ADDIS — The kids at the Addis VFW didn't need much warming up last Wednesday morning. When Poisson Rouge launched into their set, hands went up and feet started moving — and some of the children already knew the words. In French.

It was the second time in two weeks the modern Cajun band from Vermilion Parish had performed for West Baton Rouge children through the WBR Parish Parks and Recreation summer enrichment program. They played the Port Allen Community Center on June 3. Wednesday's performance at the Addis VFW drew a packed room of summer campers.

"They were very open, very receptive, very eager to be involved," said one band member. "The fact that some of the kids remembered the songs we did the first week was impressive. That was two weeks ago. In French."

Lisa Cazes, who runs the summer camp program, said bringing Poisson Rouge in was a deliberate choice. The theme at the Port Allen camp was Louisiana Adventure, and she wanted kids exposed to the music of their home state.

"I'm a Cajun girl, so I absolutely love this," Cazes said. "As you noticed today, they remember the words. They remember the steps. That's amazing."

The camp costs $10 a week per child, a price point Cazes said makes it accessible to most families. Each location accepts up to 125 campers. The Port Allen and Addis sites are both full — and Addis currently has 62 children on a waiting list.

"They wake up at one, two o'clock in the morning to start registering their children," Cazes said of the demand. "It's a really good feeling."

For Poisson Rouge — led by singer-songwriter and accordionist Kylie Griffin — performing for children is part of the mission. Several band members are also music educators in Vermilion Parish.

"So much of Louisiana, I think, is commercialized, and people start to forget where they come from," the Griffins said. "It's interesting to watch kids see themselves and their ancestors in the music and take hold of it. They might not fully embrace it now, but 10 years down the road, they'll have something to latch on to."

The band's debut album, Là-Bas, was considered for a Grammy nomination in the Best Regional Roots Music Album category in 2023 — recognition that caught even the band off guard.

"I got an email one day and I didn't believe it, so I actually called the guy to make sure it was legit," Gregg Griffin recalled. "He chuckled and said, yeah, this is real. It was just an honor to be even considered. It was hugely motivating — that validation we needed at the right time."

Poisson Rouge has upcoming performances at Vermilionville in Lafayette on July 26 and in Drummondville, Quebec — a suburb of Montreal — in October.

Each WBR summer camp session ends with a performance hour where campers perform for parents, grandparents, and family members, followed by a slideshow of the summer's highlights.

WBR Parish Parks and Recreation summer enrichment programs are free to the public. The summer camp program runs $10 per week.