In St. Martin Parish, the spring festival season kicks off with the Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival, dedicated to the history and legacy of the people who would one day give rise to one of the area’s most iconic cultures—the Cajuns.
It’s human nature to be curious about your heritage; it’s Louisiana nature to put together a whole festival to celebrate it. In St. Martin Parish, the spring festival season kicks off with the Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival, dedicated to the history and legacy of the people who would one day give rise to one of the area’s most iconic cultures—the Cajuns.
After a year’s hiatus, The Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival returns on March 16, running from 10 am to 4 pm in Evangeline Oak Park on Bayou Teche in downtown St. Martinville. The festival is a laid-back, family-oriented affair, featuring live music, food, arts and crafts, théâtre en français, demonstrations, and kids’ activities. The events are free and open to the public; everyone’s invited!
Even if you don’t know the first thing about Cajun culture, one important fact jumps out very quickly: they know how to have a good time. Food and music play a prominent role in the festivities, with fried fish, jambalaya, and cracklins cooked up on site by local chefs, and Amis du Teche striking up tunes so lively they could make the very spirit of Evangeline come out to dance a two-step. Vendors and artisans of local Louisiana crafts will also have their wares on sale, perfect for a special gift or a memento to keep Acadiana alive in your own home.
Of course, the festival is designed not only to showcase current cultural touchstones, but also to honor the history that shaped them. The Acadian Memorial and its museum will be open and free of charge during the festival, allowing visitors a glimpse into the lives of over 3,000 Acadian refugees who forged a new life in Louisiana after being exiled from their homeland, Acadie, by the British in the eighteenth century. There will even be a reenactment of the Acadians’ arrival held at 1 pm on the scenic Bayou Teche.
Whether you can trace your family back to those exiles from Acadie or you, too, are just setting foot in Louisiana for the first time, the Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival is ready to draw you into the story of Acadiana as the past and present come alive under the live oak boughs of St. Martinville. Visit acadianmemorial.org for details.
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