Love Cajun Country Music? Experience Festivals Acadiens et Créoles
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, held each October in Lafayette, covers the sweep of culture in the region, including its European, African and Indian roots.
The towns of Cajun Country hold a festival for nearly everything. You can attend the Giant Omelette Celebration in Abbeville, the Rayne Frog Festival, or the Cracklin Festival in Port Barre. But the event that sums up Cajun Country best is the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles.
When is Festival Acadien et Créoles?
Held each October in Lafayette (lovingly called Louisiana’s Cajun capital), the festival celebrates the region’s diverse history and heritage, like its ties toEuropean, African and Indian cultures.
Festival Schedule & Events
The festival features three distinct events. Music lovers will appreciate the Festival de Musique, which spotlights Cajun and zydeco music and features top names in the genres. The scrumptious Bayou Food Festival celebrates Cajun and Creole culinary delights, such as boudin, étouffée and jambalaya. For handcrafted goods, many made by the United Houma Nation, explore the Louisiana Craft Fair. You’ll find an abundance of jewelry, sculptures and furniture from area craftsmen.
History of Festival Acadien et Créoles
The festivals emerged in the 1970s and are emblematic of the rehabilitation of Cajun culture that began at that time, from language and music to cuisine. "At the festivals, each component celebrates a different aspect of Cajun Country’s culture," says Patrick Mould, a Cajun chef and former event contributor.
Situated in Girard Park, next to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, the musical focal points of the festivals are its two performance stages and a dance hall. The event also has an intimate side, including public interviews with folk icons, music workshops, cooking demonstrations and activities for children. In a sense, the feête goes beyond Girard Park. As the great Cajun metropolis, Lafayette puts forward superior restaurants and a nightlife that is particularly spirited during the festivals.
“It gets pretty cranked up,” Mould says. “That weekend it kicks into high gear.”
Though Lafayette is a grown-up city, it remains easy to navigate. That makes Mould’s advice to visitors simple: “Just get here early and bring your dancing shoes.”
Ultimately, the Festivals Acadiens center on the people of Cajun Country. They have endured major hardships over time, but have alchemized it into a welcoming joie de vivre. “The Cajuns are very kind-hearted people. They really take you into their hearts,” Mould says.
For more information, see FestivalsAcadiens.com and plan to join the fun in Lafayette.
P.N. Reichard is a Louisiana-based freelance travel writer.
