Mount Pleasant heats up with 21st Night of Louisiana
People looking to alleviate their cabin fever and escape the cold with Cajun food and dancing attended the 21st annual Night of Louisiana at Finch Fieldhouse Saturday.
The event was co-hosted by Central Michigan University Public Radio and University Events and drew approximately 900 people to dance, drink and enjoy live music.
“There is no question it’s a celebration of life,” said Bob Ebner, director of University Events. “It’s like a huge block party, and I think it’s the most fun event University Events puts on. For me, it’s the most gratifying, because everyone leaves here with a smile on their face.”
Amid the tables decorated with Mardi Gras beads and masks were couples on the dance floor two-stepping.
Perhaps the brightest and most noticeable of everyone were Lansing residents Linda and Paul Loeffler. The Loefflers adorned themselves in traditional Mardi Gras costumes. Paul’s costume was bright with orange, red, green, purple and complete with a mask and an accordion. Paul made his costume from scratch, using pajama pants.
Paul said his mother was a seamstress and taught him how to sew at a very young age. The couple danced and took pictures and posed for pictures with others in attendance. The Loefflers said they promote Mardi Gras parties in Lansing, and Paul taught himself how to play the accordion and joined a Cajun band.
“We’ve been in love with this culture for 30 years," Linda said. "The music just has so much drive and pump to it. The first time we went, we had a blast, and so we decided, ‘Why not come in costume the next time?’”
Ebner first brought the event to Mount Pleasant 21 years ago after falling in love with the people and music of New Orleans during a trip there.
Purple and pink lights illuminated the bands on stage, “Balfa Toujours,” led by Christine Balfa and “Terrance Simiem and Zydeco Experience.”
Ebner said he tries to bring both Zydeco and Cajun tunes to the dance floor, because they provide different styles of music.
“I’ve always had a Cajun band, because it has some of the more traditional dances such as waltzes,” Ebner said. “While Zydeco has more of a rockin’, faster sound to it.”
Along with traditional music, food was provided by Aramark, along with a full bar serving mixed drinks, including “the hurricane,” which Ebner gets the mix for from New Orleans.
Shepherd resident Gina Del Castillo said she has come every year for the past 18 years to celebrate her birthday.
“I love that all types of people and all ages of people come here,” Castillo said. “I especially love the old-time dances and how everybody’s together and included. It warms my heart to see all ages of people dancing together.”
While the event is popular with the community of Mount Pleasant, it doesn’t bring in too many college students.
“I figured it would be more fun to come here because the Wayside crowd gets a little lame after a while; plus these people dance better,” said Mount Pleasant junior Angel Foster.
