for its magnificent allée of 28 live oaks. Adorned splendidly for the holiday season with fresh fruits, winter berries, garlands, and magnolia leaves, and full of magnificent period antiques, this is surely one of the most glamorous houses in the South.

Pots of Gumbo

Now head back to the Festival of the Bonfires. Follow the sound of good vibes into the upbeat atmosphere of the gumbo cookoff tent, its floor strewn with straw and picnic tables. For $6 you can try four gumbos; a smile will get you samples of many more.

"The secret is in the roux," says cookoff veteran Larry Waguespack. Defending the grand championship title, his team's other secret is-shh!Campbell's Cream of Celery soup.

Ingredients aside, the hand of the creator is key in both the gumbo and the bonfire-building traditions that are passed down here from generation to generation. MELANIEPARKER

Festival of the Bonfires: Contact St. James Parish Welcome Center at (225) 869-1717,1-800-367-7852, or www.st jamesla.com. Dates: December 12-14.