AcadianaCasts Presents:
AcadianaCasts Presents:
Preserving Tradition Through Music and Community with Paques In The Parc
In this special episode of AcadianaCasts Presents, we’re shining a spotlight on Paques In The Parc, an event that blends tradition, music, and community to celebrate Acadiana’s rich heritage. Organizers Dexter Ruffin and Keith Sonnier take us inside the festival’s heart and soul, where the age-old egg-cracking game of “paques” meets the infectious energy of Zydeco music at Vermilionville.
With performances from Horace Trahan, Gino DeLaFose, and Chubby Carrier, the festival honors the past while embracing the future. But Paques In The Parc is more than just music—it’s about family, connection, and keeping cultural traditions alive for generations to come. Tune in to hear how this event brings the community together in a way that’s uniquely Acadiana.
AcadianaCasts Presents: Paques In The Parc!
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Thank you to our sponsor, Paques In The Parc! Visit their website to get your tickets today!
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"AcadianaCasts Presents" is the Flagship Podcast of the ACADIANACASTS NETWORK. Lafayette, LA based host, Carter Simoneaux talks with entertainers, business owners, athletes, chefs, and more - anyone who can help tell the story of Acadiana.
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If you want to watch this episode on YouTube, check out our channel!
Walking in there's a vibe that's set right and then when you get to the barn doors and the doors are open and you hear the sound of Zydeco music coming out, that old, rustic Zydeco sound, and kids running around laughing and playing and adults dancing and socializing. That's kind of like looking into a glow ball, right Into the way it was in the past glad to have you.
Speaker 2:I'm carter simono, host of acadiana cast presents. You can follow us on TikTok, instagram, at Acadiana underscore cast on Instagram. I believe You'll search it. You'll find it if you search it Acadiana Casts. We're making great content coming your way and I'm excited to do this episode.
Speaker 2:This episode is going to be a little different, though, because it was originally recorded for another project and then it just made sense to make it an Acadiana Cast Presents episode. We're promoting Pake in the Park on April 19th at Vermillionville a great celebration, family-friendly event that's playing the game Pake that we're going to talk a little bit about, because I didn't know how this game worked. Being from Covington, louisiana, we never played Pake we're more of an egg toss family but also the musicality that's going to be at this event some of the staples in Zydeco and Louisiana music and we're going to talk all about that with some of the organizers of the festival. But to kind of make it make sense, I'm doing this little intro just to kind of preface. There's going to be some things that sound like it's coming from a different platform Love of People, which is what we originally recorded for, but instead, once again, acadiana Cast Presents. But we're going to be talking with our friend John Williams from Love of People, the executive director of that nonprofit.
Speaker 2:There are big supporters of Acadiana Casts and us them as well and we're just going to talk about how this all kind of came together, the connectivity. So we'll hear from the organizers of Pocket in the Park and, of course, john Williams' Love of People. So we'll hear from the organizers of Pake in the Park and, of course, john Williams' love of people. So bear with us, it's kind of a little jumpy all over the place but it's great conversation, great events they're going to learn all about. And let's get to it right now Our first conversation with Dexter Ruffin. So I'm happy to have Dexter Ruffin here with us today talking about Pake in the Park on April 19th.
Speaker 1:April 19th.
Speaker 2:Saturday April 19th. Saturday April 19th at Vermillionville. Now Dexter, real quick, let's just get right into it. What is Pake in the Park?
Speaker 1:Well, Pake in the Park is a brainchild of a couple of friends of mine that I grew up with in Lafayette, Louisiana, Keith Sanye and Corey Glaude. Basically, those guys got together to do something in the community to bring awareness to our culture and also try to implant or give back to the community in the way of sharing that culture with the kids so they can carry on traditions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so a part of that and we're going to get into the musical side of the culture, but also a big cultural thing which I wasn't aware of growing up in Covington, louisiana, is this Pakeh event, which explain what Pakeh is to those, I guess everyone in Acadia probably already knows what it is, but help me, or either know what it is or have done it and never realized it was called Pakeh, right?
