Annual Downtown Zydeco Breakfast Scheduled for September 2nd in Opelousas
Event will Feature Live Music by Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners
(Opelousas, LA) – The City of Opelousas, Zydeco Music Capital of the World, 
hosts the Annual Downtown Zydeco Breakfast on Saturday, September 2, 2023, from 9 to 11 a.m. on the St. Landry Parish Courthouse Square in Opelousas. This year, event attendees can enjoy the sounds of Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners while grabbing some tasty breakfast items from downtown restaurants.
Born in Lake Charles and raised in nearby Elton, Louisiana, Leroy Thomas comes from a family of Zydeco musicians. His father Leo “The Bull” Thomas is the only Zydeco musician to lead a Zydeco band as a drummer. Leroy’s cousins include Zydeco musician Keith Frank and Geno Delafose.
At the age of eight years old, Leroy chose to become a drummer like his father. He and his younger brother made a set of drums using five-gallon paint buckets and tree branches for drumsticks. In his early teenage years, Leroy set his sights on playing the accordion. He purchased a second-hand accordion and taught himself how to play with the same determination he brought to his drumming.
At the age of eighteen years old, Leroy joined his father’s band on the accordion where he and his dad toured and played music together for the next fifteen years. In 1998, Leroy decided to form his own band, “Leroy Thomas & the Zydeco Roadrunners.” Today, the band has performed in over 33 states and overseas and have released eight CDs. Leroy favors what he calls “Old School Zydeco.” He likes keeping the tradition of Louisiana alive and flowing.
Local downtown businesses will feature a unique assortment of breakfast menu items for sale, from coffee and pastries to breakfast casseroles and biscuits to praline chicken bites. Local downtown spots include Java Square, The Brass Rail, Chicory’s at the Palace, Back in Time and more.
Opelousas Tourism, with support from Opelousas Main Street, Inc., the City of Opelousas, and St. Landry Parish Government hosts the free event each year to welcome visitors to the downtown area and get them and the locals excited about the Original Southwest Zydeco Festival which takes place on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend as well. This years Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, which takes place at the Yambilee Building in Opelousas, will feature favorite Zydeco artists such as Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Rusty Metoyer & Zydeco Krush and more.
People attending the free Zydeco Breakfast are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and enjoy the entertainment in a relaxed and charming setting in the heart of downtown Opelousas. For more information about the City of Opelousas Zydeco Breakfast, follow @OpelousasTravel on Facebook or call 800-524-5442 or visit www.cityofopelousas.com For a complete list of event information for the Original Southwest Zydeco Festival, visit www.Zydeco.org
Last modified: July 10, 2023
