ROUGAROU QUEEN

Decorator and Influencer Shannon Bella of Houma to reign as Rougarou Fest Queen

Her gown and headdress will represent coastal land loss and the efforts to stop it

Rougarou Fest, an annual family-friendly celebration of Cajun culture and the Bayou Region, is proud to announce that Shannon Bella of Houma will reign as the 2025 Rougarou Queen. The unique event, which will be held from October 17 to 19 in Houma, is frequently recognized on “best of” lists for festivals around the country. Proceeds benefit the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center, a nonprofit organization that is revolutionizing how we think, teach and learn about Louisiana’s disappearing coast.

Shannon was born and raised in Houma, graduating from Central Lafourche High School. She is a decorator whose work has been featured in magazines and attracted a large following on her social media. Many of her clients live or work in Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes. While her work decorating for Christmas has garnered special attention, she works year-round and is known for making homes, workplaces and event spaces more functional, comfortable, tasteful and beautiful. Last year, she decorated the VIP area at Rougarou Fest. She is also an actress, having appeared in plays at Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne in Houma.

“I am so proud to serve as Rougarou Queen,” she said. “I am extremely proud of my Cajun heritage and the other cultures and communities up and down the bayou, and this festival is such a treasure. When I was a kid, my mawmaw would tell me to behave or the Rougarou was going to get me.”

Shannon’s father, Alton Knight, loved the Rougarou Fest and would have his picture taken with the queen each year. He passed away in 2024, making her reign this year especially poignant for her.

“I know my dad would be so proud of me,” she said. “This was his favorite festival in the world.”

Shannon is adopting the theme “In the Red” as her theme as queen, referencing maps that use that color to indicate the wetlands loss that has turned about 2,000 square miles of Louisiana’s coast into open water. She hopes to draw attention to the crisis and to the efforts to stop that land loss and preserve Louisiana culture.

Shannon has two children, Robert Crochet and Shelby Ohlenforst, and three grandchildren, as well as her life partner, James Karst, and his sons.

Rougarou Fest features live, local music; cultural activities; children’s activities; Cajun food; and the Krewe Ga Rou parade.

Each year a Rougarou Queen is selected to represent the festival at various events throughout the region. The queen is selected from a large team of volunteers by a committee of festival organizers. This ensures that our queen is aware of the details of our festival since she has been a part of bringing our event to life in previous years.

The Rougarou Queen will reign over the parade on Saturday, October 18, 2025 at 7PM.