Speaker 1:So there's a lot of French and Spanish stuff that we've lost through time, but paque is basically um balling an egg and having a egg breaking contest. So I would, I would have an egg and and my friend may have an egg, and we'd hit it. There we go, let's, let's do a little example these are fake, oh these are fake eggs. But, but especially boys, we challenge each other right, so we'd hit it, and whoever cracks the egg first if I crack your egg, I win. If you crack my egg, you win.
Speaker 2:Okay, do you have to go from the pointy side or the thick side?
Speaker 1:Well, the way I used to do it, I would use the pointy side. Okay, because the pointy side was the no, you can use anything. Okay, but that was my cheat. My cheat was using the pointy side, because that was always the hardest ball part.
Speaker 2:Okay, then you have someone hitting you from here.
Speaker 1:Yes, you got like a direct launching point Absolutely, absolutely, yep, yep, yep, okay, massive force.
Speaker 2:So how are your pocket skills? I mean, you said you got this cheat code over here, this cheat code over here. Well, it's been a while. I'm looking forward to doing it again. Yeah, yeah, I gotta. Yeah, I have the belt.
Speaker 2:So I'll see if I, if I get dethroned on saturday um april the 19th yeah, so it's a, you know, seasonal event with pake and the eggs you know around easter. But back to what you're talking about and and keeping the culture alive and and bringing it to the next generation. What do you mean by that? The culture? Is it musical?
Speaker 1:I mean musical, I mean just the heritage, I mean a blended community. What I've found not living in Acadiana for a while, is that how unique our community is, and even for spending some time in the New Orleans area that is completely different than Acadiana. Keith is a musician and he's been a Zydeco musician for years. He's made his living doing that way. He's traveled all over the world. He and I just have an appreciation for wanting to share that with kids, especially so living in the New Orleans area.
Speaker 2:outside of maybe going and seeing the House of Blues every now and then or maybe a pop-up festival, you don't get as much Zydeco that you would out here.
Speaker 1:No, and if you get it it's, you know, even though we have artists from Lafayette, but when it's in New Orleans it feels more commercial. But until you really understand the roots of Zydeco and what it is and I guess as we get older we tend to think a little bit more, little bit more, and then, and then appreciating what Zydeco really is and where it came from, yeah, I feel it's like really important to share that with the next generation so there was a part of your life in moving to the New Orleans area where kind of got away from that culture and only being away from it and seeing it again is kind of what reignited this, this for you exactly not, not well, some sometimes you don't know how good it is until you're away from it, and then you, then you meet other people that appreciate it and it's like wait, I'm from acadiana, why do I not know this?
Speaker 1:or why do I not know that artist or the significant of significance of this music? So basically, um, what intrigued me I'm kind of a history buff what what intrigued me about zydeco is that it was formed in the early 20th century and it's a fusion between Creole music and Cajun music. I think that's a theme because, unlike a lot of other communities around the country, when you come to southwest Louisiana, you see the blend. You see people that have struggled together, loved together, partied together, had a good time together and ate together, living harmoniously amongst each other.
Speaker 2:We're truly a gumbo.
Speaker 1:Absolutely a gumbo.
Speaker 2:Is there tomatoes in this gumbo?
Speaker 1:No tomatoes, no wieners, none of that.
Speaker 2:What about potato salad In the gumbo In the gumbo?
Speaker 1:Yeah, you dip it in the gumbo. That's how you can tell.
Speaker 2:Yeah, some people are a little weird about putting the potato salad in the gumbo.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but if you're authentic, you got it bro.
Speaker 2:Well, man, speaking of authenticity, you know you guys at Pocket in the Park this year, april 19th, you're going to have Horace Trahan, gino De La Fosse and Shelby Carrier, but in the past you guys have had Wayne Toops, rockin' Doopsie, rusty Matoie, matoie, Matoie, sorry, rusty. Jamie Bajeron, lil' Nathan Travis, mott, pine, leaf Boys Like it's a really who's who of Creole Zydeco music, and so if y'all's goal is to get people excited about the culture, I mean you've got the musicians for it.
Speaker 1:We have the musicians and greater than that is their characters and their souls. They're always willing to lend a hand and work with us in our nonprofit in order to spread our culture.
Speaker 2:And okay, so let's say I'm going to go to Paque in the Park. I've never been, but for the first time this year.
