Hungarian Roots and Festival Traditions
The Hungarian Settlement in eastern Livingston Parish traces its roots to Hungarian immigration, which had reached the pine forests of southeastern Louisiana by 1896 at the latest. By 1921 at the latest, the Hungarian Harvest Dance had become an annual event. The annual Hungarian Harvest Dance features Hungarian dinners with stuffed cabbage (töltött káposzta), cucumber salad (uborka saláta), Hungarian sausage (kolbász), homemade Hungarian bread and pastries. These dishes give the cultural tradition a tangible culinary expression, too.
The annual Creole Festival takes place on the third Sunday in October and includes live music, food and demonstrations of traditional crafts. The two festivals have different emphases: the Hungarian dishes are specifically named at the Hungarian Harvest Dance, while live music and craft demonstrations are part of the Creole Festival program. If you include the festival in your travel plans, check the specific event date in advance.
Agriculture is another way to explore the area. Landry-Poché Farm is a fourth-generation family farm specializing in growing and harvesting strawberries. The farm offers tours, a produce stand and picnic areas.
Boardwalks and Water Activities
At Tickfaw State Park, the boardwalks take you through a swamp of cypress and tupelo trees, a bottomland hardwood forest, a mixed forest of pines and hardwoods, and along the Tickfaw River. Rather than experiencing just one type of forest, you’ll encounter several distinct landscapes; the river adds another dimension to the natural scenery.
Livingston Parish has more than 400 miles of waterways available for fishing and water activities. One specific option is on the Amite River near Denham Springs: Cajun Tubing & Kayaking provides tubes, a cooler or a kayak for floats or paddling trips. Check the provider’s current availability before your trip.
Historic Homes, Science and Sports
The Creole House Museum is a cypress house built in 1898, typical of the region’s homes in the late 19th century. The Carter Plantation House is a one-and-a-half-story plantation house with front and rear galleries. It is significant to African American history and to local politics and government. The two houses represent different historical perspectives: one illustrates the regional residential style of the late 19th century, while the other reflects the design and history of a plantation house.
LIGO Livingston is one of two sites of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory in the United States. The LIGO Science Education Center hosts monthly Science Saturdays. At these events, the public can explore the science and technology behind gravitational-wave research; check the dates before your trip.
Golf is also represented: the David Toms Signature Golf Course at Carter Plantation is more than 7,000 yards long and is classified as par 72.
A regional visitor information source describes Livingston Parish as conveniently located near Interstates I-12, I-10 and I-55. The regional visitor information source gives ten minutes to Baton Rouge and 45 minutes to New Orleans as travel-time estimates.
Discover more destinations: Denham Springs, Walker, Allen, Bossier Parish, St. Landry Parish, Ascension Parish, St. Martin Parish and Avoyelles Parish.
For the broader travel overview: Louisiana.
