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LAFAYETTE INTERNATIONAL
CENTER CALENDAR
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revised 1-17-24
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january
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Cinema on the Bayou
Jan 24-31 | Lafayette and Opelousas, various venues
On January 24, 2024, the 19th Cinema on
the Bayou Film Festival will kick off eight days of films, showcase over 150
films, and feature hundreds of filmmakers and other film industry
professionals from across the United States and around the world.
For details, visit CinemaontheBayou.com
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february
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LAGCOE Roux
Fest Gumbo Cookoff
Feb 8 | Blackham
Coliseum, Lafayette, Louisiana
LAGCOE is returning to its roots! Get ready for a
flavorful celebration of Louisiana's rich culinary heritage at the Roux Fest
Gumbo Cookoff powered by LAGCOE, where the best gumbo recipes come to life!
Join us for an afternoon filled with mouthwatering dishes, friendly
competition, and the unique culture that makes Louisiana so special. Start
your Mardi Gras celebration with us.
More info at https://lagcoe.com/gumbo-cookoff/gumbo-cookoff-2023
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MARCH
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La Boule Cadienne de Lafayette International Acadiana
Pétanque Festival
Mar 1-2 | in
Lafayette, LA
Pétanque is a French game with roots in
ancient history. Similar to horseshoes and bocce ball, the game requires
precision, finesse and a great deal of concentration that may not be apparent
to the casual spectator. This popular lawn game is played throughout the
world, both for fun and as serious competition.
The International Pétanque Tournament
will take place March March 2, in Girard Park, in
Lafayette. Both before and after the tournament, Festival organizers and
participants will take part in a number of educational and social events in
and around Lafayette to promote the sport.
The local pétanque club is a group of
people who share a love of the outdoors, good conversation, and a healthy
appetite for fun. They play on a regular monthly schedule, but also whenever
the weather is nice and the mood strikes. They are affiliated with Alliance
Française de Lafayette, whose mission it is to promote the French language,
so they frequently do their socializing in French. They play as a club every
fourth Sunday of the month from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, meeting at the public
pétanque courts in Girard Park. The courts are located in the northeast
corner of the park, across from the rear of the UL Alumni Center. Parking is
conveniently located along the one-way street behind the center. Beginners
are most welcome.
For details and a full schedule of this
year’s events, contact Mike LeBlanc at 337-654-9467 or leblanc.mike@me.com , or visit http://www.usapetanque.org/la-boule-cadienne-de-lafayette.html
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Louisiana District Export Council quarterly meeting
Thursday, March 14 | 10:30 AM to noon at Baton Rouge Port
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Celtic Bayou Festival
Mar 15-16 | The Hideaway on Lee | 407 Lee Avenue,
downtown Lafayette
This year at the festival, the Breton region of France
and its Celtic heritage will be highlighted with music, food, culture and
drink from the region. There will be talks on language and history and its
connections to Acadiana and Celtic culture.
For details, visit http://www.celticbayoufestival.com
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International
Francophone Day of French Language and Culture
Mar 20 | in and around Lafayette
International
Francophonie Month
celebrating French Language and Culture
March is
Le Mois de la Francophonie, a global celebration of
the diversity of those who speak French. There are over 369 million French
speakers on the planet. In 1970, the OIF (International Organization of
French language and culture) established March 20 as International
Francophonie Day (French: Journée internationale de la Francophonie), to celebrate the
French language and Francophone culture. This was expanded in 1995 by the
French Ministry of Culture and Communication to span a week or more, and now
the celebration extends to the entire month of March.
A variety
of events will take place in and around Lafayette, including the raising of
the OIF flag at Lafayette City-Parish Hall, and other events sponsored by
Vermilionville, CODOFIL, and others.
Contact Dave Domingue for
details. (337) 291-5474;
dadomingue@LafayetteLA.gov
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Lafayette Holi
Festival
Mar 30 | 11:00 AM Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana
In India,
the Holi Festival is the festival of colors. For decades the members of the
Acadiana Indian Association celebrated the festival in their backyards, but
since 2011, they have brought it to the community. Hosted each year by the
Association, the festival is held each year on the last Saturday in March.
The celebration is held to signify the victory of good over evil and the
arrival of Spring.
The
festival is free to attend and open to all ages, with bags of colors
available for purchase. It features the iconic throw of color powders, live
music, dance performances, water balloons, food, drinks, and more.
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APRIL
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Cycle Zydeco
Apr 3-7 |
Cycle Zydeco
is a four-day casual touring ride in South Louisiana. The ride takes place
every year during the week after Easter. The festivities include great
food, live music, and the finest flat roads Louisiana has to offer.
More info
at www.cyclezydeco.org
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Festival International de Louisiane
Apr 24-28 | Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana
Festival International de Louisiane is the largest International music
and arts festival in the United States with a special emphasis on the
connection between Acadiana and the Francophone world, having an estimated
economic impact of $49m annually. With over 300,000 festival-goers every
year, this annual festival features musical artists from over 20 countries
along with workshops, exhibits, visual art, theater and other forms of
performance arts. The 5-day festival is held in April transforming downtown
Lafayette, Louisiana into an entertainment mecca.
