As spectators gathered Friday night for the start of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in Lafayette, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Festivalgoers lined up on the lawn of Scène Ma Louisiane, the event’s main stage, to grab a piece of the “boudin ribbon” that’s cut each year to officially kick off Acadiana’s largest Cajun and Creole music festival. It’s a tradition that says a lot about the spirit of this globally-renowned outdoor party, designed to bring people together around a shared love for Acadiana’s food, craft, music and dance.