Speaker 1:Walk me through what my experience is going to be like when I kind of walk into vermilionville that day well, first and foremost, the backdrop, vermilionville vermilionville instantly brings you back to to old acadiana and what it was like during the early 20th century, right. So, um, walking in, there's a vibe that's set right. And then when you get to the barn doors and the doors are open and you hear the sound of zydeco music coming out, that old, rustic zydeco sound and kids running around laughing and playing and adults dancing and and socializing. That that's kind of like a that's kind of like looking into a glow ball, right into the way it was in the past. So I think that's what you'll see, but, more importantly, that's what you'll feel.
Speaker 2:And for the families that go for the kids. Why is it so important to kind of catch them at a young age, getting them involved in the culture?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. That's super important because, having lived the life that I've lived, going back, some of my fondest memories have been listening to old music that my parents was listening to. A song would come on the radio from Odie and Goldie and I'm whistling it and didn't realize I knew the song because it was embedded.
Speaker 1:So, that's what we're trying to do. We want kids to go out there and have a good time. We're there East Egg Hut and the Pake Park but in the backdrop is the sound of our ancestors right, and those kids going to carry that with them and then hopefully, one day they'll one reinvest in the culture and then, secondly, if they get removed, like I did, they'll come back home to it.
Speaker 2:That's beautiful. And now, despite you know, only two hours away, you still kind of felt this loss. But you know, I read this stat a few years ago and I've just been regurgitating it. Who knows if it's even true anymore, but I like to believe that it is. Louisiana leads the nation in the amount of people who were born here, who still live here.
Speaker 1:Really.
Speaker 2:Why do you think that is?
Speaker 1:The connection man is, uh, the connection man. I mean, you know, I and I've probably said this a couple of times but, um, there's no other place like acadiana and louisiana, and especially for me. I'm a sportsman, so I love the fish. Um, I don't hunt so much, but I love the fish and I can't get that anywhere else in the country yeah, you a saltwater or freshwater guy.
Speaker 1:I'm a saltwater guy, all right Started out as a freshwater guy, three o'clock in the morning, my grandfather dragging me to Henderson. You know we digging worms the day before. So those are some. Those are like some of the things just going back again. Yeah, digging the worms the day before, preparing and actually going to execute and fishing with the backdrop of the swamps and the birds and the alligators and whatnot, and then you're throwing out Cajun music, man, cajun and Creole music. That is Louisiana.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, all right. All right, we'll be back to the episode in just a little bit, but like we said at the start of this episode, we're bringing on John Williams, friend of the show. He's been on here before. John, this whole pocket in the park thing, you know. I want to ask you first have you gone to it?
Speaker 3:in the past? Yeah, I did. When they did it at Park International, I was there. I think it was the first year. Yeah, like three years ago maybe.
Speaker 2:And how did this? You know, like I said at the beginning in our intro, this originally was we're going to make this under love of people, but I think it makes more sense to bring it all together under Acadiana Cast Presents, with that love of people nod right here in this part of the episode as well. So how did this kind of relationship come together?
Speaker 3:Well, love of people is all about helping others, help others. And with Dexter and also Keith, whenever I saw that their passion for this project, that's really how we identify people, that we, that we, that we try to help. And with Keith you know Keith, he's been a loyal volunteer for Blue Monday Mission. He's helped in a lot of different ways, playing music and everything. And then, specifically, when he told me that his purpose, some of his purpose, with Paque in the Park was to highlight local musicians, musicians Between the passion for the project itself and just how much their purpose aligned with love of people, it was just a natural fit for me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and we're just about to start talking with Keith Saunier. Right after we're finished speaking, what can you say just from his musicality as a drummer?
Speaker 3:Oh man, look, lee, allen Zeno and and keith. You know lee is already identified. You know that's the pocket. You know, um, keith, his, his, uh career speaks for itself. Um, but what I like about watching keith play and listening to him play uh, he's very good at it. You know the cues that, the things that I've learned from mr lee as bass player. What he said about being in a band, keith resembles that to the T. He's more focused on the lead singer and making sure that he's being a platform for that lead to stand on and create the pocket. Whenever he and Lee are playing, you can tell Keith is taking them licks from Lee and they're feeding it to one another. He just has a beautiful ear and he can sing. I didn't know Keith could sing.
