The focus was on food, fun, dancing and the next generation Saturday at City Park during the annual event hosted by Les Cadiens du Teche, New Iberia’s chapter of the Cajun French Music Association.

Some members of the next generation were there and ready to take the baton — or the bow.

Eric Kelley, 8 and of Texas, got a fiddle for his birthday. “I was begging for a fiddle, and I finally got one,” he said.

Eric and Elizabeth Kelley, of the Dallas Street Ramblers, perform with their instruments Saturday in City Park at Les Cadiens du Teche’s event, which featured Cajun music and culture. Mary Catharine Martin / The Daily Iberian Advertisement

Eric and his sister Elizabeth, 10, are in “The Dallas Street Ramblers” and performed onstage with Ed Gary & the Louisiana Aces.

Jed Bellot of Port Arthur, Texas, teaches them Cajun music. Bellot has family roots in Louisiana and plays the accordion.

“I’ve been around it all my life,” he said. “I guess I inherited the music.”

He plays the “old, traditional Cajun music” — songs that are 100 years old, he said.

Elizabeth, said her mother, began playing on her great-great-great grandmother’s accordion.

On stage, a woman asked audience members to raise their hands if they brought their children or their grandchildren to the event. Those that had got a round of applause.

Helen Lindsey, of Lafayette, is a member of Les Cadiens du Teche, and brought her friend Don LeBlanc. “The dancing,” said LeBlanc. “That’s my favorite part.”

Though the 400 to 500 people at the event hailed from Louisiana and Texas, Ovey Viator, founding member, past president and current board member of Les Cadiens du Teche, said the association has a chapter in Chicago.

He estimates New Iberia’s branch has 200 families and about 125 people that show up at its monthly meeting. He was disappointed more New Iberia natives who are not members of the association did not show up for the event.

“I love the music, I love to watch people dance,” Viator said of the day’s events.

Frank and Kitty Men-doza are members of Les Cadiens du Teche, but live in Morgan City. Kitty said they chose to join New Iberia’s branch of the Cajun French Music Asso-ciation because of the dance hall, La Louisiane, at which the group meets once a month. Their favorite part is “the dancing, then the food comes next.”

“We don’t understand it, but we love the Cajun music,” said Kitty. “Our parents spoke (Cajun) fluently, but they didn’t teach us.”

Sim Armentor, 80 this year, said he and his wife Elsie are too old now to dance dances with quick steps and twists, but not to attend the event and have a good time. Armentor was also helping to serve the food.

Wilbert Doré, chairman of the event, said it “really turned out nice.”

Doré also mentioned the next generation.

“Kids like this will represent us in later years when we go,” he said.