In Lafayette, the Festival International de Louisiane makes the Francophonie dance
Free, huge and French-speaking: the Festival International de Louisiane, created in 1987 in downtown Lafayette, joins the Festival TV catalogue. In 2023, Gambian artist Sona Jobarteh made her kora resonate there.
300,000 visitors, no ticket required
In the heart of Cajun Acadiana, the festival brings French-language and world music together every spring, outdoors and free of charge. More than 300,000 visitors flock to it: it is one of the great cultural gatherings of the American South.
Sona Jobarteh in 2023
Among the artists of the 2023 edition was Sona Jobarteh, the first professional female griot virtuoso of the kora. Community media outlet AOC, the festival's documentation partner, filmed her concert: it can be watched on the festival's page and in our On Stage feed.
Festival International de Louisiane, Lafayette (United States). 41st edition: April 21–25, 2027.
Official website: festivalinternational.org
— Moïse 1er, the Festival Explorer