Speaker 2:He can sing. He can sing. I wish I would have known that I should have asked him. He can sing. Well, he's also got a great heart and we're going to talk more with Mr Keith Saunier right now. Check it out. We're here now with Keith Saunier, fantastic drummer. I've got the pleasure of watching and working with him with the Blue Monday All-Stars and some of the other events that Love of People has been a part of, but he's here also talking about Pake in the Park. Keith, what made you get involved in this event?
Speaker 4:Well, first of all, we wanted to be known in the community for somebody that's representing Zydeco and Cajun music and also for the kids. For the kids to be exposed to the culture and, with them being exposed to the culture, hopefully it gets in their blood, like it got in ours and you know, and longevity in it, you know.
Speaker 2:So it's so cool you're're using like a seasonal event, like Easter and the themes of eggs and pake, to help grow the culture of Zydeco and music like that from this region. Yes, yes, and all while having a great time for a good cause. It's for a good cause.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yes, I love that. Why is it to you so important to keep this culture vibrant?
Speaker 4:Well, you know, as you know, everything evolves and one of our purposes is to preserve the original style of the music and the older style of the music versus everything. It's gone to a nouveau style and it's evolved and you know, a lot of the kids don't know where it come from, where it started, with the Clifton Chenier and the Rockin Doopsie and, um, what is my man name? It's so many great artists that, uh, furnace and the Thunders is one that I was thinking of, but you know so many great artists that came before us that that that's.
Speaker 2:it's almost extinct and you know, obviously music, like everything else, like you said, it evolves, it grows, it changes, um, and sometimes for the better. Sometimes you know you're you're missing the how it got started. You know, with zydeco coming with this, this heavy blues influence, and then, as it's expanded and evolved it, you know it's kind of the kind of melded with r&b rap as well, which is, I guess, some of the new school type of type of way that you see a lot of cats cats doing. But you're what, specifically musically, would you define zydeco as more the original?
Speaker 4:I would as blues as a little bit of jazz, but a lot of blues, yeah, just a one four five, a little rock and roll, 12-bar blues yes, yes, that's the original.
Speaker 2:And there's also been a good bit of French influence in La Zydeco, as well, absolutely, yeah, absolutely, that's where it comes from.
Speaker 4:Yes, like my father, I can say my father never really spoke English until he was five years old, wow, until he had to go to school and then he had to learn English. You know, and that's the thing with the culture now and I'm kind of ashamed to say it, it's like I cannot speak the Creole French because when my parents were coming up, they spoke it to communicate among the adults, Right, and it's becoming a lost art and you know, we got to some kind of way. Preserve that. You know, there's still a few people speaking it, but not as much as it should be in this area.
Speaker 2:Well, I've kind of seen it in doing this podcast and talking to folks like Drake LeBlanc or Jordan Thibodeau and people who are trying to hold on to that culture that Louisiana is so known for. But what I've seen over the past it seems like 10 years is there is a kind of a youth movement coming back into the culture and wanting to bring it back. Have you seen that?
Speaker 4:yes, I've seen a lot of them doing it.
Speaker 2:Now, that's got to be reassuring that it's. It is kind of kind of coming back in its own way and with the the use of the internet and getting information out, you know, if it seems like it's easier now to grow it than it was maybe 10, 15 years ago, right, and I'm glad to be a part of that as well.
Speaker 4:That's the purpose of what we're doing now to expose the kids to it.
Speaker 2:With that being said, though, do you ever think dance halls will ever be what it was back in its heyday, or do you think that's almost close to extinct what it was back in its heyday?
Speaker 4:Or do you think that's almost close to extinct? No, I think it's a possibility if we keep it. You know there's a lot going on in the music now. You know we just have to keep everyone safe, but it's a very strong possibility that it stays. It's going to be around a while.
Speaker 2:Now back to P Paque. In the Park, you guys have been able to get some great, well-known artists who are the culture. And what's it like, maybe, seeing a young kid like their light bulb goes off or their eyes open when they see one of these cats like a chubby carrier laying down on the stage?
