Our beloved Acadiana poet Darrell Bourque once referred to early America’s free-form poets as “marvelous rebels” for breaking the rules of traditional form and allowing their works to be shaped by the spirit inherent in each one. In a modern world like ours, where the contours of our lives are so…
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Long before “farm-to-table” became a trend, Lafayette was already living it. In Lafayette, the term “farm to table” is a necessity. As a native myself, I grew up among the rice fields and crawfish ponds of the Acadiana area. Buying boiled crawfish at a restaurant was a foreign concept to me until…
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Each spring, Downtown Lafayette comes alive with the sights, sounds, and flavors of Festival International de Louisiane, the largest free Francophone festival in the U.S. This five-day event transforms the city into a global stage, where music, art, and culture from around the world take center…
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Since the very first Festival International de Louisiane in 1986 photographer Philip Gould has captured moments that show how the unique festival has grown to become one of the largest non-ticketed Francophone events in the world. We have partnered with him to showcase some his most memorable…
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Stretching across Lafayette and the surrounding communities, the African American Heritage Trail offers a powerful, place-based journey through the people, institutions, and stories that shaped Black life in Lafayette Parish and throughout Acadiana. From historic churches and schools founded during…
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GRAMMY award-winning and nominated musicians from Acadiana Music has been the soul of Acadiana since the area's humble beginnings, with a melting pot of Cajuns, Creoles, European, and Native American cultures inspiring fresh new sounds. South Louisiana has fostered folk music, country, rock, rhythm…
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For much of the 18th century, Spain ruled the Louisiana colony while England controlled land at its eastern borders. When Spanish Gov. Bernardo de Galvez took over in 1777, he quietly aided the American colonists fighting the British in the American Revolution by supplying them with arms shipped up…
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Since 2011, Erica Fox has poured her heart into Maison Creole de Freetown, the African American history museum she manages in one of Lafayette’s historic neighborhoods. The museum began as a way to honor the Indigenous people of this region and create space for Black, Indigenous, and…
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For Lafayette-based photographer Ben Pierce, inspiration often starts with an early morning on still water. The executive director of Swamp Base, Pierce has built his reputation photographing Louisiana’s iconic wetlands capturing mist rising off glassy bayous, light filtering through moss-draped…
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Lafayette boasts a growing literary scene. From acclaimed novelists to celebrated poets and culinary historians, these local writers offer a rich landscape of stories, insights, and flavors. Here's a look at some of Lafayette's notable authors and where you can discover their books in the community…
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