By Christopher Reynolds, L.A. Times staff writer

Sure, you could go to the jazz festival in New Orleans again this spring.

But don't underestimate the Angola Prison Rodeo. It's a chance to see serious felons testing their mettle against serious livestock.

It's a glimpse into an infamous lockup, bordered on three sides by the Mississippi River, where blues musician Leadbelly once did time. It's an introduction, amid plenty of homegrown food and music, to the peculiarly tangled history of public incarceration and private enterprise in the Tunica Hills of rural Louisiana.

"You really can't describe it. You have to experience an Angola rodeo," says Gary Young, project coordinator for the Louisiana State Penitentiary.

And don't worry, we'll tell you how to get tickets in a minute.