Speaker 4:Well, I mean again, that's the purpose of what we're doing. We team up with Pink Trailer and they are doing a fabulous job in the community with the kids, and it's important to get them involved, get them playing. I can't stress it enough, I can't stress it enough. I can't stress it enough, but it does my soul well to see it. What is it? Well, pakeh is a contest. It's an old tradition that's been passed down for years, with the breaking of the eggs and stuff like that. Do you boil the eggs? You boil the eggs, okay, and so what is it you boil?
Speaker 2:the eggs. Okay, and so what is it? You're just taking an egg and you're tapping it to another person's egg. Right, right, normally the pointed side.
Speaker 4:Okay, that's the weapon side we call it. And how do you win? Whoever egg cracks first? Whoever eggs cracks first Is the opponent wins. If your egg crack, you lost the opponent wins.
Speaker 2:If your egg cracked, you lost. Okay, yeah, is there like a certain?
Speaker 4:technique to not cracking your egg, like, how much force are you putting into it? It's not a technique. Some people may say they have it, but I don't think there's a technique to it, unless you're cheating. Now the cheating some people would normally put nail polish the clear nail polish, to give it a little extra strength or something.
Speaker 2:But you know, yeah okay, so there's some, like old wives, tales of right of how to, how to right keep it safe. So is this something you grew up playing?
Speaker 4:yes, like family gatherings and family gatherings weekends every easter.
Speaker 2:As kids, we would you know, challenge each other breaking eggs and so yeah it's something I grew up doing it seems like such a southwest louisiana thing, because I don't remember doing anything. I mean we did like an egg toss where, like you know, you have a partner then you toss the egg and if it cracks then you lose. But we never did any of the pocket stuff.
Speaker 4:No, the pocket has been around since I'm 55, so since I was was a kid. As long as I can remember it's been around.
Speaker 2:So when you were a kid, who was the best in your family Like? Who had the bragging rights?
Speaker 4:It varies because I mean, you know, it's all about the luck of the game and actually who wins.
Speaker 2:Again, if you're not cheating, Well, if you're not cheating, you're not trying right, right, right right. If you're not cheating. Well, if you're not cheating, you're not trying. Right Right, right, right right. So Pacquiao in the park. When did that start?
Speaker 4:Pocky in the Park. Now, this is going to be the third year that we're doing this and it got started. Cora and I always did talk about doing something in the community, doing something with kids, doing something that's going to impact some kind of way, and we were in a fraternity together and it started as an Easter egg hunt with that and that evolved into getting together with music and so forth. And where is it this year? Yeah, this year it's going to be at Vermillionville.
Speaker 2:Okay, cool, yeah, and so you all have music.
Speaker 4:Yes, who's playing? Chubby Carrie is going to be headlining, gino De La Fonse and Horace Trahant what a trio. It's going to be a blast. It's going to be a lot of dancing. We have a dance contest. We have Easter Egg Hunt. We're going to have the Pocky Contest. We're asking everybody to come out with their boots on. It's the theme this year.
Speaker 2:Now you're a drummer, so you got great rhythm what's the key to winning a dance contest?
Speaker 4:oh, just being the best at it.
Speaker 2:You know, it's very simple but I'm talking about like, what's the best, like is there? Is there a certain move? Is it just the, the je ne sais quoi, the, the flow you?
Speaker 4:got the the. The dance now has evolved so much since when I was coming up. I can't do what the kids are doing now.
Speaker 2:Well, that might be because of some of the age.
Speaker 4:That might have a lot to do with it, but absolutely the kids, the way they dance, and now they took it to another level. But everything evolves.
Speaker 2:Yeah for sure. How has this event evolved over the past few years?
Speaker 4:It's growing every year. It's growing every year. It's growing every year. We started out as a two-day event and I think we started out pretty large and so we kind of toned it down a little bit to one day and it's going to grow into its own thing and what does this event?
Speaker 2:who does it go to help? Because I know there's a non-profit side of it okay, well, we, every year we change charities.
Speaker 4:So, um, last year we work with the children museum and, uh, pillars of hope. The first year, children museums, again with uh, along with st jude's and uh. This year it's going to be different. I don't think we quite know exactly where we're going yet, but, for the love of people, absolutely it's going to be one of the charities that we're supporting this year.
