Lakeview Park & Beach is an experience rooted in family and southern hospitality. Owned and operated by siblings Lance, Laura, and Bonnie, the park reflects their deep connection to Cajun culture and their shared dream of bringing joy to every guest. It’s about hard work, family and good times, community, and deep-rooted culture. Lance, one of the siblings, also serves on OHI’s Board of Chairs, reinforcing their connection to the broader Outdoor Hospitality Industry.
From the lively energy of The Barn to the refreshing waters of the beach, Lakeview offers something for everyone. Every Saturday night during the spring and fall, The Barn comes to life with live, local music. Registered campers receive complimentary tickets, and it’s not unusual for big names to stop by, like Anthony Bourdain, who visited in 2011 for a barn dance and Boucherie featuring The Red Stick Ramblers. In 2013, Tony Chachere’s even filmed a commercial there, with Lance’s son, Nic, making a cameo alongside Geno Delafose.
For those seeking relaxation, the sandy beach surrounds a one-acre swimming area pumped daily with fresh well water. The water is cool and refreshing and guests can join in on a game of beach volleyball.
But while music and sunshine are part of Lakeview’s charm, it’s the park’s unique New Year’s Eve tradition that truly captures its heart: the Disco Chicken.
If you’ve ever been to Lakeview on New Year’s Eve, you know the party doesn’t really start until Disco Chicken makes its grand entrance. It’s not just a quirky mascot, it’s a tradition, a symbol of fun, and a reflection of the park’s personality.
Disco Chicken’s origin story is a colorful one, just like its feathers. “It all started as a bit of a joke,” Laura laughed. “We were brainstorming ways to make New Year’s Eve more memorable, and Bonnie threw out the idea of a giant, sparkly chicken. We ran with it and somehow, it stuck.”
But what started as a lighthearted idea turned into a detailed, hands-on project that would take on a life of its own. Laura, an artist by training, took on the task of building the disco chicken. “I’m an artist, I went to school for that, so I thought, well, I can design something and build it,” she explained. “I did a lot of research, because it had to be sturdy. This was going to be a disco, so it had to be full of mirrors. I had to think about the weight and how to construct the armature. Lance helped to build it out of wood, and then I used chicken wire and plaster to shape it.”
The process was labor-intensive, as Laura wanted to ensure the chicken could hold up for years to come. “I had to figure out how to keep the plaster from mildew and corrosion, so I did a lot of research,” she added. “Then came the mirrors. I started buying them on Amazon—hundreds of little square mirrors. But I ran out and had to take a trip to Lafayette, the closest city, to buy as many as I could find. By the night before the event, I was still adding mirrors. I even called a cousin in Beaumont, who helped me track down more. It was a bit of a last-minute rush, but I finished it just in time.”
Laura didn’t stop there, she added her artistic touch to the tail as well. “I thought it would look really cool if I added some feathers, so I got a boa and decorated the tail with it,” she said. “It was a perfect touch to complete the look.”
Once the chicken was ready, Lance stepped in to help bring it to life. “It’s a disco, so we had to make it spin, and we needed lights on it,” Laura said. “Lance is the kind of guy who can take any idea and make it work. He built a mechanism to make it spin and added spotlights. When the clock gets close to midnight, the chicken drops down from the high ceiling of The Barn, and the lights hit it. It’s such a fun moment for everyone.”
That first chicken drop was an instant hit, and the tradition has grown ever since. “We’ve been doing it every New Year’s Eve for years now,” Laura said. “It’s become such a big event.” Each year, the celebration draws a crowd of about 350 to 400 people, all gathered under The Barn’s high ceilings for a night of music and fun. “Ever since day one, we’ve had this band called One Trick Pony,” Laura added. “They play classic rock, and they’ve just become part of the tradition.” To keep things fresh and exciting, the Chicken sports a new outfit each year to match the theme.
But Disco Chicken’s story doesn’t end at midnight. “After the chicken drops, it stays down through Mardi Gras, the period of time celebrated throughout the Christian world between Epiphany and up to Lent ,” Laura said. “After Mardi Gras, it gets hoisted back up for Lent, and then he stays up for the rest of the season.”
For the Pitre siblings, Disco Chicken represents a reflection of the family dynamic that built Lakeview. “The whole idea of the chicken is sort of how Lakeview’s been built,” Laura said. “You’ve got one of us all coming together figuring out how to make it work, it’s just kind of a cool symbol of how we’ve made this place what it is.”
And that’s the heart of Lakeview, a place where creativity, family, and a little bit of disco magic come together to create something you won’t find anywhere else.
