DELCAMBRE, La. — The Delcambre Shrimp Festival began as a fundraiser.
"In 1950, it was started, and the actual name of it was the Iberia Parish Shrimp Festival," said Jason Migues, the Delcambre Shrimp Festival president. "It was a way to raise money for our local fire department, so that's how it began."
Now in 2024, Delcambre is celebrating its 72nd festival.
"I don't think they thought that it would have lasted 72 years," Migues said. "They would've been surprised to see where it's at compared to where it was at in 1950 when they first started it."
Migues said the festival has grown over the years.
"Where it was back then to where it is now, this festival has evolved," he said. "It is one of the premier festivals in our area."
Beth Hebert, Delcambre Shrimp Queen XVII, has witnessed every bit of that growth.
"The festival started the year I was born, and so, I've sort of grown up with the festival," Hebert said.
With her grandfather being the festival's first king and her mother and father both being involved with the festival throughout her life, Hebert always found herself on the grounds during the third full week of August.
"When I was a child, we just couldn't wait until...the street fair was in town," she said. "They would give us each a dollar to ride that night, which the rides were 25 cents and 15 cents a ride."
Still, she continues attending the festival, though her interests in it have changed slightly over time.
"Of course, now that I'm 74, my favorite thing about the shrimp festival is the food! So, I can't wait until Wednesday nights—the first night of the fair, and I plan what I'm going to eat every night," Hebert said.
No matter the decades, the Delcambre Shrimp Festival remains a prominent part of the local culture.
"It's just a vital part of our community. It brings camaraderie. It gets people together," Migues said.
