At this year’s Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, there will be a special focus on women in Cajun and Creole music.
The Festival’s 2019 theme celebrates 90 years of “Jolie Blonde,” described by organizers as “an iconic symbol of the female influence on Cajun and Creole music.” The female character now known as Jolie Blonde was first recorded in song in 1929 as “Ma blonde est partie” by the Breaux Brothers. Since then, she’s been reincarnated under various names including Joline, Colinda, Madeleine, Chère Alice, Chère Mam, Chère Bassette, Bernadette, Tante Adèle, Marie, Rosa, la Fille de la Veuve and more.
Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, which takes place October 11 through 13 in Lafayette, LA, will toast women by showcasing a variety of female performers in this year’s lineup, which you can see in full below. Performing this year are Bonsoir, Catin as well as T’Monde, Babineaux Sisters, The Daiquiri Queens and more.
“We would be remiss not to also mention the women who have preserved our venerable ballad traditions by singing for their families and friends at home, such as Alma Barthélémy, Lula Landry, Inez Catalon, Odile Falcon, Agnes Bourque and Marie Pellerin,” says Board President Barry Jean Ancelet. “And then, there are also women who helped to document and preserve our musical and cultural heritage, like Irene Whitfield, Corinne Saucier, Catherine Blanchet, Marce Lacouture and Kristi Guillory. This year, we are celebrating all of these women, real and fictional, and their contributions to our musical history both on and off the stage.”
Check out the full lineup and schedule:
Scène Ma Louisiane Presented by LUS Fiber
Fri., Oct. 11
5:30-6:45 p.m. Bonsoir, Catin with Special Guests
7-8:30 p.m. Jeffery Broussard: Zydeco Force to Creole Cowboys
Sat., Oct. 12
10:30-11:30 a.m. Lafayette Rhythm Devils
11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. Ervin Frey and Cajun Prairie
1:15-2:15 p.m. Cameron Dupuy & The Cajun Troubadours
2:30-3:30 p.m. Wayne & Same Ol 2 Step
3:45-4:45 p.m. Kevin Naquin and the Ossun Playboys
5-6:15 p.m. Joel Sonnier 60th Anniversary
6:30-7:45 p.m. Horace Trahan and the Ossun Express Through the Years
Sun., Oct. 13
10:30-11:30 a.m. The Pot Luck Band
11:45-12:45 p.m. Jambalaya with John Trahan
1-2 p.m. Jesse Lége and Bayou Brew
2:15-3:15 p.m. Magnolia Sisters with Special Guests
3:30-4:30 p.m. Jourdan Thibodeaux et les Rôdailleurs
4:45-6 p.m. Feufollet Through the Years
6:15-7:45 p.m. Wayne Toups & ZydeCajun
Scène Mon Heritage
Sat., Oct. 12
10:45-11:45 a.m. Huval-Fuselier Cajun Band
Noon-1 p.m. Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners
1:15-2:15 p.m. Babineaux Sisters
2:30-3:30 p.m. TBA
3:45-4:45 p.m. Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars
5-6:30 p.m. Pine Leaf Boys
Sun., Oct. 13
10:45-11:45 a.m. Terry & the Zydeco Bad Boys
Noon-1 p.m. T’Monde
1:15-2:15 p.m. Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie
2:30-3:30 p.m. Lost Bayou Ramblers
3:45-5 p.m. Curley Taylor & Zydeco Trouble
5:15-6:30 p.m. Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys
Salle De Danse
Sat., Oct. 12
10:30-11:30 a.m. Forest Huval & Friends
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Chris Miller & Bayou Roots featuring Jimmy Breaux
1-2 p.m. Yvette Landry & the Jukes
2:15-3:15 p.m. Travis Matte and the Kingpins
3:30-4:45 p.m. Cedric Watson & Bijou Créole
5-6:30 p.m. Warren Storm and Willie T with T.K. Hulin
Sun., Oct. 13
9-10:30 a.m. French Mass
10:45-11:45 a.m. Kegan Navarre & Louisiana Traditions
Noon-1 p.m. The Daiquiri Queens
1:15-2:15 p.m. Kyle Huval and the Dixie Club Ramblers
2:30-3:30 Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas
3:45-5 p.m. Gregg Martinez with Charlene Howard and Steve Adams
Scène D’Anniversaire
Sat., Oct. 12
11 a.m.-noon Paul Daigle and Cajun Gold
12:15-1:15 p.m. Rusty Metoyer and the Zydeco Krush
1:30-2:30 p.m. Ruben Moreno
2:45-3:45 p.m. The Revelers
4-5 p.m. Corey Ledet & his Zydeco Band
5:15-6:30 p.m. Chris Ardoin & NuStep
Sun., Oct. 13
12:15-1:15 p.m. Quatre Coin Throwdown
1:30-2:30 p.m. Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
2:45-3:45 p.m. Blake Miller and the Old-Fashioned Aces
4-5 p.m. Soul Creole
5:15-6:30 p.m. Sweet Crude
Scène Atelier
Sat., Oct. 12
11:15-11:45 a.m. 2019 Tradition Bearer Award Presentation: Elaine Bourque
Noon-12:45 p.m. The True Story of Jolie Blonde with Wade Falcon
1-1:45 p.m. B … Pour Bayou: The Making of a Cajun French Alphabet Book
2-3 p.m. Joel Savoy and Linzay Young
3:15-4:15 p.m. The Savoy Family Band
4:45-5:45 p.m. Femme: A Celebration of Louisiana Women Musicians
Sun., Oct. 13
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Juré with the Broussard Sisters and Jeffery Broussard
12:45-1:45 p.m. The Singing Drummers of South Louisiana with Warren
Storm, Glenn Fields, Callie Huval & Vernon Bergeron, moderated by Yvette Landry
2-3 p.m. Cory and Lisa McCauley with Clint Ward
3:15-4:15 p.m. Brazos Huval School of Music
4:30-5:30 p.m. Sheryl Cormier & Cajun Sounds
Jam Ca! (Jam That!) Presented by Dr. Tommy Comeaux Endowed Chair for Traditional Music
Sat., Oct. 12
Noon-1:15 p.m. Gina Forsyth
1:30-2:45 p.m. Corey Ledet
3-4:15 p.m. Drew Simon
Sun., Oct. 13
Noon-1:15 p.m. Angelle Aces with Blake Miller
1:30-2:45 p.m. Sheryl Cormier
3-4:15 p.m. Jeffery Broussard
In addition to the music, women will be celebrated through the Festival’s poster art by Melissa Bonin. There will also be a symposium and other events, which you can learn about on the official website for Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, here.
