BONNE FÊTE TOUT LE MONDE: Festivals Acadiens et Créoles Virtual Edition
October 9-11 | Info
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles will follow in the footsteps of Festival International and others by offering the first-ever virtual edition of the decades-old celebration of Acadiana music, art, and culture. The festival has announced a virtual lineup of music and other programming which will stream through its website and via social media. With a theme of “Bonne Fête Tout le Monde,” the virtual edition will showcase live performances alongside archival footage from years past, cooking demonstrations, workshops and even a virtual foot race.
“Rather than pulling the plug and just waiting until next year, we have put together a plan to make the festival experience available virtually, so that we can all party safely,” says founder and board president Barry Ancelet. Ancelet says the festival counts on musicians, artisans, restaurants — many who have been hardest hit by the effects of the pandemic. The virtual festival will strive to put a spotlight on these folks as well as provide much-needed relief for the general population. “Our fans have also weathered these difficult times and [they] deserve an occasion to celebrate,” Ancelet says. The virtual Festivals Acadiens et Créoles will broadcast for three days, starting Friday, October 9.
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A blanket woven from brown cotton grown in Acadiana
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EXHIBIT: Acadiana brown cotton at the Hilliard
Opens Friday | Info
Brown cotton has been farmed by Cajuns since they arrived, and it eventually became a central part of Acadian life, functioning as the source of clothing for locals while more lucrative white cotton went to market. Its short fibers make the cotton less useful for mechanical ginning techniques, but smooth seeds allow for the fibers to be processed by hand, a role played solely by the women of the family. Eventually, the clothing, blankets, and towels made with brown cotton became a cherished family item, often passed down from mother to daughter. The practice of weaving brown cotton has all but died out, kept alive by a handful of weavers and artisans. This exhibit at the Hilliard University Art Museum, called Acadian Brown Cotton: The Fabric of Acadiana, brings the works of these artists to the forefront, focusing on the folklore, anthropology, economics and art connected with the tradition. For more on the subject, read the 64 Parishes feature on the history of brown cotton in Acadiana.
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Pavy Art + Design Studio recently released new printed pillows featuring designs by Francis Pavy
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PILLOW TALK: New prints and designs from Pavy Art + Design Studio
Info
For a more contemporary take on Acadian textiles, look to the art of Francis Pavy, one of the featured artists in the Acadian Brown Cotton exhibit. His art features images inspired by the symbols of Cajun storytelling, the flora and fauna of South Louisiana, and the musical traditions of the region—all filtered through a dream-like, mystical lens. Pavy’s paintings have been shown and collected internationally, but the Lafayette native offers a more accessible outlet for his work via the Pavy Art + Design Studio in a Downtown storefront that opened in spring of 2019. The shop offers silkscreen prints of his work alongside home goods like bandanas, pillows and other apparel.
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PANDEMIC PO-BOYS: Acadiana Po-Boy Festival
Sept. 1 - Sept. 30 | Info
To avoid becoming another casualty of the pandemic, the wildly popular Acadiana Po-Boy Festival will transform into a month-long raffle to keep the annual sandwich bacchanal going. Take it as an opportunity to ramble to your favorite po-boy spots and contribute to a good cause; Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana is the beneficiary. Ten of Acadiana’s best shops are participating with offerings that range from staples to oddities, standbys to newcomers. Two musts on our list: the sauce piquante po-boy at Johnson’s Boucanière and the MidCity Mutt from brand new barbecue spot Tchoup’s MidCity Smokehouse. One upside of a month-long po-boy festival: you’ve got 30 days to try them all at a pace that avoids a food coma. Check the info link above for details and a list of po-boys.
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DINING BY DISTRICT: Fuji Sushi House
4416 Johnston St., Suite 8A | Info
Hidden away in an unremarkable shopping center near the intersection Camellia Boulevard and Johnston Street, Fuji Sushi House is a two-woman operation led by Thai natives Ginger and Tik. Ginger—affectionately called “Momma G” by regulars—is known for her warm service (literally beginning each dining experience with warm towels for your hands) and for treating customers like family, while Tik serves up incredibly fresh, high-quality sushi adorned with delicately carved vegetables. Ginger says the quality and service are their key to success. “We do our best to serve our customers like we serve our friends and family: with the best quality of food we can do. Homemade, fresh ingredients, everything with filtered water, no tap. We do everything by hand until we get the right quality we need.” Fuji is open for dining by reservation only with a limited number of tables in their small dining room. Takeout is also available.
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LAST CALL: Final week of exhibits by James Van Way, Russell Whiting, and Courman Winters at AcA
Exhibits end Saturday | Info
ArtWalk may be at home this month, but these three exhibits at AcA deserve a final look before they will be removed from exhibition. James Van Way’s Doodlebug & Them imagines an alternate universe, presented by a fictional artist named “Doodlebug” who communes with interdimensional snakes in an abandoned hotel. A 30-year retrospective of the works of sculptor Russell Whiting presents elegant steel forms, carved with an oxyacetylene torch and informed by his years in the oil field. And Courman Winters, of local art collective Willingly Rejected, channels his experience as a community organizer in Acadiana to “build open lines of communication.” The three exhibits end Saturday. You can view them in the AcA galleries or take a virtual tour, guided by AcA Visual Art Director, Jaik Faulk, on the AcA’s YouTube channel.
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