LOREAUVILLE, La. (KLFY) — Every five years, Le Grand Réveil Acadien (“The Great Acadian Awakening”) brings Cajuns and Acadians together to celebrate their shared French heritage. But this year, the crowds look a little smaller.
Randall Menard, president of the Louisiana chapter of Le Grand Réveil Acadien, said fewer visitors from Canada made the trip south to Acadiana, leaving many local communities to carry on the celebration on their own.
“We had a minimum of four tour buses booked to come to this event,” Menard said. “They’d be here today with us. But once the comments of the president occurred about Canada being the 51st state, and then with all the tariffs, they decided they weren’t traveling to the U.S. The tour operators called and said, ‘Look, nobody’s coming.’ They’re dropping like flies.”…