6 of the Most ‘Louisiana Things’ That Happened in 2026

(KMDL-FM) Congratulations, you have made it 42 days into the new year, and you're still with us. I am pretty sure your "resolution" for 2026 has come and gone, but if you're still sticking to yours, then more power to you. Even though we are barely six weeks into this new year, there are a lot of things that have happened in Louisiana that could certainly make you break that resolution.

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If you remember, Hurricane Laura, a big storm of the 2020 hurricane season, made landfall near Lake Charles. That storm dislodged a riverboat casino that got stuck under the "is it safe" I-10 bridge in Lake Charles while there was a chemical plant on fire. Our friend and well-known TV weather guesser Daniel Philips called it "the most Louisiana thing ever".

That concept of "most Louisiana thing" has stuck with us through the years, and believe it or not, even in this, the very beginning of a new year, we've had more than a few "most Louisiana things" ever.

The Six "Most Louisiana Things" That Happened in the First Six Weeks of 2026

Here are some of the stories, headlines, and situations that caught our eyes; perhaps you feel the same way about them.

Lake Charles hosted a King Cake Painting Party. That's about as Louisiana as it gets. It happened last weekend, and those who participated were encouraged to express artistically their take on how a king cake should look. They even bling out some of the cakes with beads. Yep, that's Only in Louisiana.

In Baton Rouge, they held a gumbo cook-off at Pelican to Mars. One of the teams that competed won under the name "Roux-Tang Clan". Yep, that's Only in Louisiana.

In Ponchatula, a man was arrested for allegedly holding a woman against her will for days. He attempted to bite off part of her face as she tried to escape. No, that's not behavior exclusive to Louisiana, but it did happen here.

A Louisiana content creator ended their video series Hold the Mayo at 300 episodes, deciding that the final episode would be dedicated to a Louisiana food staple, red beans and rice. Yep, that's an Only in Louisiana thing for sure.

In New Orleans, the Krewe of Bacchus debuted a new Mardi Gras float. The Krewe unveiled Baby Whoppa at a recent parade. The new float is about the size of a school bus, and it joins other crowd favorites such as Bacchagator, Bacchasaurus, and the Kong Family.

In Shreveport and Monroe, it snowed, and there was frozen water on the streets and bridges, and the people sat in the dark for days. Many compared the days without power, internet, and limited phone service to life in Alexandria. Yep, a burn for CENLA even in the snow, that's a very Louisiana thing.

I guess we could have mentioned the suggestions that Louisiana bring back cockfighting as a legitimate way to increase tourism. But that one is still being discussed. Oh and the Governor of California did tell Louisiana's Attorney General to " go make love alone" or something along those lines. That story is still unfolding too.

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I am pretty sure by the time Easter rolls around, we'll have at least another half a dozen or maybe more "Louisiana things" to add to our list. Remember, if you come across something that seems to be unique to our way of life along the bayou, we'd love to hear about it. You can always reach out through our app.

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And remember, to check back with us often for a detailed description about what's important here in The Boot. By the way, y'all better not be breaking any of these this weekend, or you could wind up on our next list.