ST. MARTIN PARISH — St. Martinville will be holding the La Fete Nationale de L'Acadie on Aug. 15–16 with a two-day festival celebrating the National Day of Acadians. The festival will be honoring the culture, history, and traditions of Louisiana’s Acadian community. The events will feature processions, music, cultural presentations, and traditional Cajun and Creole food. La Fete Nationale de L'Acadie, National Day of Acadians, has lots planned!
KATC has a full breakdown of the Festival's events.
Mayor Willis says the celebration is about honoring the journey and resilience of the Acadians who settled in Louisiana after their deportation from Nova Scotia in 1755. “We just want the people to come out to celebrate with us and the Acadians,” Willis said. “They are vibrant here now.”
Here's the schedule for the festival:
Friday, Aug. 15 — Fête-Dieu du Teche, Tintamarre & Evening Celebration
(Bring chairs and coolers (no glass); limited indoor seating available)
• 10 a.m.–9 p.m.:
Acadian Memorial & Museum and African American Museum open, free admission
• 4:30 p.m.:
Fête-Dieu du Teche boat procession arrives near the Evangeline Oak; silent walk to local churches for rosaries and benedictions
• 6:15 p.m. (or after boat procession):
Tintamarre noisy foot parade begins on Dalton Hebert Lane (between the 300–400 blocks of North Main St.), ending at the Acadian Memorial
• 7–9 p.m.:
Live Cajun/Creole music by Chad Huval & friends at Acadian Memorial grounds; dancing, games, scavenger hunt, and trivia contest (pre-registration required for contests)
Saturday, Aug. 16 — Cultural Demonstrations & House Dance
• 9 a.m.–5 p.m.: Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site open, free admission for National Acadian Day
• 10 a.m.–12 p.m.: Brown cotton history presentation by Elaine Larcade Bourque in the Interpretive Center AV room
• 12 p.m.: Culinary heritage program on Creole, Acadian, and Native influences, with samples of a traditional dish (back porch of Interpretive Center)
• 2–4 p.m.: Bal de maison traditional house dance in the cypress cabin with fiddler Brazos Huval
• 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.: Acadian Memorial & Museum and African American Museum open, $5 combined entry
Jolene Adam, with the National Park Service, says the festival is as much about community as it is about history. "We’re going to have some samples of some traditional Cajun Creole cuisine and talk about how the Acadians and the Creoles and the Africans and Native people all contributed to our cuisine that’s so tasty today,” she said.
More information and updates can be found on the City of St. Martinville, Acadian Memorial Museum, and City of St. Martinville Chamber of Commerce Facebook pages.
