Luckily for you, Festival Acadiens et Crèoles kicks off this week! This year's festival is a special one, as it marks the 250th anniversary of the Acadians (including a handful of my ancestors) coming to South Louisiana.
Festival Acadiens, held in Girard Park, has two music stages, arts and crafts vendors, and tons of delicious food, and the weather is usually amazing. There's even a sports tent for those who need to catch the games!
And this year, there will be recycling bins provided courtesy of the Bayou Vermilion District! BVD received a Healthy Communities Grant from Keep Louisiana Beautiful, which they used to purchase 80 collapsible recycling bins. I spoke with Greg Guidroz, BVD Recreation and Education Coordinator, and he says the main objective of the grant is to establish a recycling bin loan program for local events, free of charge. (By the way, here's Greg receiving an award from Keep Louisiana Beautiful last week!)
Members of UL’s Biology Society, UL’s Pre Professional Society, and a few dedicated volunteers from the late Dr. Griff Blakewood’s dismembered student environmental organization S.P.E.A.K. have volunteered to maintain and empty the bins over the course of Festivals weekend.
Greg also said how Dylan Deouren, president of the UL Biology Society, has been a tremendous source of hope and inspiration in rallying volunteers. His motivation and dedication is reassuring that festival recycling will remain a part of our annual celebrations.
So when you're out enjoying our Acadian culture this weekend, don't forget to toss your plastic bottles and cans into the bright blue recycling bins! Help Lafayette stay beautiful and clean by recycling and not littering!
Don't forget to be sustainable and go green beyond just recycling!
- Ride your bike and skip the parking hassle. There's a bike corral in the corner of Girard Park, across from the UL pay lot.
- Skip the paper guide by using the handy Festivals PDF Guide.
- Bring a cloth bag for all your shopping!
- Carry a cloth napkin so you don't have to use a ton of paper ones, which can't be recycled.
- Pack a reusable water bottle so you can stay hydrated (at least in between cups of beer).
If you have your own event and would like recycling bins, you can contact Greg at greg@bayouvermiliondistrict.org. BVD will provide the bins free of charge, but each group will be responsible for finding their own volunteers for maintenance and collection.
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