2019 Rougarou Queen ready for weekend festival

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The 2019 Rougarou Queen is ready to reign over the 2019 Rougarou Fest.

Shannon Loupe Eaton is this year’s royalty. She was born and raised in Houma.


She ventured out of the area as a river guide in Tennessee, and cold-weather lifeguarding in West Virginia.

But she soon realized that there’s no place like home, so she returned home.

While gone, Eaton said she learned a passion and a talent – teaching young people to swim.


“I had no idea how specifically unique our little pocket of Cajun Country is until I started attending statewide teaching workshops and found that most Louisianan’s have never heard of a Rougarou.” Eaton recalled.

The Rougarou Queen said she’s so proud of the team that worked together to lift her to her royal pedestal.

She said she stitched the base of her royal attire, an authentic flamenco gown, herself.


Her floral top was fashioned by her friend, local artist Michael Slage.

Her hair and makeup were done by Dylan Guidroz, a regional pageant director.

Special thanks is also given to Whitney Bergeron, sister to the Queen. She wore many hats throughout the process.


“I am awe-stricken by springtime in the Louisiana swamps.” said Queen Shannon. Raised a townie, the swamp is a place she had mostly seen from afar. On the rare venture into the swamps, safety was always made a great priority and dangers became abundantly evident. “To think that the exquisite blue/violet hues of iris blooms could come from such an environment reminds me that strength is beauty and can originate even from sticky-icky muddy waters.”

Eaton will be at the 2019 Rougarou Fest on October 26th and 27th to greet patrons and to lead this year’s costume contest beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday. She anticipates many treasured photos with her current and former students, friends, and colleagues.