In Lake Charles, the saturday before Mardi Gras, they have the Childrens Parade. As a matter of fact, the entire weekend before Mardi Gras is very family oriented here. Gumbo cook-off($5 gets you all the gumbo you can eat from about 75 different cooking teams), Krewe of Barkus parade(Dogs dressed up in Mardi Gras costumes: the kids love this one), Taste of Louisiana, Daytime cajun and zydeco dances without alcohol, etc....I have 2 kids, ages 4 and 7, and we've been evey year to everything. Their Daddy even took third place in the gumbo cook-off a couple years ago. At the childrens parade, tons of throws and candy, they kind of tone down the horns from the Trucks pulling the floats, and the parade route is at least 6 miles long with plenty of places to set up.
I don't know off the top of my head, but all you have to do is find Ash Wednesday on the calendar, and you will know that Mardi Gras is the day before that.
The April 2011 Dewey Balfa Cajun & Creole Heritage Week
