Campbell Gets Its Cajun On

An estimated 60,000 people came out for the over the weekend, turning downtown Campbell into the Big Easy for two fun-packed days.

“It really feels like New Orleans, doesn’t it?” Donna Sole, 50, of San Jose posed. “This is just a great time. The food, the people. This is just a great group of fun-loving people. The weather has been good. You just can’t ask for anything better.”

The city’s biggest street party is thrown by the and serves up authentic Cajun cooking, frothy adult beverages and towering glasses of lemonade. Over 100 vendors sported their wares and live music filled the streets all weekend long.

Chamber members also sold beads, masks and hats for $5, helping attendees get into the revelry.

Louisiana-native Pam Bischoff, 54, said that Campbell got the bayou’s vibe just right.

“This feels pretty authentic,” she said. “I especially love to see all the food.”

Bischoff, who now lives in San Jose, was looking forward to biting into a nugget of , a delicacy that she’s had many times before. 

Other attendees, like Katie Majewski, 30, of Menlo Park hadn’t tasted the decidedly Southern dish until Sunday, though she was pleasantly surprised by the taste.

"That was my first alligator and it was much better than I expected," she joked.

With 13 bands taking three stages over both Saturday and Sunday, attendees like Curtis Cooper, 30, of San Jose couldn't help but get into the Bourbon Street spirit.

"The music is good, the food is good and there are some good people to look at," he said. "I'm glad we came down to check this out."

Scott Petersen, 48, of Campbell said he and his wife, Karen, came to Boogie on both days of the celebration.

"We were here Saturday and we just couldn't resist coming back," he said. "We just love downtown Campbell and we love events like this."