LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — This weekend marks a major milestone for one of Acadiana’s most beloved traditions. Festival International de Louisiane is celebrating 40 years of bringing global culture, music, and language to downtown Lafayette.
For four decades, the festival has transformed the city into an international stage, where cultures from around the world meet in the heart of Acadiana. What began as a response to economic hardship has grown into one of the largest cultural events in the region.
Back in the mid-1980s, during an oil bust that heavily impacted South Louisiana, community leaders sought ways to uplift both morale and the local economy. The first Festival International was held in 1987, powered by a few hundred volunteers and a vision to connect Lafayette to the global community…