NEW IBERIA, La. --- From shrimp to sugar and gumbo, Iberia Parish is getting ready for the busy fall festival season with three major festivals to be held in person this year.

Shrimp rules at the Delcambre Shrimp Festival, which celebrates the town of Delcambre's local shrimping industry with a street fair, delicious dishes and top notch entertainment.

To honor the festival's 70th anniversary and to thank its sponsors there won't be a gate fee on Wednesday or on Thursday when Wayne Toups & Zydecajun is set to perform.

Friday's lineup includes Junior LaCrosse & Sumtin Sneaky, and Dustin Sonnier & The Wanted with headliner Jamie Bergeron & Kickin Cajuns. On Saturday, the shrimp cookoff, firemen water fights and all-day fais do-do are just a prequel to the real star of the night, a concert by national recording artist Drake White.

On Sunday, the locals will hold a fisherman's mass followed by a blessing of the fleet and live music by Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition.

For more information and the complete schedule of events, visit ShrimpFestival.net or email info@shrimpfestival.net

September brings the first true tendrils of fall with the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival kicking off the season of one of the state’s premiere industries. For 79 years, the festival has brought together sugar producing parishes to honor the sugar industry with royalty, delicious foods, Cajun entertainment and a great time in downtown New Iberia.

Several parades party down New Iberia’s Main Street and the "all ages" street fair includes kiddie rides, entertainment and fireworks. The Cyr Gates Community Center houses numerous events during the festival including a photography and art show, sugar cookery contest, and garden/flower show, while the SugArena @ Acadiana Fairgrounds hosts the 4-H Livestock show. This year's fais do do lineup includes LA Roxx, Parish County Line, Clay Cormier, Jamie Bergeron, Geno Delafose, Three Thirty Seven and The Bad Boys Band.

With new offerings added such as Farm Fest at Shadows-on-the-Teche, to classics like the blessing of the crop, the festival is still one of the area’s favorite times of year.

For more information, activity registration and a schedule of events, visit HiSugar.org or email info@hisugar.org.

The World Championship Gumbo Cookoff has called Iberia Parish home for more than 30 years. The Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce hosts the cookoff in Bouligny Plaza on New Iberia’s historic and award-winning Main Street on the second weekend of October.

Saturday is fondly dubbed "Cajun Creole Foodfest” with teams cooking their favorite Cajun and Creole dishes for lunch, including two mini-competitions, “Meanest Beans” and “Youth Gumbo Cookoff” throughout the day.

The main event happens on Sunday with the judging of more than 100 types of gumbos. Teams are divided between professional and amateur and are required to cook a minimum of 60 quarts.

Visitors can try as many types of gumbos as their hearts desire and listen to free live music all weekend. Cajun Company, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Full Circle, Geno Delafose and French Rockin' Boogie, and Swampland Revival are slated to perform this year.

For more information, cookoff registration and a schedule of events, visit IberiaChamber.org/GumboCookoff, email avery@iberiachamber.org or call (337) 364-1836.

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For more information on parish events and tourism assets, call the bureau at 337-365-1540 or visit IberiaTravel.com