International Acadian Festival

If you’re ready to continue celebrating the culture of South Louisiana, you won’t have to wait long. From October 14—16, the city of Plaquemine will host the forty-eighth International Acadian Festival, celebrating the development of the unique Cajun culture that arose from a community of refugees who arrived in Louisiana after being forced to leave what is now Nova Scotia, Canada. Despite the danger and trauma of this cross-continental dislocation, the Acadians (from which the word “Cajun” is derived) ultimately thrived in their new home, maintaining their language and continuing old cultural celebrations while developing new ones.

The festival offers the food, music, and community you can always expect from a classic Louisiana festival. Local favorites the Chase Tyler Band and South 70 Band will provide music, a cooking contest will pit local dishes against each other, and area arts & crafts will be displayed.

The festival also boasts a few unique touches: the most classically Acadian of these is the annual Water Ceremony, commemorating the rich mythology of the Acadian relocation. The queen of the festival dresses as Evangeline, the heroine of the Longfellow poem, and proceeds down Bayou Plaquemine in a boat, looking for her love. This dramatic reenactment of the classic story is a long tradition for the festival and certainly worth experiencing for yourself. Other attractions include a Texas Hold ‘Em tournament on Friday night and a parade on Sunday, which sees big floats commemorating Acadian history and culture moving through the streets of Plaquemine.

Come take part in this long-running and heritage-rich Louisiana celebration. The festivities will take place at Bayou Plaquemine Waterfront Park, October 14—16. For more information, call (225) 687-3116 or visit acadianfestival.org.

Photo by David Keith