Photo Friday | Festivals Acadiens' Commitment to Sustainability

Festivals Acadiens is just ONE week away! The festival is held in the middle of every October at Girard Park in Lafayette (this year, October 13-15), and focuses on Acadiana's French heritage and culture. The weather is usually amazing for some music, dancing, food and shopping!

Photo courtesy Festivals Acadiens et Creoles

Above all that, what I love about Festivals Acadiens is its commitment to sustainability. The grounds always have a ton of recycling bins (Last year I wrote about the 150 ways to be green at FAetC.)

This year, Festivals Acadiens has announced its plans and strategy to become the greenest festival in the state of Louisiana by 2018.



According to the press release sent out this week, the festival is starting with a recycling program implemented by the UL Biology Society and taking its green initiative to the next level this year by doubling its recycling capacity and planning for the future.


As they have for many years, recycling bins will be located throughout the festival grounds at Girard Park, but this year—as the result of a partnership with Lafayette Consolidated Government and Project Front Yardglass will be recycled as well.

All of the glass used for wine, cocktails and beer behind the scenes during festival weekend will be collected for The GlassLand Project, a New Orleans-based recycling initiative to divert glass from landfills and process it into GlasSandTM for use in restoring Louisiana's coastal wetlands.

The Saturday afternoon recycling haul at Festivals Acadiens in 2015.

In terms of renewable resources, 14 percent of Lafayette Utilities System’s electricity is generated by renewables, including wind, solar and hydro.

The festival also encourages attendees to “save the planet … ride your bike” when possible and park in the on-site Bike Corral. Sponsored by Bike Lafayette and Hub City Cycles, the Bike Corral is located near Scène Ma Louisiane and keeps bikes safe while their owners enjoy the event.


Bike Lafayette has organized this bike corral for the past few years, and this picture is from when we rode to the festival in 2015!

“Our goal is to be the greenest festival in the state,” says Festivals Acadiens Organizer Pat Mould. “We will be continuing efforts to green up the festival and have always offered recycling. We are also using a recyclable cup for all of our cocktails and looking at other areas where we can make an impact.”

Composting opportunities are being explored through a partnership with Bayou Vermilion District for 2018, as the festival phases out use of non-recyclable items at food stations. Bayou Food Festival vendors are strongly encouraged to purchase either recyclable or compostable/biodegradable, single-use materials this year, but will be required to replace Styrofoam containers and plastic straws with “greener” materials next year.

Bringing your own napkins and utensils are one way to help reduce waste at the festival.

Part of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles' five-pronged philanthropic mission is the beautification of Girard Park. The festival has literally helped the park stay green over the years through the planting of fruit trees with the Boy Scouts Evangeline Area Council, and they are also working on a seeding project in cooperation with the city's Parks and Recreation Department.

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles' 2017 dates are Oct. 13-15. As always, the festival takes place in Girard Park and is FREE and open to the public.

Come on out, show your support and help Festivals Acadiens be the greenest festival in Louisiana!



Photo credit: David Simpson

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