Weekend Roundup: July 4-6
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All occupants safe, pets rescued as Houma firefighters respond to Country Club Drive blaze
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Written by Rougarou Festival organizers – The Rougarou Fest is proud to unveil its highly anticipated 2025 Commemorative Poster, a vibrant and thought-provoking work of art created by Brooks Frederick, a Terrebonne Parish native and professional artist based in New York City. The artwork makes its first public debut today and will be available for purchase at this year’s festival in October.
At the heart of the poster is the Rougarou—reimagined as a powerful, feminine figure—holding a catfish, a symbolic nod to the deep-rooted connection between coastal Louisianians and their reliance on the land and waterways for sustenance. This central figure stands proudly atop an earthen mound, representing the ingenuity of native peoples who built elevated ground to withstand rising waters during floods and hurricanes.
In the background, a shrimp boat named “Allon Danser” (French for “Let’s Dance”) floats across the water, honoring the region’s enduring French heritage. Surrounding the Rougarou are striking details—thistles to honor traditional ecological knowledge, alligators with jetpacks representing coastal relocation and climate migration, and hybrid human-animal figures inspired by Louisiana folklore.
“Art has a way of helping others to see things in a different light. It can help us envision a future that doesn’t currently exist,” said Frederick. “What would it be like to have a camp that can hover? Could that technology exist in the future? This poster is a creative exercise to imagine a Louisiana coast that dares to hope.”
Frederick also emphasized a bold stylistic departure from previous Rougarou Fest posters.
“I wanted the Rougarou to represent a strong woman figure and stand out stylistically. I wanted the artwork to reflect how, even in the face of hardship, we find ways to celebrate life as part of our culture.”
The poster also draws influence from Tim Elder’s 1970s book Crawfish-Man, which was discussed during a 2024 art workshop at the Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum, where participants explored regional mythologies and environmental storytelling.
In an effort to authentically honor Indigenous perspectives, Frederick conducted interviews with tribal elders, resulting in the inclusion of a moss doll, a Houma half-hitch palmetto basket, and the traditional jewelry worn by the crawfish-woman figure.
Another standout element—a shrimp-boot-wearing alligator artist—pays homage to Louisiana’s artist community and commercial seafood industry, while a baby entwined with a snake symbolizes generational change and invites personal interpretation.
The poster’s core message speaks to more than just aesthetic beauty—it’s a cultural narrative, a climate call, and a futuristic dream: “Daring to hope for a future Louisiana coast that is sustainable for everyone.”
Poster lettering was done by Terrebonne Parish native and San Francisco-based graphic designer Jacob Bascle.
Rougarou Fest is an award-winning family-friendly festival held annually in Houma, Louisiana. Celebrating the rich folklore of the Louisiana bayou—particularly the legend of the Rougarou—the festival combines music, food, parades, and storytelling to spotlight regional culture and resilience in the face of coastal land loss.
