A slice of Louisiana on display in the heart of NYC

Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne will be in New York on Thursday to help lure new visitors to Louisiana by participating in a Louisiana-themed swamp experience re-created in the heart of Manhattan. Presented in partnership with the History Channel—the network airing Swamp People—the exhibit features a complete 12,100-square-foot swamp ecosystem, including live alligators, turtles and a wide array of Louisiana vegetation. The Louisiana experience is rounded out with Cajun and Creole food provided by Chef John Folse, live music by Henderson-based band Sac au Lait, and south Louisiana artists demonstrating woodcarving, mud painting, basket weaving and jewelry making using fish scales. Swamp People talent will also be on hand at the exhibit, which opens Thursday and runs through Sunday, Feb. 12. “Louisiana is becoming the premier destination for film and video production, and the success of Swamp People is evidence of that,” Dardenne says in a release. “Our research shows that 32% of our target tourism demographic uses television when choosing travel destinations.”