Country Mardi Gras is coming to the city with the arrival of the Courir de Mardi Gras at Vermilionville Feb. 16.

Erin Stickney, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator for Vermilionville, said the goal of a traditional courir is to collect ingredients to make a community gumbo. Residents dress up in costume and go house-to-house to collect the needed ingredients.

"A lot people in Lafayette never get to experience a traditional country Mardi Gras," Stickney said. "This is an opportunity for city folk to get to see a traditional courir de Mardi Gras."

Visitors of Vermilionville will be given an overview of the traditional courir and then will get the chance to do it themselves by visiting each of the old Acadian homes on the Vermilionville property. And once it's over, "children will get a chance to chase the chickens themselves," Stickney said.

The Pine Leaf Boys will provide music, there will king cake cooking demonstrations and taste testings, and there will be workshops for the kids so they can make their own hats.

Admission is $5, and children under five years of age can attend for free. The event gets started at 10 a.m.

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