Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival is March 15-16

RAYNE — St. Martinville will bring tourists from around the world to learn about the Acadians history, culture, traditions, historic stories and experiences during the 2024 Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival slated March 15-16.
The Acadian Memorial Foundation will host the Annual 17th Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival/Reception as follows: Friday, March 15, 6-8 p.m. reception, and Saturday, March 16, Festival will be held between 9:45 a.m. and 3 p.m.
On Friday, the festival opens with a reception at the Acadian Memorial Museum, St Martinville, honoring two Acadian Cajun families, Dupuis and Cormiers.
Special guest will be Lafayette artist Ceci OKeefe Neustrom who will be displaying her 2024 paintings from her Acadian Heritage series. A brief presentation will be given as to the origin and history of the series at 5 p.m. The life-size portraits depict living descendants of the following Acadian families: St. Julien, Boudreaux, Arceneaux, Poirrier, and Thibodeaux. This is the first public exhibit of her 2024 portraits.
Neustrom is an Ambassador of Art for the Acadian Museum of Erath, and has been developing the series over the last ten years. The models are dressed in outfits befitting of 18th century dress and are poised in compositions reflecting the custom, background, dignity and endurance of Louisiana’s Acadian history. The family name and crest are painted at the bottom of the portraits.
The Acadian Memorial Heritage festival was created to share the history, cuisine, music, historic stories, educational interactives seen in the Memorial/Museums by bringing their livelihood traditions outdoors for all to experience.
Their story of deportation along with the historic settlement of the Acadians/Cajuns, who made a huge mark on the rich culture of Louisiana is beloved by North America, Europe and the world.
The city supports the strongest marker for the true settlement of the Acadians’ original home in France. All this and more makes for drawing tourist’s to this parish of St.Martinville.
For more information on tours, visitation, events or becoming an event vendor, contact Brenda Comeaux Trahan at 337-288-5914, the Acadian Memorial Office 337-394-2258 or visit www.acadianmemorial.org.
Since 2006 the Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival has brought attention to the Arrival of the Acadians to Louisiana with a re-enactment of that event by descendants of Acadians arriving at the Evangeline Oak in St. Martinville paddling Cajun pirogues on historic Bayou Teche.
The Festival also demonstrates age-old ways of Cajun cooking jambalaya, gratons and boudin, along with homemade sweets like gateau-sirop and dark cajun coffee.
And don’t forget the music – Cajun family bands playing traditional instruments and dancing, dancing, dancing!
The Festival is a family-friendly event with a loyal following of folks who appreciate the Festival’s efforts to honor a lifestyle received from generations past.
The Festival is important to the community/area and to the mission of the Foundation which is to maintain the elements of the Acadian Memorial such as the famous Dafford Mural, the Wall of Names and the Memorial Garden with its replica of the Grand-Pré Deportation Cross. Come support the Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival in preserving the Cajun heritage.
Seeking Craft, art, book booths on-site for $25, call 337-394-2258 or email acadianmemorial.org.