Occassional music- Pine Hill Haints play there Mardi Gras day ...
Red Rose
George Conner: “Red & Delta Giles are the owners- he is former Mayor of Lake Arthur. The Red Rose has been open since the 1960s. It is north of town at 810 Iowa Avenue near Doland Avenue.” Included in Emily Ardoin’s 2014 thesis “Fais do-do to ‘Hippy Ti-Yo’: Dance Halls of South Louisiana”: “The Red Roseis located at teh edge of Lake Arthur and has primarily featured Cajun music. It is currently active (open). The construction is frame and the roof is front gabled and metal.” Cheryl Theresa Ringuette Ciamarra: “I grew up in New Orleans – a big city and had never seen a 4 H club or knew that Rice grew in Louisiana…so coming to Lafayette as a Freshman in college in 1974 the Cajun way of life was Culture Shock to this city slicker who had seen alot of bars and jazz and music in the French Quarter ..unbeknownst to my Devout Catholic Parents, but this Cajus French music was entirely NEW to me! I was in Lafayette Park in September listening to Clifton Chenier and a young guy named Zachary Richard playing music he called Zydeco! A college sorority sister Jerry Dugas said this music festival was NOTHING, if I was ready to see the REAL thing she would arrange to take me to THE RED ROSE in Lake Arthur where I could learn the authentic french 2 step and cotillian dancing from the local BEST Teacher her father the local radio DJ whe was named after. So we went to Lake Arthur one weekend and on a SUNDAY AFTERNOON he took 3 of us young 18 year old girls to the dance hall where only French was spoken. We were told to look and listen He patiently took us out on the dance floor one by one teaching us to waltz in the cotillian circles of circles style, IT WAS MAGNIFICIENT and every couple on the floor knew the dance kept their distance and were serious about dancing and having fun. It was so dark in there you would have thought it was Friday or Saturday night but it was in the middle of the day on SUNDAY! (Guess when you get that old they have more energy in the middle of the day LOL) Energy yes the dance went on for hours one band better than the next and I received a card that stated I had graduated from the Gerry Dugas School of Cajun Danicing! I have rarely enjoyed an evening out as much it was delightful and spent the next 4 years of my college life dancing until the sun came up at as many establishments we could find. I would only drink ice water after ten o o clock because as a true dancer knows it is more fun to dance than drink. Maple Leaf bar Uptown in New Orleans occasionally still has cajun bands on Thursday nights. If you get a chance to hear Rockin Doopsie don’t miss it!” ...
LA Bar
Photos by John Sharp Occasional music ...