Zydeco and Cajun festival coming to North Shropshire

The North Shropshire Cajun and Zydeco Big Weekend combines the music of America’s Cajun and Creole cultures over three days of authentic Louisiana sights and sounds. The 2020 Big Weekend will take place on August 14, 15 and 16 in Welshampton, near Ellesmere.

This year’s festival, the eighth since it was launched, will feature a trio of US stars covering Cajun, Zydeco and Country styles. Artistic director, Gavin Lewery of Ellesmere explained that the Big Weekend festival had been set up as the only one in the UK to bring musicians from both the Cajun and Creole communities of South West Louisiana and East Texas to the UK festival scene.

“We have a policy of bringing musicians from both the Cajun and Zydeco traditions to the Big Weekend. But in 2020 we will have not two but three of the best performers from the Louisiana scene heading our line-up. It’s a real boost for the festival and we hope it will bring added benefits to the area as well,” he said.

Heading the Creole strand of the festival will be Ruben Moreno from Houston, Texas who, at just 27, has already performed with some of America’s greatest Zydeco musicians.

He will be appearing alongside the Big Weekend’s 2020 Cajun stars, Louisiana accordionist Blake Miller and vocalist and guitarist Amelia Biere from Louisiana.

Blake Miller is the founder of renowned US Cajun band, the Pine Leaf Boys and also stars in the Old Fashioned Aces trio which has brought a new sound to traditional Cajun tunes.

Vocalist and guitar player Amelia Biere is also a member of the Old Fashioned Aces and was recently voted best female vocalist of the year by the Cajun French Music Association.

The three day festival, based around the parish hall, also includes dance and instrument workshops, Cajun street food, music sessions in the village pub plus its own festival campsite.

Tickets are available through the website at www.northshropshirecajun.co.uk.

Tickets for individual band performances will be online in May.