ST. LANDRY PARISH (PORT BARRE) — The second official day of the 39th Annual Port Barre Cracklin Festival brought clear skies, big crowds and plenty of the fried, savory bites that have become a Louisiana staple.

“Great, great weekend for the festival, ya know,” one vendor said. “We got a lotta people and it’s still early too, so we got all day to go.”

In Louisiana, a greasy brown paper bag usually means just one thing: Cracklins.

This weekend in Port Barre, festivalgoers found no shortage of chicken, pork and other fresh-made favorites sizzling at stands throughout the fairgrounds.

The event is sponsored by the Port Barre Lions Club. Jeff Reed, vice president of the Opelousas Lions Club, said proceeds from their booth will support an important mission.

“We call it a screening — it can

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