One of the biggest tourist events in the state is scheduled to return next spring. Festival International which draws 400,000 people to downtown Lafayette is set for April 27th to May 1st. Executive Director Scott Feehan said the five-day event, which was canceled in 2020 and virtual last year, is expected to return to its previous footprint.
“And so, the patrons we get are from 40 to 45 different states and 10 to 15 different countries, and it’s a real international cultural exchange and it’s a fantastic event,” said Feehan.
The festival usually coincides with Jazz Fest in New Orleans and Feehan said some tourists will attend both events. He said the Festival International features music, art, food from all over the world and they’ve had musical acts from many as 29 countries perform.
“We pair up our local musicians from south Louisiana on the same stages, and we have food and art and theatre,” said Feehan.
In addition to drawing visitors from all over, Feehan said Louisiana Economic Development also attends the event and invites international companies they are recruiting to come to the Bayou State.
While some large events across the country are requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for entry, Feehan said that’s not really an option for an outdoor festival that is free of tickets and boundaries. With 2022 being the first in-person festival since the pandemic he said they’ll add things like hand sanitizing stations.
“Of course, we’re dependent on our community to do the right thing and we have to beat this pandemic, so we certainly want people to act responsibly and take care of themselves and their loved ones and we want to get through this, come out on the other side and celebrate in person,” said Feehan.
While it’s hard to put a dollar figure on the economic impact the festival has on the area, Feehan said approximately half of attendees live outside of the city and about a third are from out of state.
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