Speaker 2:Well, we're all about helping others, help others. So you know, whatever we can do to help you guys get out there and get the word out Absolutely.
Speaker 4:I think our mission lines up yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean you've been a part of several Blue Monday performances and whatnot, playing with the Blue Monday All-Stars, how you were playing this past Blue Monday, and so you've kind of seen the connectivity that Love of People has in the community. I do. I do, and it's cool to see you guys doing similar things and wherever you know, it's not a competition. We're all trying to help people, right? So whatever we can do to bring each other together and lift each other up, common, goals, yeah, common goals, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and as a drummer, whenever you're at an event and you see the likes of Chubby or Horace Gino, do you ever get antsy whenever you're not playing?
Speaker 4:That's when I want to dance. That's when I want to dance. I actually was dancing before I was playing. I've been playing 30 years, so that tells you a lot.
Speaker 3:You've been dancing a long time.
Speaker 4:I've been dancing a long time, but I've been dancing a long time. Started out with Zydeco Force and Bojack and Keith Frank and that was my beginning. That's awesome, man. Well, I think that's pretty good.
Speaker 4:I kind of wanted to mention the two Grammys and kind of twisting it in there some kind of way, but I think I'll let Dexter mention that. Okay, I think the vision of you know, having the kids see and the purpose of the Easter Egg Hunt being them being around the atmosphere and being around the music and adapting to the culture, and that that brings it all full circle.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that. Yeah, well, if someone is watching this and they're just now hearing a pocket in the park for the first time, what would be your message to?
Speaker 4:them. Come out and support it. Come out and support it. It's a great cause. It's about the music, it's about the culture. Come out and support it, all out and support it. It's a great cause. It's about the music, it's about the culture. Come out and support it.
Speaker 2:All right, one more quick break Talking with John Williams from Love of People once again Got one more. Finish our conversation with Dexter Ruffin talking about Pake in the Park. John, in your opinion, why should folks support Pake in the Park?
Speaker 3:I mean it's a family-friendly event. And I mean it's a family-friendly event and in today's world, when you have an opportunity to come together for some beautiful purposes, but as a family. That's what we're all about here love of people.
Speaker 2:I mean enough, said Wayne Tubes was headlining and you, I love seeing, you know, people in my age demographic, older, young, some younger, but it's most mostly an older crowd event um, but it's, you see, just from people in their 60s and people in their 20s enjoying Zydeco or Zydecagen and just the culture. You know that Wayne Tubes is certainly a part of um and I love that. One of the missions of pocket in the park is for families and parents and the older generation to share that with their kids. I know that that's as someone who brings their kids around and a lot of the love of people stuff that we do and getting them involved in service and whatnot. You're obviously trying to give the culture that you love to them as well and they're kind of trying to do the same thing it's just bridging those gaps between ages, races and everything you know.
Speaker 3:Um, again, with pakke in the park, their purpose is to have a family event. Um, that serves a purpose. Um, and vermillionville being a great, you know, a place of history, um, I think it's a great opportunity to really show the true value of pocket in the park and what, um, uh, what, keith and Dexter and you know all the partners that are involved in helping it be a success, uh, I just think it's absolutely beautiful.
Speaker 2:Yeah, now, uh, real quick before we get to our final bit with Dexter. Uh, there's more connectivity that that's been going into this. We had a blue Monday jam coming up a couple weeks ago and we had this practice the week before and you were meeting with Dexter.
Speaker 3:I'll tell the story, man, and this is what makes all that, you know, love of people, but under Acadiana. This is why it makes sense, really because of that story, Because had not Acadiana cast done this for Pake in the Park, they never would have heard this part of the story you know.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, we had a meeting. I had a meeting with Keith and Dexter about what level people could do to help them, for Pake in the Park and the Blue Monday All-Stars happened to be rehearsing and then, I guess one of the partners, one of the guys, said you know, dexter can sing. And I'm like thinking in my head, with a last name like Ruffin, I mean it'd be a shame that he couldn't. And I'm like come on D, let's go. Well, it turned out he hadn't been on a stage in like over 20 years. Wow.
