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Gabrielle Deculus and Courtney Smith Co-Founded The New Orleans Zydeco Festival (NOZF) to honor the legacy of their great-grandfather, Creole French Musician, and Zydeco Pioneer Alphonse “Bois Sec” Ardoin, and to celebrate the elements of the Louisiana Creole French Culture that many people have come to know and love around the world.
The Foundation’s programs and initiatives are focused on developing the Ardoin homestead in rural Mamou, Louisiana into a Historical Civil Rights and National Music Landmark, Zydeco History Museum and community space for youth development programs. In addition to historical education through our signature event, the annual NOLA Zydeco Fest, we have been and will continue to showcase live Zydeco musicians and bands as often as possible. These bands include descendants of the Ardoin family and descendants of those influenced by the Ardoin family music legacy. We offer Zydeco dance lessons for all ages and have created space for the guardians and bearers of Louisiana culture, including but not limited to Masking Mardi Gras Indians and Second Line groups to help us share New Orleans deep cultural traditions. We are bridging Louisiana Culture.
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