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LAFAYETTE INTERNATIONAL
CENTER CALENDAR
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revised 9-21-2023
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SEPTEMBER
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Fêtes de Wallonie—100th anniversary
Sep 9-18 | Namur, Belgium
Since 1923, these festivals have
celebrated patriotism and pride in the French-speaking Walloon region of
Belgium. While these celebrations take
place in many areas in this southern region of the country, they are
particularly successful in Lafayette’s sister city of Namur, where more than
250,000 people gravitate during the weekend. Several days of street
performances, a battle of the famous “Echasseurs”
stilt-walkers, performances of folklore singers and dancers, and programming
aimed at visitors of all ages, with all of downtown Namur turned into a
pedestrian fair.
For further information, visit http://www.namurtourisme.be/en
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BICENTENNIAL
Local Palooza Mercredi Show
Wednesday,
September 27 | Carencro
Part
of a 3-day celebration of local music and culture: Swamp Pop music
Revue to celebrate a music genre that has had national influence.
Contact Sami Parbhoo for details,
337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov
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BICENTENNIAL
Local Palooza Rhythms on the River
Thursday,
September 28 | River Ranch
Part
of a 3-day Celebration of local music and culture: Rock Revue featuring
Zach Edwards & The Medicine and then CC Adcock & The Lafayette
Marquis with special guests: Ray Boudreaux, Michael Juan Nunez, members of
the Good Dudes and more!
Contact Sami Parbhoo for details,
337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov
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BICENTENNIAL Local
Palooza Downtown Alive!
Friday, September 29 | Downtown Lafayette
Celebration of local
Cajun and Zydeco music featuring Roddie Romero & The Hub City All-Stars
with special guests: Sonny Landreth, Michael Doucet, Steve Riley, Dickie
Landry, Geno Delafose, Feufollet,
Corey Ledet, Jourdan Thibodeaux, Bonsoir Catin and more!
Contact Sami Parbhoo for details,
337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov
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BICENTENNIAL Bayou
Vermilionville Festival
and Boat Parade
Saturday, September 30 | Vermilionville | Lafayette
Contact
Sami Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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october 2023
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BICENTENNIAL SugarMan Triathlon and Duathlon
Sunday, October 1 | Sugar Mill Pond | Youngsville
USAT
Certified event. This is an outstanding race for spectators, with a
centralized transition area offering a great view of the final 1/2-mile of
the run around the lake to the dockside finish. Bring your friends and family
and have them cheer you through the final stretch.
Contact
Sami Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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BICENTENNIAL Latin Music Festival 2023 —21st Festival
Friday, October 6 | 5:45 – 9:00 PM | Parc
International, downtown Lafayette
This
Festival is organized and presented by the Asociación
Cultural Latino-Acadiana (ACLA), with the assistance of Downtown Alive! and
Festival International. ACLA is a volunteer organization at the service of
the Acadiana community in general and its Latin American members in
particular. ACLA offers the family-friendly Latin Music Festival and other
programs to promote multiculturalism and preserve Latin heritage. Their
objective is to promote among its members and their families the fundamental
values of our community: GOD, COUNTRY, FAMILY and FRIENDS, while preserving
our heritage.
They work to assist all immigrants of Latin descent residing in
Acadiana, regardless of place of origin and religion, to orient and make them
aware of existing resources; facilitate learning the language, their
obligations and rights; facilitate educational, employment and business
opportunities, as well as the procurement of services; so as to developing
responsible and productive community members.
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Acadiana Cup Golf Exchange 2023 The 22nd annual tournament.
Oct 8-13 | Lafayette, Louisiana
The Acadiana Cup golf tournament was created in 1998, in Lafayette,
Louisiana, in a spirit of friendly competition between Lafayette and her
sister city of Poitiers, France. In the five years that followed, players
were added from Namur (Belgium), Moncton (New Brunswick, Canada), Nîmes (France) and Prince Edward Island (Canada). Hosting
the tournament rotates among the member cities, with the location alternating
between North America and Europe.
