WCannabis in Louisiana is legal only for medicinal use; recreational possession of 14 grams or less is decriminalized punishable by a fine of no more than $100. Medicinal use is allowed with a physician's written recommendation for any debilitating condition. Prior to statewide decriminalization, possession of small amounts of marijuana was first decriminalized in the cities of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport.
WEvery year along the Mississippi River levee near the town of Lutcher, Louisiana, over a hundred bonfires are built out of wood, firecrackers, and occasionally bamboo, said to have begun in the late 1800s. This tradition has often occurred on Christmas Eve. In case of rain, it is often rescheduled to New Year's Eve.
WThe flag of the ethnic Acadian (Cajun) region was designed in 1965 by Thomas J. Arceneaux. Arceneaux was the dean of the College of Agriculture at the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He derived the flag from the University seal. Arceneaux was an early leader of the Louisiana French Renaissance Movement, a movement intended to renew interest and pride in the French-Acadian heritage, language, and culture of Louisiana.
WAlcée Fortier was a renowned Professor of Romance Languages at Tulane University in New Orleans. In the late 19th and early 20th century, he published numerous works on language, literature, Louisiana history and folklore, Louisiana Creole languages, and personal reminiscence. His perspective was valuable because of his French Creole ancestry; his family had history to the colonial period.
WLouisiana African American Heritage Trail is a cultural heritage trail with 26 sites designated in 2008 by the state of Louisiana, from New Orleans along the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge and Shreveport, with sites in small towns and plantations also included. In New Orleans several sites are within a walking area. Auto travel is required to reach sites outside the city.
WLouisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism is a state agency and department within the Office of the Lt. Governor. The department is composed of six offices, Office of the Secretary, Office of State Library, Office of State Museum, Office of State Parks, Office of Cultural Development, and Office of Tourism.
WThe Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities is a nonprofit organization dedicated to furthering the education of residents of the state of Louisiana. In its mission, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities pledges to provide access to and promote an appreciation of the history of Louisiana and its literary and cultural history. It was founded in 1972 as a result of initial funding by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
WLouisiana Voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo or Creole Voodoo, is an African diasporic religion which originated in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It arose through a process of syncretism between the traditional religions of West Africa, the Roman Catholic form of Christianity, and Haitian Vodou. The religion existed from the 18th century to the early 20th century, by which point, it had effectively died out, only to be revived in an altered form in the late 20th century. No central authority is in control of Louisiana Voodoo, because it is organized by autonomous groups.
WThe Miss Louisiana competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Louisiana in the Miss America pageant. Although no delegate from Louisiana has ever won the Miss America title, four have placed 1st runner-up.