Coming Soon: 40 Festival International de Louisiane
40 Festival International de Louisiane
curated by Herman Mhire
April 11, 2026 – May 2, 2026
From the curator Herman Mhire:
“What began as a dream – to share the beauty of francophone culture and
bring people together through the arts – has grown into something far
greater than anyone could have imagined. Each spring, more than 300,000
visitors fill downtown Lafayette with music, laughter, and the kind of joy that
only happens when cultures meet and hearts open. Festival International
de Louisiane has become a reflection of who we are – creative, generous,
and deeply connected to one another.
To commemorate its fortieth anniversary, Festival has published a bilingual
coffee table book documenting the origins and evolution of the largest
international francophone festival in the United States.
The lavishly illustrated 200-page book features images by leading
photographers, and contributions by Festival founders, former board
members, volunteers, and fans.
Hard and soft cover editions of the book are available for purchase online
(https://www.festivalinternational.org/) and at the 2026 Festival in
downtown Lafayette.
The photographs in this exhibition represent a sample of the remarkable
images featured in Festival’s 40 th anniversary book taken by Rhonda
Robison Berkeley, James Billeaudeau, Denny Culbert, Philip Gould, Paul
Kieu, and Robin May.
As we celebrate this remarkable anniversary, we look ahead with gratitude
and hope – ready to imagine the next 40 years.”