For details, visit https://festivalinternational.org/information/
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National Small Business Week
Apr 28 – May 4 | National Small Business Week
Virtual
Conference, hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration
For information, visit https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week
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MAY
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Offshore Technology
Conference (OTC)
May 6-9 | Houston, TX
Largest petroleum show
in the US. Christophe represents the International Center, and prospects for
trade leads, working with LEDA, USCS, OneAcadiana, LAGCOE, and Louisiana Economic
Development.
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Nuits Cajun 2024
May 25-26 | Buxy, Burgundy, France
A 3-afternoon, 2-night concerts/bals of Cajun and Zydeco music, dance and instrumental
courses, Louisiana cinema, local food dishes… all of these elements are
brought together to give visitors a taste of the most Francophone and
Francophile state in the U.S.! The objective: to promote, preserve and raise
awareness of the French heritage and culture of Louisiana. This festival was
previously located in Saulieu and in Saint-Sernin-du-Bois.
See www.bayouprod.com
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Louisiana
International Trade Conference
TBD | In conjunction with International Trade Month, the
World Trade Center New Orleans will host the inaugural Louisiana
International Trade (LIT) Conference. The LIT Conference will serve as
Louisiana’s premier conference on trade and logistics, bringing together a
robust compilation of panel discussions, marketing and networking
opportunities, keynotes and appearances by high-ranking State and Federal
officials, an exhibit hall and more.
Contact Harrison Crabtree for more information
at hcrabtree@gnoinc.org
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Farewell Reception for UL
International Students
TBD | TBD | UL Alumni Center |
Lafayette, LA
Annual farewell given to graduating international
students of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, co-hosted by UL
Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie and City-Parish Mayor-President Josh
Guillory. Graduating students are invested as Goodwill Ambassadors
representing Lafayette, followed by a reception. A joint project of the
UL Division of Global Engagement, the UL Alumni Association, the LCG
Mayor-President’s Office, the Lafayette International Center, and the UL
Lafayette President’s Office.
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JUNE
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Global Energy Show
June 11-13 | Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Keeping pace with energy industry’s
transition from a focus on fossil fuels to a diversified energy mix, the
Global Petroleum Show changed its name to the Global Energy Show. The
Global Energy Show builds upon significant technological and sustainable
achievements driven by oil and gas and moves to encompass alternative
sources. The Show is a platform where North American stakeholders,
policy makers, key players and industry professionals convene under one roof.
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Louisiana District Export Council quarterly meeting
Thursday, June 20 | 10:30 AM | virtual meeting
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JULY
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45th Anniversary celebration of Lafayette-Namur
twinning
TBD | Namur, Belgium
A delegation of Lafayette
representatives will attend the celebration of the 45th anniversary of the
twinning between sister-cities of Lafayette, LA, and Namur, Belgium.
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AUGUST
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Welcome Reception for UL International Students
TBD
Annual welcome and orientation to
Lafayette for
arriving international students of the University of
Louisiana at Lafayette, co-hosted by
City-Parish Mayor-President Josh Guillory and UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie. Reception following. A joint project of the
LCG Mayor-President’s Office, the Lafayette International Center, the UL
Lafayette President’s Office; and the UL Division of Global Engagement.
Contact
Christophe Pilut for details,
337-291-5474; clpilut@LafayetteLA.gov
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La Semaine Acadienne XVIII in Normandy, France
Aug 7-15 TBC | Normandy, France
This festival takes place every year in
several towns on the Côte de Nacre, near the D-Day landing sites in Normandy.
It was created to pay homage to the Acadian soldiers who landed June 6, 1944,
on the Normandy beaches. The festival culminates on August 15, the national
holiday of the Acadians, joining like celebrations on this side of the
Atlantic.
Visit www.semaineacadienne.net
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Congrès Mondial Acadien (CMA) 2024
in Canada
Aug 10-18 | The CMA is a
festival of Acadian and Cajun culture, held every five years since 1994. Its
aim is to bring together the Acadian diaspora from the four corners of the
world for a reunion, with a series of family gatherings, conferences and
shows lasting ten days. In 2024, it will be held in Southwestern Nova Scotia,
Canada.
More info at https://cma2024.ca/en/cma-2024
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SEPTEMBER
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Fêtes de Wallonie
Sep 8-18 | 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.
More info at https://www.fetesdewallonie.be/
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Acadiana Cup
Golf Exchange 2024 The 23rd annual tournament.
Sep 8-14 | Italy
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.
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Louisiana
District Export Council quarterly meeting
TBD | TBD
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october
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Franco-Fête
2024 Fundraising luncheon for scholarship program of CODOFIL
TBD
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” award, and
the “Fondation Louisiane Hall of Fame” inductee. In attendance will be
numerous CODOFIL partners, Louisiana senators and representatives, local
elected officials, entrepreneurs, university professors and other Louisiana officials.
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O.I.F. SUMMIT [international organization of francophonie]
Oct 3-5 | Paris, France
The Francophonie summit will open on 4
October 2024 at the Cité internationale
de la langue française, in Villers-Cotterêts, France, a place entirely dedicated to the
French language and French-speaking cultures, inaugurated on 30 October 2023
by M. Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic of France. The summit will
continue in Paris, France, on 5 October 2024.
