Enjoy a Spring Jazz Brunch, Southdown Plantation-style

Everyone has seen the whimsical plantation house near the intersection of Hwy. 311 and St. Charles St. in Houma many times.

You can help keep the home in good condition by attending the Southdown Spring Jazz Brunch on Sunday, April 29, at 12 p.m., at the Buquet Pavilion on the grounds of Southdown Plantation, 1208 Museum Dr. Tickets are $35 a person.

“The brunch, or a similar spring food and music event, has been held nearly every year for the past 20 years,” said Karen Hart, museum director of Southdown Plantation House/Terrebonne Museum.

The brunch menu, provided by Chicken Scratch Catering, is extensive. It will include grits and grillades; crawfish, andouille, and egg casserole; crepes with cream cheese and berries; carrot soufflÈ; creamed spinach; fruit, and muffins.

The event will also have a “lively” jazz band, and a silent auction (no auctioneer) of 12-18 art works by area artists, Hart said.

“It’s a great way for artists to showcase their talents and find new patrons,” she said.

Paid reservations are due by April 17.

“Those interested should call us first and then follow up with a mailed check by that date,” Hart said. “The brunch is limited to 125 people and we usually get 100-115 reservations.”

Southdown Plantation House is owned and operated by the Terrebonne Historical & Cultural Society, which also operates the Terrebonne Museum inside the house.

The museum has numerous exhibits, including a re-creation of former U.S. Senator and Houma native Allen Ellender’s Washington, D.C., office.

All money received from the event will go toward operating Southdown, and will help keep the admission price to the house/museum low at six dollars a person, Hart said.

“Successful fundraisers (like the jazz brunch) allow us to offer other educational and cultural programs, concerts, exhibits, and tours to a wider audience at low cost or no cost,” she said.

To reach Southdown Plantation, call (985) 851-0154.

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