Spend Black Friday the Spirits way

Celebrating Thanksgiving with gumbo and good music may just sound like the Louisiana way, but Spirits Food & Friends is making it the distinctly Central Louisiana way.

For two decades now, the restaurant has opened its doors the evening after Thanksgiving for what owner Lee Gwinn calls one of his favorite nights of live music featuring Steve Conn and Sonny Landreth.

"It's always one of the highlights of our year at Spirits," Gwinn said.

That's saying something at a venue that provides live entertainment on most weekends. Then again, Conn and Landreth, in spite of having roots in the heart of Louisiana, aren't your everyday performers, especially in Alexandria.

Landreth is known worldwide for playing the slide guitar, and Conn joked during a phone interview with The Town Talk, "is actually famous, unlike myself."

That depends on who you're talking to in Conn's hometown of Pineville.

Though a native of the area, it actually took some convincing from the previous Spirits' owner before Conn would agree to perform in Cenla. Because, Conn said, he has expectations not everyone is used to.

"I demand that the audience shut up and listen," Conn said. "... I don't play background music. I don't play much, but when I do I'm trying to get people to pay attention."

Much to Conn's surprise and delight, that happened more or less during his first performance and is part of why he keeps coming back. A good friend of Landreth's, Conn found a perfect sidekick for the now annual Thanksgiving show.

"I roped him into it," Conn joked.

The day after Thanksgiving turned out to be a good night to draw a crowd. Gwinn said the show is a sellout every year, with only early birds securing a seat. Then, tickets are sold with a standing-room only stipulation.

"It's become a magical night," Conn said.

Another tradition that grew out of the event is a gumbo fundraiser.

A longtime friend of Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy, Gwinn recruited him to help make a gumbo to feed people since the restaurant used to be closed on Black Friday. Gwinn said the two of them love to get in the kitchen and cook together.

After a few years of serving the gumbo (and selling out every time), Gwinn came up with the idea to sell it, not for profit, but to raise money for a local charity.

This year funds from the gumbo sales as well as 20th anniversary event T-shirts will go to the Manna House, which serves meals for the needy.

Know to go

What: Sonny Landreth and Steve Conn 20th anniversary show

When: 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 27.

Where: Spirits Food & Friends in Alexandria

Cost: $25