More info at https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/french-foreign-policy/francophony-and-the-french-language/news/article/francophonie-19th-francophonie-summit-in-france-focusing-on-creativity
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WEFTEC 2024 The 97th annual
technical exhibition & conference
Oct 5-9 | Morial Convention
Center, New Orleans, Louisiana
WEFTEC, the Water Environment
Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference, is the world's most
comprehensive gathering of water quality professionals and thought leaders,
featuring the sector's leading conference program and a variety of valuable
networking opportunities.
For more info, visit www.WEFTEC.org.
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Festivals Acadiens et Créoles
Oct 11-13 | 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 at Blackham Coliseum. 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. The celebration is a giant among
Lafayette’s festivals, attracting people of all
ages, of many different nationalities
from all over the world. The theme of this year’s festival: A tribute
to the role of women in Cajun and Creole music. Admission is free.
For
details, visit https://www.festivalsacadiens.com/
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Latin Music Festival
TBD | TBD | Parc International, downtown Lafayette
This Festival is organized and presented by
the Asociación Cultural Latino-Acadiana (ACLA), a volunteer organization at
the service of the Acadiana community in general and its Latin American
members in particular. ACLA offers the free, 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.
For details, visit https://www.aclalaf.org/latin-festival.
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Tour du Teche 135
October 4-6 | Port Barre to Berwick, La.
Tour du
Teche is an annual three-day race down the entire course of Bayou Teche in
South Louisiana. The race offers options for the adventurous paddler through
a pro-race with cash prizes, and a recreational option, the Voyageur Race.
Ports of call include Port Barre (start), Leonville,
Breaux Bridge, Parks, St. Martinville (1st-day
finish), Loreauville, New Iberia, Jeanerette, Charenton,
Baldwin, Franklin (2nd-day finish), Centerville, Patterson, Bayou Vista, and
Berwick (3rd-day finish). Canoes, kayaks, and pirogues (the traditional Cajun
canoe) are welcome to enter. The opening ceremony starts Thursday and the
race begins Friday at the Port Barre boat launch.
This event is coordinated by Tour du Teche, Inc., a non-profit
organization that was organized to promote outdoor recreation along the Bayou
Teche Corridor through St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia, and St. Mary parishes.
For more information on the Tour, visit their web site at https://tourduteche.com.
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UL
Lafayette: Study Abroad Program
The
Study Abroad Program allows a degree-seeking student to combine intellectual
pursuits with a sense of adventure—creating a deeper learning experience that
widens cultural views and prepares a person for the global marketplace beyond
graduation.
Recent programs included
Costa Rica (10 days, 3 credit hours), England (3 weeks, 6 credit hours),
France (6 weeks, 9 credit hours), Italy (6 weeks, 9 credit hours), Ireland (3
weeks, 6 credits), Morocco (4 weeks, 6 credits), Romania (2 weeks, 3 credits)
and South Korea (3 weeks, 6 credits).
The initial
application deadline will be in mid-December with a final deadline of January
25. Pre-departure orientations typically begin in
March.
For details, visit https://studyabroad.louisiana.edu/programs and https://studyabroad.louisiana.edu.
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LAGCOE
LAGCOE has launched a
rebranding that will mark a new era for the organization, as Louisiana and
the US are relying less on oil and gas and more on renewable energy sources
and the industry's footprint in the Lafayette area continues to shrink.
The agency
indicated its future will not
include the exposition and conference format of the past. Instead, it
will introduce a range of new events designed to better align with the
evolving needs of the energy industry. They will continue to foster networking opportunities, facilitate knowledge
exchange and contribute to the economic growth of the region and industry.
They remain committed to a dynamic approach to education, innovation and
community engagement.
For
details, visit https://lagcoe.com/.
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NOVEMber
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ADIPEC (Abu Dhabi International Petroleum
Exhibition & Conference)
Nov 11-14
| Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum
Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) is one of the world’s most influential
events for the oil and gas industry. As a premium exhibition platform ADIPEC enables
professionals from around the world to do business and grow.
Each year, ADIPEC provides one of the
most important channels to do business and exchange information, attracting
Energy Ministers, global CEO’s and leading decision makers across the 4 days
of business discussions and knowledge exchange.
ADIPEC covers a cross section of the
industry and is committed to help the growing international energy community
bridge gaps by bringing oil and gas professionals face to face. From C-level,
senior decision makers, government leaders, engineers and procurement experts
with sole or joint purchasing authority, the whole supply chain meet to
showcase and discuss new technologies and business opportunities.
For more details and to register visit:
www.adipec.com
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DECember
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General Assembly of the Association of Francophone Prefects and State-level
Representatives (APREF)
TBD | TBD
APREF is an association
within the IOF. Its mission is to provide a forum for Prefects and other
State-level Representatives to benefit from sharing concerns and
administrative practices.
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International
Workboat Show
TBD | 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.
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Louisiana
District Export Council quarterly meeting
TBD | TBD
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