Mardi Gras in Louisiana takes on many different forms, especially in the Cajun Country where Courir de Mardi Gras is celebrated showing a unique side of Cajun heritage. In the rural areas surrounding bigger cities, traditions take place that date back to Medieval Europe. Instead of throwing beads and building floats, rural Louisiana dons masks and runs around the countryside. In Church Point, a town in Acadia Parish, Courir de Mardi Gras was in full force March 2, the Sunday before Mardi Gras. A Children’s Courir and parade took place the day before on Saturday.
Couriers (runs) are most popular In Acadiana, a region surrounding Lafayette known as Cajun Country. Participants of the couriers dress up and wear masks to hide their identities as they travel around the countryside to beg residents for ingredients to a gumbo. The tradition stems from peasants in Medieval Europe who would have festivals where they begged for food, a much more acceptable action at the time. The beggars would often dress up, sing, dance, and perform silly skits as a trade for something to eat.
This years’ celebration marks the 63rd year of Couriers in Church Point. 2025 brought a crowd of 600 male runners and almost 30 floats during the morning parade. The Courir de Mardi Gras de les Enfants (Children’s Mardi Gras Run) celebrated its 25 years on March 1 had a whopping 45 Floats and over 400 children runners.
The classic outfit of courir participants is a homemade fabric outfit where strips are cut and sewn onto a shirt and pants. The outfit usually includes a capuchon or cone-shaped hat that is also decorated with the frilly fabric. Colors and fabric designs are completely up to the participant. The outfit is meant to represent the mockery of royals’ expensive and colorful attire back in Medieval times.
As the colorful group of masked locals and krewes traverse the countryside, they are followed by music and tourists enjoying the sights and sounds. Live musicians or trucks playing music on speakers followed the courirs. Once all of the couriers participants arrived at a central location, a communal gumbo was cooked and enjoyed with the ingredients gathered. The tradition of couriers is usually for men only, but there are special female-led groups put together for women that want to participate in the Carnival traditions.
In Church Point, many of the participants were young men dressed in their homemade frilly costumes with a drink in hand. The atmosphere was wild as chickens and pigs were let loose while the men ran around the countryside, fighting for a chance to claim an ingredient for the town gumbo. The young men use this day as a way to let loose and celebrate their culture, having a good time with friends and family and dressing up.
This was a tradition that I wanted to experience ever since I saw it on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations show almost a decade ago. It was one of my favorite Mardi Gras days EVER and I want to make it an annual tradition. I am also so thankful for the warm welcome of the participants and the hosts who let me ride along for the parade and festivities in Church Point 2025!