The 26th annual Gloucester Cajun and Zydeco festival is coming back to the Gloucester Guildhall in January.

The festival, which runs from Friday 25th to Sunday 27th January, will feature an array of bands and DJs, as well as dance workshops and a selection of Cajun and Creole food.

One of the three main headliners set to play the festival, ‘The Po Boys’, are looking forward to their return to Gloucester.

“This’ll be the third year in a row that we’ve played at Gloucester, which is a first for this festival!” said drummer and vocalist Andy Watson.

“We are honoured to be headlining the Saturday, having paid our dues with sets lower down the bill in previous years, and it’s a real testament to how far we’ve come in the five years we’ve been together as a band.

“We always enjoy these events and can’t wait to blow the roof off the Guildhall on the Saturday night!”

Cajun and Zydeco are two similar but distinctly unique music genres originating from Louisiana in the United States, and both have a rich background, as explained by Colin Watson from Bristol-based Cajun band ‘The Bayou Tapestry’.

He said: “Cajun music is a central part of the culture of a relatively small group of French-speaking working-class people living in Louisiana, USA.

“It’s essentially a ‘DIY’ brand of music, played by people for their own entertainment – it’s what they do to unwind after working hard all week. It’s music to dance to!”

For Cheryl McIlroy, of Cajun and Zydeco band ‘Rough Chowder’, the Gloucester festival has played a big part in her and husband Ian’s life.

“Ian and I first attended Gloucester Cajun and Zydeco Festival in 2010.” explained Cheryl, who grew up in the Forest of Dean. “Ian had been playing two row melodion since he was nine years old and, looking for a new musical direction, had fallen for the melodies of Cajun music.

“Following the festival Ian formed a three-piece band, with guitar and fiddle, and Rough Chowder was born. I moved to Worthing in 2011 and joined the group on vocals, rubboard and tit-fer (triangle).

“Rough Chowder made its debut at Gloucester C and Z Festival in 2013, which was very special for me having spent many years watching some of my favourite bands play there. We appeared again in 2016 and we last played in 2017 when I was 6 months pregnant. We even brought our baby girl back last year to watch Jeffery Broussard play at the Festival’s 25th Anniversary!”

The Gloucester Cajun and Zydeco Festival is the biggest event of its kind in the UK, and a great opportunity to experience a new culture, as Andy explains.

He added: “What I love about both genres is the whole blend or ‘Gumbo’ of music, food, dance, language and tradition.

“It’s also worth pointing out that both genres are very much dance music whether that be more traditional dance music played on traditional instruments with call and response vocals or modern electronic dance music.

“They’re all designed to bring people together and onto the dance floor. If you are standing still at a Cajun or Zydeco gig you’re really not feeling it!”