Des Allemands Salutes the Catfish

by Terry Trahan, Jr.

St. Gertrude Catholic Church leaves little doubt about the menu’s catch of the day this weekend at the Louisiana Catfish Festival in Des Allemands.

Kurt Dempster, chairman of the festival’s board, says the small town along U.S. Highway 90 will cook between 3,000 to 5,000 pounds of catfish starting Friday.

St. Gertrude has been hosting the festival for the past 35 years on its grounds, 17292 La. Highway 631, to celebrate the local fishing industry and support the church.

The festival began in 1975 when the Rev. William McCallion sought to raise funds to purchase a new roof for the church, says Candy Ford, an administrative assistant for the church.

That year, Gov. Edwin Edwards had declared Des Allemands the Catfish Capital of the World. In 1980, the Louisiana Legislature expanded the title. It named the town Catfish Capital of the Universe.

The catfish remains king there, but like many communities near Louisiana’s Gulf coast, Kurt fears that Des Allemands’ fishing industry may fall victim to the recent oil spill in the months ahead. For now, he and other festival organizers refuse to allow the lingering threat to put a damper on this year’s event.

“Our catfish is caught in our local bayous,” Kurt says. “All our seafood was secured prior to the oil spill.”

The catfish is safe to eat, and local families plan to cook up a feast with catfish platters, po’boys, boulettes, sauce piquantes and seafood gumbo. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be Plan B for those not craving seafood.

“One of the unique things is that all the food is home-cooked on the grounds,” Kurt says.

In addition to mouth-watering food, the 10,000 to 15,000 expected festival-goers can enjoy local traditions, including music and contests.

The Topcats will bring the spirit of the Big Easy to the bayous of Des Allemands on Friday night before swamp-pop acts take the stage for the remainder of the weekend.

On Saturday, Don Rich, the Ken Marvel Band, Charles Mann, Vin Bruce and Treater plan to put crowds in the festival mood. Tout Les Soir, Aaron Foret and the Swamp Pop Band and Seabrook will close the 3-day festival on Sunday.

For those wanting to work off a few calories, a 1-mile fun run and the St. Charles Parish Championship 5K Race will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday. Participants can refuel after the races. A catfish-eating contest and pageant queen introductions begin at 2 p.m.

Craft, plant and snowball booths will also be open, while catfish-skinning exhibitions provide an up-close look at the festival’s namesake.

In addition, adults and children can enjoy rides throughout the festival. A 1-day bracelet costs $20 each for Friday or Saturday, and $15 for Sunday. A weekend bracelet costs $55.

For the past 34 years, Landry Dempster has provided a woodcarving to be raffled off at the festival. This year’s carving depicts the Vince Lombardi Trophy and is signed by 25 Saints players, including Drew Brees, Garrett Hartley, Jeremy Shockey and Reggie Bush. Tickets are $1 each and can be purchased at the festival. A quilt will also be raffled in a separate drawing.

No festival is complete without good music and fun, but catfish remains king at the 3-day event. And the small town of Des Allemands promises to have plenty of it.

“That’s what we enjoy down here,” Candy says.