Hello again!

The FloridaCajunZydeco.com Website, your source for Florida Cajun and zydeco dance events, features new home page drop-down displays for "What's Hot and Happening," "How-To Video on Zydeco Dancing," "Festival-O-Rama," "Nawl'ns on The Radio," "Recent Dance Video" and a non-CZ video window "For The Love of Hustle." I describe some of these new features below.

Be sure to check out the NEW Dance Calendar on the navigation bar. This page has been completely re-worked with all Florida dance events in one listing. (This used to be divided into separated tabs for each region, but some regions just didn't have much on the calendar.)

Let me know if your favorite Cajun or zydeco band is coming to a Florida town and I will be sure to post that information on the calendar at www.floridacajunzydeco.com.

Ruben Moreno will be featured Long Beach Crawfish Festival. Leroy Thomas says Ruben is "the best singer in all of zydeco!" Decide for yourself. There will be plenty of talent on stage this year.

This weekend Long Beach Crawfish Festival is the place to be. The festival is featuring some great bands including Andre Thierry & Zydeco Magic, Ruben Moreno and Zydeco Re-Evolution, Step Rideau & The Zydeco Outlaws, Cedryl Ballou and The Zydeco Trendsetters, Bayou Brothers with Sista Judy on rubboards, Bonne Musique Zydeco, and Mr. One Man Show AJ Gibbs teaching dance stylings he calls "Mydeco."

Saturday night the After Party takes over from 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Harvelle's in downtown Long Beach where AJ will be spinning the dance tunes and Andre Thierry and his band will be providing the live music. There is no question this will be a great time.

Only a few of us will be able to make it to Long Beach this weekend, so check out the next item a little closer to home.

Zydeco Party at Skippers This Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.!

Let's get a big dance group together for Gumbo Boogie. The fun starts at 5 p.m.

This Sunday, Gumbo Boogie is providing the music for a Zydeco Party at Skipper's Smokehouse in Tampa. Come on out to support this event so we can do it again next month!

And don't forget to check www.floridacajunzydeco.com regularly for new events and information of interest to dancers!

JB's Zydeco Zoo at Pineapple Willy's

Both Friday and Saturday: band starts at 9 p.m. Pineapple Willy's, 9875 S. Thomas Drive, Panama City Beach, FL 32408. 

Check www.floridacajunzydeco.com for more events in Region 1 as I learn of them.

Porchdogs Cajun Band in Fort Pierce

7-9 p.m. County Library in Fort Pierce is located at 101 Melody Lane, Fort Pierce, FL 34950. Please call to confirm location and time at 772-462-1615 before you go. 

If you're in Region 4, keep me posted on Cajun and zydeco events near you so I can post them in www.floridacajunzydeco.com.

Lipbone Redding in Fort Myers and The Burg

"Lipbone" (who accompanies himself with his unique trombone sound using just his lips) will be appearing at the Americana Community Music Festival on Saturday October 26 in Fort Myers, and at The Ale & The Witch in downtown St. Petersburg on Sunday, October 27. An additional show in the Tampa Bay area may be added for Friday, October 25.

Where else are you going to hear that Lipbone is in town but at www.floridacajunzydeco.com?

Tom Rigney & Flambeau will be featured at the Suncoast Jazz Festival in Clearwater Beach, FL on Friday November 22.


Last year Tampa Bay area dancers were treated to special dance admission for part of the Jazz Classic which included Tom Rigney & Flambeau. This is one hot dance band from San Francisco which incorporates Cajun, country, blues and jazz into one fantastic dance experience.

Well, you have your chance to get special priced admission to enjoy Flambeau and other great bands. Purchase ala carte passes for Friday evening or Saturday day through Tampa Bay Lindy Exchange Website for just $22! Make your plans early as ticket availability may be limited. More information on Suncoast Jazz Classic Website.
 Video Link: Tom Rigney & Flambeau

Check back to www.floridacajunzydeco.com for updates!

Cajun-Zydeco festivals across the United States are posted on this home page display.

We're approaching the end of festival season, but there are still some great events still to come in 2013. I will post the entire year in this window so you can make your travel plans early!

If you're not going to Long Beach this weekend, perhaps you can make the Cotati Accordion Festival in a couple of weeks, the Rhythm and Roots Festival in Rhode Island at the end of the month, the one-day Sebastjopol Cajun Zydeco in September, or the South Louisiana Blackpot Festival and Cookout in Lafayette in October. Each is guaranteed to be an out-of-the-ordinary experience with some great music! You will find links to each of these events and more at www.floridacajunzydeco.com.

Who says ladies can't lead?

Energetic zydeco stylings of Erin Brandt with Cat Christ demonstrate you don't need guys to have fun on the dance floor. Video by Zydeco Brad was captured at the Gator By The Bay after party in San Diego.

This Recent Dance Video feature will be updated and added to regularly. Check out this video and others at www.floridacajunzydeco.com.

Michael Khiem Dance Tips top the list of video links on this Hustle Only section on the home page.

Looking for hustle dancing here in Florida? Except for the Orlando event, there are not a lot of dance opportunities. This section is dedicated to providing video resources to stimulate interest and appreciation for contemporary hustle dancing which a lot of us love and miss here in the sunshine state.  

This hustle dance feature is going to be a regularly updated item at www.floridacajunzydeco.com, so check back for updates.

Let me know if your favorite Cajun or zydeco band is coming to town and I will be sure to post that information on the calendar.

Also, a special THANK YOU to Jerry Carrier for his support of this website, and his tireless efforts to keep Cajun and zydeco alive in Florida with his email CZ NEWSLETTER. If you would like to receive Jerry's newsletter, send him an email requesting to be added to his email list to jerry.carrier@verizon.net. In addition to his listing www.floridacajunzydeco.com each issue, I find his newsletter to be an excellent source of information to add to my Dance Calendar page. Jerry is awesome!

Check out each of the new features I have reviewed above at www.FloridaCajunZydeco.com, and I hope to see you on the dance floor soon!

Regards. Jim Hance
Publisher

FloridaCajunZydeco.com