Author: Scott Fehan

 

Lafayette, LA – Festival International and Acadiana Center for the Arts have partnered to present an official Festival Opening show featuring West Trainz from Québec. The ticketed concert will take place on April 19th and 20th at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. This indoor multi-media performance features lights, music, action, and installation. Drawing inspiration from the railway world and the project initiator’s travels, the multimedia performance features a musical journey of world cultures through a blend of instrumental composition, cinematics, and railway music.

The five musicians from Montreal come together to convey 20 years of travel and exploration in a unique retro-futuristic show, reflecting trains’ trance-like effect and poetic vision of the railroad world. “It will be a show like nothing Lafayette has ever seen before”, says Scott Feehan, President and Interim Executive Director of Festival International. “Trains, music, lights, video… It has everything!”  The project will be a feast for your senses, including a visual component that features artifacts collected over the course of the artists’ travels. The cinematic process has been years in the making, creating a unique and much anticipated experience. “With the help of the Québec government and the Acadiana Center for the Arts, it has come to fruition,” says Feehan.
This is the first time Acadiana Center for the Arts and Festival International de Louisiane have collaborated on an event such as this. “We are very excited about this new partnership,” says ACA Executive Director, Dr. Gerd Wuestemann. “ACA’s beautiful venue sits in the heart of Festival and this is a natural fit. Trainz is a complex, high-energy, multi-media show that will shine inside the incredible Moncus Theater. Fans can kick off Festival week with a fresh and engaging arts experience.”

Get a sneak peak of this one of a kind musical performance at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xeTNv1E1IU.

Lafayette, LA – Festival International de Lousiane is actively looking for smiling faces to volunteer in a variety of positions during this year’s Festival, April 20-24, 2016. Festival International is known for the supporters and volunteers that keep it fun and free year after year. The organization relies on upwards of 2,000 volunteers to assure the event is a success.

“Volunteering is easy, fun and is a great way to help fuel the Festival, says Scott Feehan, Board President of Festival International. “It takes over 2,600 volunteer slots to put this event on and we need every single one of them. If you love this Festival as much as we do, please join the Festival family and volunteer this year. Most slots are only 3 hours and you also get a free Festival shirt!”

Festival International invites everyone to become a part of the Festival experience.

Registration is now open through the online Volunteer Center at www.festivalintl.staging.wpengine.com/volunteer. Users can view all of the volunteer opportunities and register for the area and shift times of choice. The online system will allow individuals and groups to register, create their own schedule and track hours worked.

Volunteers are vital to the longevity and success of Festival year after year. Festival International is looking for a variety of volunteers to work in the following areas:

-Pass Zones
-Artist Hospitality
-La Boutique
-Marche Hospitality
-Musicians Village Cafe
-Production
-PinPals
-Recycling
-Scène des Jeunes (Youth Area)
-Security
-Tickets
For more information on job descriptions, shifts, and how you can be a Festival Volunteer, please visit www.festivalintl.staging.wpengine.com/volunteer or email: volunteer@festivalinternational.diablodev.com

Lafayette, LA-  Festival International de Louisiane annonce l’horaire de spectacles pour 2016. Le 30e anniversaire du Festival comprendra quelques-uns des artistes les plus talentueux et influents du monde tels que Alpha Blondy & the Solar System de la Côte d’Ivoire, CharlElie Couture de France, Boogat du Québec, ainsi que le groupe féminin émergent, A-WA d’Israël.

Le 30e anniversaire du Festival présente des artistes internationaux représentant 25 pays et régions, combinant des nouveaux artistes et anciens favoris. Nouveau au Festival cette année sont Cimarrón de la Colombie, Rocky Dawuni du Ghana, Daby Touré du Mali / Mauritanie, Delgrès de France, Le Collectif Garifuna de Belize, Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire du Nouveau-Brunswick avec des invités spéciaux Thomé Young, Vishtèn de l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, Pierre Kwenders de la République Démocratique du Congo et West Trainz du Québec. De retour cette année à la demande populaire sont les Waifs de l’Australie, Chic Gamine du Manitoba, Burundi Drummers du Burundi et Dédé Saint-Prix de la Martinique.

