Right on schedule, the cold front signifies Festivals Acadiens et Creoles week! The autumnal festival, held every second week of October, celebrates Cajun heritage through cuisine, music and lots and lots of dancing. In addition to the festival proper, additional festivities in and around town will coincide and make perfect bookends to anything that goes down in Girard Park later this week.
10/11: Female Perspectives in Cajun and Creole Culture Symposium: Folklorists, lyricists, professors and more will convene Friday morning at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard Art Museum for the museum’s annual symposium. From 9 a.m.-4 p.m, experts will hold court on women’s influence on Cajun and creole culture related to food, art, music and poetry. Speakers include Dr. Barry Ancelet, musician Kelli Jones, Prairie des Femmes blogger Ashlee Wilson Michot and many more. The event itself is free, however, registration and fees are required for lunch from Porch, Wine and Gravy. Register here for $20
10/11: Women’s Festivals Acadiens Charivari: Care to make some noise? Women are invited to bring their pots, pans, noisemakers, megaphones, accordions and drums at the inaugural charivari (French for mock serenade)! Traditionally performed to celebrate a marriage, the cacophony will be led by Lian Cheramie and Sarah Mikayla Brown, the playwrights and stars of “Cajun Face.” The procession will depart from the symposium at the university art museum at 4:30 p.m. and end at the festival’s cutting of the boudin at 5 p.m. This is a family-friendly event, and all are welcome.
10/11: Revelers/Feufollet at Artmosphere: Closing out the first night of Festivals Acadiens are two local favorites. The Revelers and Feufollet will join forces Friday at 10 p.m. as festival goers meander from the park to Artmosphere. The two acts are long-established for their youthful contributions to the Cajun music canon. Tickets will be available at the door for a to-be-determined price.
10/11: La Poussiere hosts the Pine Leaf Boys: A Breaux Bridge staple, La Poussuere Cajun Dancehall will welcome one of Louisiana’s finest acts Friday night at 8 p.m. The act has toured the world with their blended genre of Cajun, zydeco, swamp-pop, country and soul. For those who have never seen the Boys, Rolling Stone called them “The best new energetic, fun Cajun band in a very long time,” and New York Times labeled them as “the link that connects the young and old generations.” Tickets will be available at the door for a to-be-determined price.
10/11-10/13: Festivals Acadiens et Creoles 2019: One of the largest free events in the state of Lousiana, Festivals Acadiens will take over Girard Park this Friday with a cutting of the boudin at 5 p.m. Live music on six stages, cooking demonstrations, Louisiana Craft Fair, Bayou Food Festival, children’s activities, impromptu jam sessions and the Tour des Atakapas race and duathalon round out the weekend activities! Keep an eye out for the new Sports Tent and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette authors’ kiosk as well.
