Seafood gumbo, jambalaya, fresh boiled crawfish — those usually get people’s mouths watering and their mind’s thinking about New Orleans (or, Naw’lins, as the locals say.) But on Oct. 6, it’s all about downtown Napa.

First Street, beginning at Main, will be filled with the lively sounds of Zydeco music and fresh takes on New Orleans-style cuisine from some of Napa’s finest chefs, at the first Wine Country Cajun Food & Music Festival.

Tasty Cajun-inspired food from several of downtown Napa’s most popular restaurants include: Cole’s Chop House with its Shrimp Remoulade; Piccolino’s blackened chicken and okra ravioli with “screaming” fire-roasted pepper and sweet corn cream sauce; Bleaux Magnolia with seafood gumbo, duck jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, fresh boiled crawfish, pulled pork, pear jicama cole slaw and bread pudding; Caffe Cicero serving spicy Cajun pasta, Cajun popcorn and grilled andouille sausage over red beans and rice; and Filippi’s Pizza Grotto, with an extra-special pizza with a Cajun twist. (If you need to take a break here and get something to eat, we’ll all understand.)

Buckhorn Grill, Downtown Joe’s, Zuzu and others will also be participating.

Chefs demonstrations will be given by Greg Cole of Cole’s Chop House and Celadon, Joe Salerno of Piccolino’s and Matt Mermod from Blue Magnolia. 

Music will be provided by the Zydeco Flames, whose sixth CD “Fire It Up,” features hot Zydeco in the tradition of Clifton Chenier, Buckwheat Zydeco and Queen Ida.

Also on hand will be the Bayou Boys, who play rhythm and blues straight from the swamps of the bayou. Informal, spontaneous New Orleans’-style street parades, complete with marching musicians and Mardi Gras beads, will be led by Louisiana Sue, the area’s most well-known Zydeco queen.

Other activities include: Zydeco dance instruction throughout the day in front of the stages; Bleaux Magnolia’s Crawfish Shuck-Off: a shucking and crawfish eating contest where 30 teams of two will compete for dinner for four at Bleaux Magnolia and other prizes; and the Mud-Bug: A crawfish catch and release tent filled with live crawfish which kids can catch with sticks, string and then release. Kids will win beads and prizes.

There will be a ‘whole messa’ (that’s straight Naw’lins talk) children’s activities. A raffle will be held to benefit Common Ground Collective, who work on the re-building and reconstruction of homes in New Orleans and funds a legal clinic, medical clinic and Women’s Shelter in New Orleans.

The winner will receive two round-trip tickets to New Orleans on Southwest Airlines, including a three night stay at Harrah’s New Orleans Casino & Hotel. The event, which will run from 1-6 p.m., is free.

Don’t forget breakfast …

From 9 a.m. to noon on Oct. 6, Downtown Joe’s will help you start the day with a Zydeco style breakfast, featuring Jambalaya and eggs, Hangtown Fry, Rock Shrimp omelet, New Orleans French toast and Cajun sausage and eggs. Music by Zydeco Magic. It’s going to be a great day.

See you downtown.

Craig Smith is the executive director of the Napa Downtown Association and can be reached at 257-0322 or craig@napadowntown.com.