DC Mardi Gras
Bicentennial presented and hosted the Lafayette Suite for the Mardi Gras Celebration in Washington DC in January 2023.
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Cinema on the Bayou
Lafayette-related films were shown on opening (The Ragin' 13) and closing (Roots of Fire) nights of the Cinema on the Bayou film Festival to honor the bicentennial. Bicentennial will also be presented the Louisiana Night at the Film Festival on Tuesday, January 31 to celebrate Lafayette's filmmaking culture.
Courir de Mardi Gras
Bicentennial participated in the Basile Mardi Gras Association's Courir de Mardi Gras held at Vermilionville. At this family-friendly, traditional Mardi Gras run, disguised revelers, led by Le Capitaine and singing La Chanson de Mardi Gras made their way through the historic village begging for the ingredients to make a gumbo. The event also included a film screening, live music, dancing, and more.
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Blue Monday: Special Black History Month Edition
Since 2017 Love of People has hosted a monthly jam session that features their Blue Monday Allstar House Band and special guest musicians and vocalists.
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Mardi Gras Kick-off Parade
The Friday night Mardi Gras kick-off parade featured Lafayette's Bicentennial. The parade was led by the Bicentennial float honoring the cultures and historic figures that make Lafayette unique.
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Downtown Alive!
Bicentennial sponsored Downtown Alive March 23, 2023, with Wayne Toups + Joe Hall & The Cane Cutters at Parc International in downtown Lafayette.
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SXSW
Bicentennial presented the 14th “Lafayette Live” showcase and on the 18th "The Official Lafayette SXSW Showcase" to promote and celebrate our music and culture with the thousands that come from all over the world for this event.
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Celtic Bayou Festival
The Parish Bicentennial will presented Irish musicians playing a set of Cajun and Creole traditional music, and local musicians played Irish traditional music at this Festival that celebrates the Celtic roots in Louisiana.
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Holi Festival
Lafayette Holi Festival, started in 2011, brings Holi to Acadiana, the heart of the Cajun country. Holi is a colorful Indian festival that celebrates the coming of Spring.
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PACE Student Art Expo
A reception was held with area Mayors from Lafayette parish and members of the Lafayette school board celebrating the 2,000 students participating in the Student Arts Expo. The Expo began with a kickoff parade led by student musicians and dancers.
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Festival International
Bicentennial helped present Festival International 2023. Bicentennial celebrations included: Lauren Daigle Thursday April 27th. A talk about the ‘The Roots of Zydeco’ hosted by Herman Fuselier and on accordion Jeffery Broussard at the Acadiana Center for the Arts on Saturday, April 29, followed by A Celebration of Zydeco with Rockin’ Dopsie and Special Guests, MC’ed by Herman Fuselier.
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Ensemble, On est Lafayette
We celebrated the Lafayette Parish Bicentennial with an evening of stories and histories from members of different communities from our parish that helped shape the culture and parish we love.
Members of the Acadian & French, Atakapa-Ishak, African American, Coco Tribe of Canneci Tinne, Creole, Jewish, Lebanese and Spanish communities shared personal stories and discussed our shared history from different perspectives so that we all better understand who we are, how we got to where we are and know our history.
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City Council Members & Mayors Reunion
As part of our Bicentennial celebrations, we honored our past City/Parish Council members and Mayors with a reception at City Hall. After a group photo and reception, the past members were recognized by a joint session of the City & Parish Councils
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Local Palooza: a 3 Day Celebration of Local music
This year we had a special 3 Day Bicentennial addition of Local Palooza!
Day 1 of a 3 :
Swamp Pop music Revue with Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition with special guests: Johnnie Allan and Don Rich
Day 2 of a 3 day:
Rock Revue Revue featuring Zach Edwards & The Medicine w/Special Guest, Brother Dege and the Brethren, and then CC Adcock & The Lafayette Marquis w/ Special Guests
Final day of a 3 day:
Featuring Roddie Romero & The Hub City All-Stars as the house band with special guests: Sonny Landreth, Michael Doucet, Geno Delafose, Steve Riley, Bonsoir Catin, Feufollet, Corey Ledet, Jourdan Thibodeaux & more!
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Little Amal is a 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl, spreading her story of hope as she discovers the beating heart of America, its blended culture and diverse people.
Little Amal's Visit to Lafayette
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Inaugural Veteran's Day Parade in Downtown Lafayette
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The inaugural official parade took place through Downtown Lafayette on November 11. The parade route covered the heart of Lafayette, passing down Jefferson Street, Johnston Street, and Garfield Street and ended at Parc International with a jamboree.
The French Consul was gracious enough to join us in honoring our veterans, especially the WWII veterans who were present.
Additional events were held at Cité des Arts including a talk hosted by Jason Theriot (Historian who's interviewed many veterans, specifically the French speakers) called "Calling All Frenchies: The Celebrated Story of the Cajuns of World War II," and was followed by a showing of the film "Mon Cher Camarade".
Southern Screen - LPSS Film Contest
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In celebration of the Lafayette Parish Bicentennial, LPSS, the Acadiana Center for the Arts and Southern Screen Film Festival collaborated together to put a Film contest together for Middle & High school students in the parish. The theme was Lafayette Parish: It's history and culture.
All submissions were shown at Southern Screen and the top 4 filmmakers were recognized and received awards.
Christmas Carnival - Downtown
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Celebration of the Christmas and holiday season in downtown Lafayette.
This year the Lao & Filipino communities shared their culture and how they celebrate the holidays. And the Aztec Dancers danced for the crowds as well.