The Lafayette team will host the 2023 tournament, which will be held
in Lafayette for the first time in thirteen years.
Contact Bob Hardy for details, bobhardy627@yahoo.com
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Shallow and Deepwater Expo—trade show to Mexico
Oct 10-12 | Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico.
Shallow & Deepwater
Mexico will address exploratory perspectives, operations and services in the
Gulf of Mexico. Industry professionals will meet with the Louisiana
delegation and share their knowledge, experience, and ideas to improve the
profitability of shallow and deepwater projects in
the Gulf of Mexico. www.shallowanddeepwaterexpo.com/en/
Contact: Christophe Pilut for details.
337-291-5474 CLPilut@LafayetteLA.gov
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2023 General Assembly, AIMF (International Association
of French-Speaking Mayors)
Oct 11-14 | Cotonou, Benin
This
year’s General Assembly will be held in the African country of Benin, on the
theme of “Art and Urban Cultures: Factors and Challenges for regional development.”
Contact:
Dave Domingue for details. 337-291-5474 dadomingue@LafayetteLA.gov
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BICENTENNIAL Festivals Acadiens et Créoles
Oct 13-15
l Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana
The
first Tribute to Cajun Music in 1974 took Cajun and Creole music out of the
dancehalls and onto a concert stage. Forty-three years later, the tribute has
grown into a three-day celebration of music, food, art, crafts, museum
exhibits, symposiums, film screenings, and more. It is a giant among
Lafayette’s festivals, attracting people of all ages, and of many different
nationalities from all over the world. Admission is free.
For details, visit https://www.festivalsacadiens.com/
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BICENTENNIAL Little Amal
Wednesday, Oct 18 l 6:00 PM | Parc International,
Lafayette, Louisiana
Little Amal is a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old
Syrian refugee girl, spreading her story of hope as she discovers the beating
heart of America, its blended culture and diverse people. Sights and sounds by Acadiana Symphony Youth
Orchestra, Acadiana Talent Youth Actors Troupe, Brandon Broussard, Coco Tribe
of Canneci Tinne, Corey Ledet, Fire Expressions Performing Arts Conservatory,
Riley Family Band, Soul Express Brass Band, and The Magnolia Sisters will be
among those welcoming Amal to Acadiana.
Her route
will take her from the ACA to Jefferson Street, up to Congress (Science
Museum corner), turning down Congress to Polk, and up Polk to Parc
International.
For details, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1405804856666270/
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Export-Import Bank of the US (EXIM Bank) Annual
Conference 2023
Oct. 19-20 | Washington, DC.
EXIM is an independent federal
agency that fills gaps in private export finance, in order to bolster US job
growth at no cost to American taxpayers. EXIM provides trade financing
solutions—including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, and
guarantees of commercial loans to foreign buyers—to empower exporters of US
goods and services.
Contact: Christophe Pilut for
details. 337-291-5474 CLPilut@LafayetteLA.gov
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Franco-Fête 2023 Fundraising luncheon for scholarship program of CODOFIL
Sunday, Oct 22 | Petroleum Club of Lafayette (Ballrooom)
Each year, Franco-Fête raises funds to
support French education in Louisiana, especially through La Fondation Louisiane’s
“Escadrille Louisiane” scholarship program which
allows dozens of Louisiana students to study in France (Brittany, Martinique,
and Guadeloupe), before pursuing careers as teachers in immersion schools
across the State.
The program
will also feature the presentation of the “Marquis de La Fayette 2022”
award. In attendance will be numerous
CODOFIL partners, Louisiana senators and representatives, local elected
officials, entrepreneurs, university professors and other officials.
