What the Port Barre Cracklin Festival Is
The Port Barre Cracklin Festival is a festival dedicated entirely to cracklins, the fried pork rinds of south Louisiana. It combines a cracklin cookoff with a full weekend of live music, carnival rides and games, and a parade. The 2026 festival is the 40th annual, and its parade closes out the fall festival season in St. Landry Parish. The Port Barre Lions Club is the organizer to follow for news.
2026 Dates and Location
The 2026 festival runs November 12 to 15 at Veterans Memorial Park, 129 Park Street, Port Barre. Music is scheduled Friday through Sunday.
Friday, November 13
- 5:30 to 7 p.m.: Junior Lacrosse
- 7:30 to 9 p.m.: Clifton Brown and The Rusty Bucket Band
- 9:30 to 11 p.m.: Three Thirty Seven
Saturday, November 14
- 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Leroy Thomas and The Zydeco Roadrunners
- 2 to 4 p.m.: C.J. Vedell and The Zydeco Grapplers
- 5 to 7 p.m.: Dustin Sonnier and The Wanted
- 7:30 to 9 p.m.: Wayne Toups and Zydecajun (headliner)
- 9:30 to 11:30 p.m.: Adam Leger
Sunday, November 15
- 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: 4 Horses
- 1 to 3 p.m.: Jamie Bergeron and The Kickin' Cajuns
- 4 to 6 p.m.: Keith Frank and The Soileau Zydeco Band (closer)
The Cracklin Cookoff
The cookoff is the highlight of the festival. In recent years it has run three divisions: Amateur Pork, Professional Pork, and Chicken Cracklin, which was added at the 37th festival. Judges score samples on crispness, seasoning and meat content. Trophies have also gone to a best booth, a best dressed team and a sportsmanship winner. To compete, ask the Port Barre Lions Club about entry details.
Parade, Pageant and Awards Day
At the 2022 festival, the parade rolled down Saizan Street at 10 a.m. Saturday. Sunday afternoon was awards time: cookoff results, a sportsman's prize pool drawing, and the crowning of Miss, Teen and Ms. Cracklin. Check cracklinfest.com for the 2026 times.
What Past Visitors Paid
Admission at the 2022 festival was $5 per person per day Friday through Sunday, with children 10 and under free. That year a free Family Night opened the festival on Thursday with carnival rides sold by wristband. Parking was free on VFW Street directly behind the park. Ice chests, glass containers and pets were not allowed. Confirm 2026 prices and rules on the festival website before you go.
Where
Veterans Memorial Park, 129 Park Street, Port Barre, Louisiana.
Questions
When is the headliner?
Wayne Toups and Zydecajun play Saturday, November 14, from 7:30 to 9 p.m.
Who closes the festival?
Keith Frank and The Soileau Zydeco Band play Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Is there a chicken division in the cookoff?
Yes. A Chicken Cracklin division was added at the 37th festival, alongside the Amateur Pork and Professional Pork divisions.
Where can I get more information?
At cracklinfest.com or on the Port Barre Lions Club Facebook page.
Official Links
- Port Barre Cracklin Festival 2026 lineup: dates, address and music schedule
- South Louisiana fall festivals 2026: festival overview
- 37th annual festival with new division: cookoff divisions and judging
- 36th annual festival, know before you go: 2022 admission, parking and parade
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- St. Landry Parish 4-H and FFA Livestock Show
Parish-level 4-H and FFA livestock show held at the Ag Arena in Opelousas. Held each year; the most recent dates were January 16-17, 2026.
- St. Landry Parish 4-H/FFA Livestock Show
Youth exhibit beef, dairy, sheep, goats, swine, poultry and rabbits at the parish show, the qualifier for the Acadiana District show; the most recent dates were January 16-17, 2026 at the Ag Arena in Opelousas.
Opelousas, LA | 337-948-0561 | Organizer: LSU AgCenter St. Landry Parish 4-H Official event details - Here's the Beef Cook-Off
Beef cook-off hosted by the parish cattlemen at the Yambilee Building in Opelousas; the most recent edition took place March 7, 2026.
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Four-day parish fair at the Allen Parish Fairgrounds on Tiger Lane in Oberlin, with general and agricultural exhibits. Held each year; the 2025 fair ran Nov. 12-15 and the 2026 fair is set for Nov. 11-14.
Tiger Lane, Oberlin, LA 70655 Official event details
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.