« Cette année, nous aurons des musiciens représentant les régions et pays francophones, y compris le Nouveau-Brunswick, la Côte-d’Ivoire, la France, la Guadeloupe, le Québec, le Mali, la Mauritanie, la Martinique, l’Haïti, la République Démocratique du Congo, l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard, et le Burundi», dit le Président du Conseil et le Directeur exécutif, Scott Feehan. Des Master Drummers of Burundi et Pascal Danaé à CharlElie Couture, nous sommes fiers de la gamme et ne pouvons pas attendre pour les festivaliers d’en faire l’expérience. Bonne Fête au festival ! »

Also, Festival International is hosting a very special artists’ residency in which local and international musicians will come together and collaborate on a special performance titled, L’Union Créole. Residents include Layla McCalla, bringing a Haitian influence, Pascal Danaé bringing influences from Guadeloupe, Cedric Watson of Lafayette and Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes of New Orleans.

Aussi, le Festival International organise une résidence d’artistes très spéciale dans laquelle les musiciens locaux et internationaux vont se réunir et collaborer sur une performance spéciale intitulée, L’Union Créole. Parmi les résidents sont Layla McCalla, apportant une influence haïtienne, Pascal Danaé apportant des influences de la Guadeloupe, Cedric Watson, de Lafayette et Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, de La Nouvelle-Orléans.
Voir la vidéo d’annonce

Plus d’informations sur l’emploi du temps, des expositions commémoratives et d’autres événements sera bientôt disponible. L’horaire détaillée se trouve ici: https://lineup.festivalintl.staging.wpengine.com.

Lafayette, LA- Festival International de Louisiane has released the 2016 performance lineup. The 30^th Anniversary bill will include some of the world’s most talented and influential performers such as Alpha Blondy & the Solar System from the Ivory Coast, France’s CharlElie Couture, Latin-inspired Boogat of Québec, along with up-and-coming female front-runners, A-WA of Israel.

The 30^th anniversary lineup features international performers representing 25 regions and countries, combining new artists and returning favorites. New to the Festival this year are Cimarrón of Colombia, Rocky Dawuni of Ghana, Daby Touré of Mali/Mauritania, France’s Delgrès, The Garifuna Collective from Belize, New Brunswick’s Les Hôtesses d’Hilaire with special guests Thomé Young, Vishtèn from Prince Edward Island, Pierre Kwenders of DR Congo and Québec’s West Trainz. Returning this year by popular demand are The Waifs from Australia, Chic Gamine of Manitoba, Burundi Drummers of Burundi and DéDé St. Prix of Martinique.

“This year we will have musicians representing francophone regions and countries including New Brunswick, Ivory Coast, France, Guadeloupe, Québec, Mali, Mauritania, Martinique, Haiti, DR Congo, Prince Edward Island, and Burundi,” says Board President and Interim Executive Director, Scott Feehan. “From the Master Drummers of Burundi and Pascal Danaé to CharlElie Couture, we are proud of the lineup and cannot wait for Festival fans to experience it. Bonne Fête au Festival!”

Also, Festival International is hosting a very special artists’ residency in which local and international musicians will come together and collaborate on a special performance titled, L’Union Créole. Residents include Layla McCalla, bringing a Haitian influence, Pascal Danaé bringing influences from Guadeloupe, Cedric Watson of Lafayette and Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes of New Orleans.

See the lineup preview video 

More information coming soon on the schedule, special anniversary exhibits, and events. Full lineup can be found online at https://lineup.festivalintl.staging.wpengine.com.

