April 22-26, 2009
Downtown Lafayette

The rhythms of this unique festival are filtered not by the eardrum, but by the spirit ..... Melodies mingle deep in your soul ..... Music seeps from the pores of your skin ..... a calypso beat ..... a Canadian folk song ..... a tale of lost love ...... Parisian cabaret ..... Cajun waltzes .....Creole fiddling ..... Reggae ..... Carribean carnival chants ..... Zydeco ..... Soukous from Zaire ..... Haitian rara ..... New Orleans Rhythm and Blues ..... ballads from Mali ..... a montage of music from the French-speaking world ..... the essence of Festival International de Louisiane ...... where the world unites -- in harmony.

Festival International de Louisiane is the largest Francophone (French speaking) festival in the United States. This FREE Festival began in 1986, and has been held every year since, in downtown Lafayette, Louisiana. Music, dancing, cuisine, theater, cooking demonstrations, storytelling, visual arts, crafts, and street animation create a major cultural festival experience that is truly unique and memorable.

Food vendors at Festival International de Louisiane transport you to the streets of far away lands. Tabasco and cayenne peppers. Mouth-watering seafood. Spicy Caribbean flavors. Jambalaya. Delicate pastas. French pastries. The subtle and the mild. The bold and provocative. Aromas mix in the warm Louisiana air, bringing together diverse cultures, like those of France and Africa in dishes of the French West Indies and Creole gumbo. And an adventurous audience discovers far away lands in the flavors of the world.

Visual and performing arts abound in galleries and theaters throughout Lafayette. Expressions of freedom, emotion, opinions and ideas emanate from movements on stage and brush strokes on canvas. In every medium there are personal interpretations of human experiences from the far corners of the earth. Theater. Dance. Cinema. Visual arts. Beauty is everywhere - in the potter's clay, in the words of the playwright, in the weave of the cloth, in the heart of the artist. Festival International holds a special place in its heart of the children of the world. La Place des Enfants. Storytellers. Games. Music. Art. Hands-on programs and active participation teach children about the diversity of cultures around the world. It is learning and entertainment, but most of all, it is fun!

Please note that Festival schedule and/or performers are subject to change at any time; any updates will be available immediately on the website.

Future Dates:
April 21-25, 2010