This October 14 through October 16, 2022, Festival Acadiens et Créoles will transform Girard Park in the city center of Lafayette, Louisiana, into the world's largest FREE Cajun and Zydeco music festival. Festival organizers have stacked many exciting cultural events and community activities during the week leading up to the festival and throughout the weekend. With so many cultural experiences, festival-goers may want to plan ahead so they can get the most out of the most beautiful festival in South Louisiana with this COMPLETE GUIDE TO ALL THINGS FESTIVAL 2022.
FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE
2022 Music Lineup with Over 50 Cajun and Zydeco Bands
The Festival has a wide mix of internationally renowned artists from Louisiana. The 2022 lineup includes local and national performers, including Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas, Wayne Toups & ZydeCajun, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Chris Ardoin, Feufollet, Cory Ledet, Geno Delafose, French Rockin' Boogie and others.
Louisiana Crafts Fair
Curated by the Louisiana Crafts Guild, the crafts fair presents the handmade culture of Louisiana. With over 70 booths from across Louisiana and the Greater South, the Crafts Fair is a unique shopping experience.
Bayou Food Festival
Enjoy the best of Cajun and Créole cuisine at the Bayou Food Festival. Over 30 restaurants will be cooking up festival-goers’ favorite flavors. Culture Sur la Table will have live cooking demonstrations hosted by Chef Colt Patin, Chef Kevin Foil and other local chefs.
Festivals 2022 Pin & Poster designed by Artist Denise Gallagher
Artist Denise Gallagher was selected as the official artist for the 47th Annual Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and was commissioned to design and illustrate posters and pins for the March and October festivals. Pins and posters can be purchased at the festival and a percent of pin sales benefit McLaffy Ronald McDonald Suite at Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
PRE-FESTIVAL CHECKLIST
Village des Tentes: Reserve Your Festival Space in the Park. Enjoy the festival in your very own festival spot. Through Village des Tentes, festival-goers can rent space in the park for the weekend and put up a tent or pop up a few lawn chairs. It's a great way to enjoy the weekend with family and friends. Rental fees are very affordable.
Register for Tour des Atakapas Run and Duathlon
Warm up your dancing legs with a run of 5k or 10k or the Duathlon 1.5 Run, 2mi Paddle, 1.5 run, or 5k Lagniappe. Or an 8k or 11k with a little extra!
Visit https://www.latrail.org/tourdesatakapas to register.
Buy Your Tickets to the Annual Zydeco Pancake Breakfast. Kiwanis Club of Acadiana is hosting the popular toe-tapping flapjack breakfast.
Saturday, October 15, 8-11am, Parc International / $10 admission
Purchase Tickets
CULTURAL COMMUNITY EVENTS THE WEEK LEADING UP TO FESTIVALS
Festival Kickoff at the Feed & Seed Festivals Acadiens et Creoles will kick off the festival at their monthly Legacy Series at the Feed & Seed. October's legend spotlight is Amédé Ardoin with special guests including Dexter Ardoin, Joe Hall, Herman Fuselier and David Greely.
Thursday, October 6, 7-9 pm, Feed & Seed Lafayette
FREE Admission
Blue Moon Saloon, The Official Honky Tonk of Festivals
Dance the week away at Acadiana’s favorite honky tonk, Blue Moon Saloon.
Visit BlueMoonPresents.com for the music lineup.
Franco Forum
The Francophone Ethnomusicology Association meeting will serve as the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles’ symposium for this year. There will be virtual and live presentations on traditional music from various parts of the French-speaking world.
The Center for Louisiana Studies is organizing this event in cooperation with Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, the Université des Antilles and the Sorbonne.
October 12-13, 9 am - 5 pm / Hayes Town House Museum
FREE Admission / Open to the Public
FESTIVAL PERKS
Cashless Wristbands for Beverages
In lieu of paper tickets, we will be using cashless wristbands at all beverage locations. Visit a JD Bank Wristband location during Festivals to load up your wristband.
Louisiana Sports Tent
Watch your favorite sports team. Listen to your favorite band. Louisiana Sports Tent will be airing LSU vs. Florida Gators on Saturday and Saints vs. Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
Bike Lafayette Bike Corral
Peddle over to Festivals Acadiens et Créoles and park your bike safely at Bike Lafayette's Bike Corral. And hey, parking is free.
Tune into KRVS.org
For fans and friends near and far, you can stream Festivals Acadiens et Créoles live from KRVS.org or tune in to 88.7 FM.
Les Place des Petits
Bring your little ones so they can enjoy arts & crafts, activities, games and storytime.
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles can trace its roots back to the first Tribute to Cajun Music Festival organized by CODOFIL in 1974. Festivals Acadiens et Créoles was officially established in 1977 with components of music, food and crafts. Since then, the event has grown into a multi-day affair taking place during the second full weekend of October each year in Lafayette, La. Festivals operates as a nonprofit corporation and is run by a community board and volunteers.
Macaroni Kid can make it super easy for you to find your family fun all year long. Receive a local calendar of family-friendly events each Thursday evening when you SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE!
You'll be glad you did ... and so will your kids!
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