Lafayette, LA – In celebration of its 30^th anniversary, Festival International de Louisiane proudly presents a Patron’s Preview of Haiti: Paintings from Paradise featuring the collection of Yvonne and Glenn Stokes with additional paintings from the collections of John Allen Franciscus, Paul and Madlyn Hilliard and Sandra and Joel Wallins. The Preview will be held on Wednesday, March 9 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, 101 W. Vermilion Street in Lafayette.

The exhibit will feature more than 100 vibrant paintings expressing the creativity, courage, and perseverance of the people of Haiti while honoring the visual arts as a major component of Festival International de Louisiane. Attendees will view a wide variety of artistic styles reflecting African and European influences and the diverse subjects of traditional Haitian art. “Perhaps what is most striking about the painting tradition in Haiti, unrefined and sacred,” says exhibition curator and founding president of Festival International, Herman Mhire, “is its ability to rise above tragedy and evoke optimism.”

The Patron’s Preview will be a dressy casual event with cocktails, wine and hors d’oeuvres. The exhibition will be accompanied by a full color exhibition catalog made possible by a grant from the Elemore Morgan, Jr. Visual Arts Endowment, a fund at the Community Foundation of Acadiana.

A reduced ticket price of $40 will be available until February 29^th ($50 after March 1). To purchase tickets to the Patron’s Preview and support the visuals arts program of Festival International de Louisiane visit https://festivalintl.staging.wpengine.com/special-events/haiti-paintings-from-paradise/.

Lafayette, LA – Stuller and Festival International de Louisiane have opened registration for the annual Courir du Festival 5K, presented by Stuller. The race is open to all ages and will take place at Scène Chevron Héritage on Jefferson Street, across from Chase Towers on Saturday, April 23rd at 8am. Registration is open early this year, in order to allow participants to plan their spring race schedule. Last year, the 5K race saw close to 700 attendees and Festival officials hope to exceed that record for 2016, the 30th anniversary of Festival International.

The Courir du Festival acts as another fundraiser for the non-profit organization. The race features live music from local band, Sabra and the Get Rights, as well as food, drinks, beer and more. The 5K course starts and finishes in downtown Lafayette, LA, winding through the shaded areas of surrounding neighborhoods.

Pre-registration is $35 per entry until February 28, 2016
Registration is $45 starting March 1, 2016
Online registration closes April 20, 2016
Onsite registration is 7:00 – 8:00 am at Scène Chevron Héritage

The 30th person to register for the race will receive a free Official Festival Poster in their registration packet. The packet includes an official Courir du Festival 5k running shirt, discounts from 5k sponsors and selected merchants. Packet pick-up will be at Tri-Running located at 2811 Johnston Street on Friday, April 22, 2015 from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm.

There are a limited amount of official 2015 Courir du Festival 5k t-shirts available, so sign-up early! Prizes will be awarded to the first thirty runners to cross the finish line, courtesy of Lafayette General Medical Center. Race partners include Stuller, Active Acadiana, Perfect Fitz, Michelob Ultra, Dasani, Tri-Running, Pat’s Downtown, Red’s Health Club, Don’s Seafood Hut, Award Master, Zim’s Alignment, and Great Harvest Bread Co.

Register online at www.festivalintl.staging.wpengine.com/courir. For more information please contact Race Director, Ann Craig at (337) 781-5282.

Lafayette, LA – Festival International de Louisiane will be hosting an artist residency program featuring France native, Pascal Danae. Danae will visit Lafayette in December 11-19th, 2015 to meet the participating Louisiana artists.  Pascal’s residency program will last for two weeks and will take place a week leading up to Festival in Lafayette, and a week after Festival in New Orleans.

The purpose of this residency program is for Pascal to meet several Louisiana artists to learn, teach, and create new ideas. The Louisiana artists include Cedric Watson (Lafayette), Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes (New Orleans), and Leyla McCalla (born of Haitian parents, lives in New Orleans). All artists sing and write in Creole French.
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