CROWLEY, LA – The 89th International Rice Festival (IRF) was held here last weekend and once again, the mighty grain, and the men and women who raise it, mill it, and send it around the world, were celebrated in typical Louisiana fashion on two enormous soundstages and around the community.
On Friday, the Rice Festival Junior King and Queen were crowned, as was the Chef de Riz, Joshua Dietz of Lafayette, who won for the first time 10 years earlier to the day. Dietz’s winning dish, “Stuffed Lobster with Shrimp, Crab, and Rice,” will be featured in the upcoming IRF Cookbook and Chef Joshua will be a guest on an upcoming episode of The Rice Stuff podcast. In addition to sharing his thoughts on the importance of the rice festival, he talks about how special it was to share the stage with his younger brother, Elijah, who was crowned Junior Chef de Riz!
Rice farmers and the industry were called out multiple times from the stages between more than 20 musical acts that entertained tens of thousands of visitors who also took in an Arts & Crafts Festival, Classic Tractor display, an old-time rice threshing demonstration led by Dr. Ronnie Levy, and a shock stacking contest that was won handily by Festival President Tessa Richard.
Attendees also took in accordion and fiddle, frog jumping, and rice eating contests, and were treated to two parades complete with marching bands, Mardi Gras-style floats, Shriners, and candy, beads, and gifts raining down on spectators along the packed, two-mile route.
Father and son rice farmers Jarrod and Bryce Breaux were honored as the Farmer and Junior Farmer of the Year. Jarrod’s story is an inspiring one, growing his operation from a small, leased tract to more than 1,300 acres of rice and crawfish. It should surprise no one to learn that Bryce has been operating tractors and grain carts since he was eight years old and today flies thermal imaging drones to help control the local feral pig population.
Three outstanding rice mill workers were recognized from the Supreme Soundstage on Saturday. They were Logan Picard from Supreme’s Crowley Mill, Jacob LeLeux from Supreme’s parboiling facility in Mermentau, and Dallas Wirtz from Falcon Rice Mill in Crowley.
Caroline Slack, manager of communications & content for USA Rice, was attending her first IRF, and like most first-timers, she was wowed.
“It was an amazing experience filled with so many firsts for me: first time riding in a parade – thank you, Kane; first time riding in the cab of a combine – thank you Julie and Christian Richard; first time loading a rice thresher – thank you Dr. Ronnie; and first time eating at a Waffle House,” Slack said, rolling her eyes slightly about that last one. “Everyone was very welcoming, and I appreciate being able to experience the festival and participate in such a meaningful weekend for the USA Rice family.”
These and additional adventures will be featured on an upcoming episode of The Rice Stuff podcast, so watch here for details.
The IRF remains the largest, oldest, and free agricultural festival in Louisiana and the 90th International Rice Festival will be held October 15-17, 2027.