For
details, contact Dave Domingue: dadomingue@LafayetteLA.gov or 337-291-5474
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NOVEMber
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BICENTENNIAL Native
American Culture Day
Saturday,
November 11 l Vermilionville, Lafayette, Louisiana
Each
year we host our Native American Culture Day in November, the focus of which
is to celebrate the rich history and modern culture of the tribes and tribal
communities whose lands fall within the boundaries of Louisiana. Tribes from across the state will come to
share their stories, music, drumming, dance, crafts, language, and
culture. Our theme for our Culture
Days this cycle deals with family in folklore: “Although the word ‘family’ has
different meanings in different groups, and it’s been through many changes
over time, the family has always been an essential part of the cultural
story.” All of the many people of
Louisiana’s tribes are welcome, and in the past
we’ve hosted:
Atakapa-Ishak Nation, Avogel Tribe of Louisiana, Canneci
N’de band of Lipan Apache, Chitimacha Tribe of
Louisiana, Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, Isle de Jean Charles Band of
Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw, Louisiana Atakapa Tribe, Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe, and United Houma Nation.
Contact
Sami Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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BICENTENNIAL Veteran’s
Day Parade
Saturday,
November 11 l Downtown Lafayette
Join us as we honor our veterans with a Veteran's parade
downtown that ends at Parc International. Afterwards at Cite des Arts, there
will be a discussion with interviewer & historian, Jason Theriot,
about his interviews with the French speaking WWII veterans from Acadiana.
That will be followed by a showing of "Mon Cher Camarade",
a film that tells the story of these soldiers whose knowledge of French
helped the US army in Europe.
Contact
Sami Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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International Workboat
Show 2023
Nov 29 – Dec. 1 | Ernest N. Morial Convention
Center, New Orleans, LA
The International WorkBoat Show is a
trade-only conference and expo for commercial
vessel owners, operators and builders
as well as the vendors and suppliers that serve them.
Visit https://www.workboatshow.com/ or contact: Christophe Pilut
for details. 337-291-5474 CLPilut@LafayetteLA.gov
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decEMber
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BICENTENNIAL Christmas
Through the Centuries
Dec 2-23 l Acadian Village | Lafayette
Noël
Acadien Au Village. Acadian Village, Lafayette. 5:30
pm - 9:00 pm. $10 at the gate; $8 in advance. Festival fundraiser with half a
million lights, displays, food, entertainment, and holiday shopping.
Contact
Sami Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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BICENTENNIAL Christmas
Tree Bicentennial Decoration Competition
TBD l
Downtown Lafayette
Christmas tree decorating competition
in Downtown Lafayette. Businesses, families, organizations, and creative
individuals from around Acadiana will compete in a friendly contest to see
who can decorate the most impressive tree of Christmas.
Contact
Sami Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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BICENTENNIAL Old Time
Winter Traditions
Dec 12-13
l Vermilionville | Lafayette
Vermilionville’s
historic village brings to life the holiday traditions of yesteryear.
Visitors young and old are invited to sing Christmas carols, listen to storytelling,
decorate cookies, make bousillage ornaments, view
the decorations in the village, vote for their People’s Choice in the
Gingerbread House Contest thru December 16th and much more. Vermilionville’s
artisans will be on hand to demonstrate winter traditions of the Acadian,
Creole and Native American cultures such as open hearth
cooking demonstrations and making candles, soap, natural decorations, and
citrus pomanders. Children will enjoy writing letters to Papa Noël, and can
even meet the French Santa Claus himself, who was actually a trapper that
would deliver presents such as candy, money and small toys. We will also have
animal feed for sale, so that guests can enjoy feeding our Provence donkey
and three Gulf Coast Native sheep. Vermilionville’s restaurant, La Cuisine de
Maman, will also be open for regular business hours
that day, offering Cajun and Creole favorite plate lunches as well as a full
menu of other items.
Contact Sami
Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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BICENTENNIAL Old Time
Winter Family Day
Saturday,
December 16 l Vermilionville | Lafayette
Contact
Sami Parbhoo for details, 337-291-5474; separbhoo@LafayetteLA.gov.
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