Speaker 3:However and that goes a lot to say about you know, the character of these men that are involved in creating this event. Dexter hadn't been on stage in over 20 years and here he is, learns two songs. A couple of days later, blue Monday got on stage and performed those songs you know beautifully, and that again is what love of people helping others help others is about. It's not that, you know, dexter owed Blue Monday or love of people anything by doing it One. It's a passion of his. He hadn't been able to do it in a while. So we're like, well, let me help him do that, you know, and in that, it gave us good content to promote Pake and even gave us a story to talk about.
Speaker 3:And it even brought you in Right and your resource through Acadiana Cast to help really promote Pake in the Park, and we appreciate it.
Speaker 2:And then yeah, what we got to use to promote it afterwards, but at got to use to promote it afterwards, but at the jam the people who were there got to hear about pocket in the park as well. Yeah, I mean love of people helping others. Help others. You know I love it. Well, before we get you out of here, john, appreciate your time, as always. Uh, is there anything that love of people is doing, working on that you want to plug while we got you?
Speaker 3:um, you know we just opened uh rock steady boxing at bustle up. Uh, you can find more information on our site. With that, we're really excited about Blue Monday returning at Grouse Room every month. We are gearing up for our 10th annual Williams Bros Diaper Drive coming up soon. Some beautiful partnerships like with Unitech that are happening right now. I'm just really excited.
Speaker 2:You can go to loveofpeopleorg to learn more about how to get involved, what we do, our events, our initiatives, all of that Contact us. The Bustle Up thing it was cool. This morning I saw that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette their Facebook page followed our Facebook page. Oh nice.
Speaker 3:I was like all right.
Speaker 2:We winning Moving up in the world.
Speaker 2:John, love you to death, Appreciate you and we'll talk to you later. Thank you for everything. All right, let's get to the end of the conversation with Dexter Ruffin, wrapping up our talk about Pocket in the Park. It seems that there is this kind of youth movement happening within Cajun and Creole culture that we haven't seen in the 90s or 2000s. It really feels like it's it's coming from the youth. A lot of people wanted to get back into their roots and figure out what makes me like, what's my identity, what makes me Cajun, what makes me Creole. Do you see any of that from the youth? I mean, obviously you guys are creating events so that we can continue to keep this culture alive and vibrant, but do you see any organic authenticity coming from the youth as far as the old culture culture goes?
Speaker 1:I actually do, I actually do, I see, I see that. I see that zydeco is morphing. Zydeco cajun music and creole music is morphing um to. And why? I see it is because I have three daughters and I live in near new orleans and they're playing boots on the ground and and they're playing some of the new artists that are out. They're starting to infuse some of the rock and country and R&B and rap into Zydeco music. So Zydeco music lives at its core but it's growing and it's attracting other populations or other.
Speaker 2:Do you think it can do both evolve into something similar but different, but also keep the originality the same?
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely, and that's why I think it's important. Like the bands that we have, they're more traditional bands this year, so I think it's important to preserve the rule, so to speak. Right, the rule always has to be the rule to the gumbo. So we're not buying no artificial roux, we're going to make the roux. Making the roux is true zydeco, right. So we can play with the other stuff, but we need to be based and founded in the culture.
Speaker 2:No jar roux over here, huh.
Speaker 1:No jar roux.
Speaker 2:We're going to burn the roux. No, no mass-produced room that's right coming from these guys uh pocket in the park april 19th. Give me the, the details, time place, all that, yeah pocket in the park.
Speaker 1:Uh, it is easter weekend, so, uh, sunday is easter, it's going to be saturday. It'd be a great time for uh family's going to be in town. We hope that they invite their uh, their friends and uh relatives from out of town to come to pocket in the park again on april, the 19th. Um, we're going to have three bands uh first band. First uh artist is going to be um harris tronha, followed by gino delafonce, and then we're going to close it out with mr chubby carrier.
Speaker 2:Carrier, and does it cost anything to go to this?
Speaker 1:It does. It does Kids 10 and under. They get an access free, and over is $20. $15 now the tickets could be purchased on Eventbrite and $20 at the gate.
