OPELOUSAS, La. (WNTZ) — The Opelousas Museum will host a special reception on Friday, Aug. 8, celebrating the opening of Zydeco Memories: Past and Present, a photography exhibit by Louisiana native Rita Colligan Manuel. The event will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. and is free to the public.

The exhibit documents four decades of Creole culture and Zydeco music through Manuel’s lens, showcasing vibrant scenes from the Original Southwest Zydeco Festival in Plaisance and beyond. Her photos highlight both the performers and the spirited festivalgoers who helped shape Louisiana’s musical heritage.

Through images captured in church halls, open fields, and nightclubs, Manuel’s collection features renowned musicians such as Boozoo Chavis, John Delafose, Beau Jocque, Buckwheat Zydeco, Clifton Chenier, C.J. Chenier, Willis Prudhomme, and Roy Carrier. These artists, considered cornerstones of Zydeco history, are celebrated in Manuel’s work for their contributions to Louisiana’s Creole music legacy.

Born in Opelousas in 1949, Manuel moved to Port Arthur, Texas, with her husband in 1966 but never lost touch with her roots. Deeply connected to her Creole identity, she began photographing Zydeco events around 1970 as a way to preserve her culture through imagery. What started as a hobby of capturing family moments evolved into a decades-long visual archive of Creole life and sound.

“Her greatest hope is to preserve and document Creole culture so that its history endures for future generations,” the museum stated.

Zydeco Memories: Past and Present was previously exhibited at the Gulf Coast Museum in Port Arthur, Texas, curated by Robert Fung. The Opelousas exhibit continues that effort, bringing Manuel’s powerful and personal storytelling back home to St. Landry Parish.

For more information about the exhibit or upcoming events, contact the Opelousas Museum or visit their official website.