LAFAYETTE PARISH — The 39th annual Festival International de Louisiane wrapped up Sunday night in downtown Lafayette after a successful five-day run filled with music, food, art and culture — and despite some weather hurdles, organizers said it was a success.
“The vibe and the energy was great,” said Scott Feehan, executive director of Festival International. “A lot of people turned up and I think it was beautiful. Every year has its own story and its own adventure, and this year was no different.”
Organizers estimate that hundreds of thousands of people from across the region and beyond attended the internationally acclaimed event, which celebrates global cultures and Louisiana’s French heritage.
Storms early Thursday and lightning Friday night did cause some disruptions, including an early closure on Friday. But Feehan credited volunteers with stepping up to keep the festival going.
“Thursday morning had a storm come through, but the volunteers and people that stepped up to rebuild were incredible,” Feehan said. “By the time people got there Thursday night, nobody knew the difference.”
Safety was also top of mind this year. In addition to visible security measures and bollards placed throughout downtown, a layered safety plan was implemented.
“They came up with a comprehensive plan with a lot of layers to it,” Feehan said. “Happily, we made it through without any issues, except for health — like dehydration and overheating, that sort of stuff.”
A new addition this year was Ochsner’s on-site medical tent, which proved crucial in responding to health incidents quickly. Dr. Shamir Hasan, medical director of the tent, said they treated about 60 patients during the weekend for everything from dehydration and heat exhaustion to blisters and cuts.
“We had a lot of faints at the event from heat exhaustion and dehydration,” Hasan said. “We would hear it from the crowd or someone would come up to the tent to alert us, and we were able to go there pretty immediately with a wheelchair and bring them back to assess them.”
Hasan said the team received positive feedback and plans to review the data to make improvements for next year’s medical response.
Although this year’s festival just concluded, organizers are already gearing up for the 40th edition.
“We take a moment to rest, but we start planning again very quickly,” Feehan said.