Speaker 2:We'll have all that information on Eventbrite in the description of this video. Go check that out here on this YouTube channel. Is there anything else that we didn't touch on that you think folks need to know about?
Speaker 1:Well, not really Well. Yeah, there's a couple of things I just want to highlight. Sure, family, family, family, community, community, community. We build together and we live together or we go down together. Culture holds us together. It's the glue that binds Acadiana, it's our culture, our music and our food. Also, at the event we're going to have the Pake, as we talked about. We're going to feature a new and upcoming band, zydeco group, there. We're also going to have a dance contest called Boots on the Ground, so we're going to have a dance contest towards the back half of the program.
Speaker 2:Are you entering the dance competition? Are you a judge or what's going on here? I'll be a judge, okay, because I saw you grooving the other night on the Blue Monday stage while you were singing a couple songs.
Speaker 1:I tried, man. Yeah, yeah, that was a box I needed to check off and thank god they gave me the platform to do it, man.
Speaker 2:What it what? Just a little sidebar, what is it about? I always say, like you could throw a stone in any direction into katiana and you'll find a great musician. That's right what is it about south louisiana and?
Speaker 1:we're bred that way, man. Yeah, we're bred that way, we, you know, we listen to great music coming up. We're constantly whistling or singing, so I think we have this natural rhythmic vibe to us in southwest Louisiana.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love it, man. So yeah, pocket in the Park. Holy Saturday, april 19th. Get on down to Vermillionville, be a part of the culture, be a part of the future, the past, the present and, of course, I imagine there's going to be some great food as well, excellent food, yes. What are we talking about?
Speaker 1:We're talking about jambalaya. We're talking about red beans and rice. Yeah, we're talking about we might have some gumbo. Okay, that's right. We'll start that rule at 12 midnight. By the time the doors open at 12, we'll be ready to roll.
Speaker 2:Is there a prize for any of these competitions?
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's going to be a monetary prize for the dance contest. Right now we're working with a partner, a sponsor, to see exactly what that's going to be, but in the past I think it's been $200 or above for the dance contest.
Speaker 2:To wrap up here, Dexter, like I said at the beginning, Love of People. Our slogan is helping others, help others. Where in either y'all's organization, this event, do you see that slogan and you guys kind of aligning with that?
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. Right now we're in the building phase of bringing in, uh, bringing in youth. Next year, when we do this event again this, by the way, this is our third year, but next year, when we do this again, we're going to bring in an advisory advisory board of high school students to walk through the process with us, to show them how we put a festival like this together but, even more importantly than that, show them how to serve, how to serve the community, and then, at the end, have an event like what we're going to have, that's going to celebrate the community.
Speaker 2:That's awesome Because you know, like in high school, people lament all the time about I wish there was more like life skills classes, like how to change a tire or how to do your taxes. Well, in South Louisiana, we should have a curriculum about how to run a festival.
Speaker 1:That's right, that is right.
Speaker 2:And how to give back.
Speaker 1:That's right, and how to give back Exactly, yep.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. I think that truly is helping others. Help others, yeah, and that's the goal. And also with our nonprofit, we want to partner with other nonprofits and hopefully those kids at advisory board will be a part of that also. So I think the more hands on deck, the more positive things we can do in the community.
Speaker 2:I want to do something that I do on my show, acadiana Cast Presents, but we're going to do the same thing here. I want to get you to look right at that camera right there and this is going to be you talking directly to the folks in Acadiana and Internet world at large. A final message about Pocky in the Park that you would like to give folks. Maybe a family got young kids looking for something to do Easter weekend.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Well what I would say about Pocky in the Park. This is my first year being involved with my partners, very excited about it. I'm so looking forward to bringing my girls. I hope you bring your family, your kids. We're going to have Easter baskets for the kids, a lot of dancing, just hanging out together as one community, enjoying what our ancestors built in our Zydeco music and in our food.
Speaker 5:Hey, thanks for tuning into the show. Since you made it this far, might as well give us a Built in our Zydeco music and in our food. If you want to be a guest, if you just want to berate me, hey, all goes in the same place. Info at Acadianacastcom. Email info at Acadianacastcom. And for more locally sourced podcasts, go to Acadianacastcom. Bye.
