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2010

February 11, 2010 - Calling all Lovers

City of St. Martinville/ Acadian Memorial / Old Castillo B&B
South New Market, St. Martinville, LA

Happy Valentine: Acadian Memorial & Old Castille Hotel Host Afternoon of Celebration About Famous Love Story of Evangeline and Gabrielle.

St. Martinville - Join the city of St. Martinville, Acadian Memorial,
Cultural Heritage Center at the most romantic and most photographed oak tree in the United States. A most important aspect of intrigue and adventure that can bring romance to couples for Valentine Day!

On February 11, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. Longfellow's poem, "Evangeline" and the romance behind it will be part of a tribute to all couples who were married or engaged under the famous oak tree in St. Martinville. Many marriage proposals and weddings occurred under the boughs of this famous and magnificent oak tree situated along the Bayou Teche. Some of these couples will tell about their reason for coming to this romantic town and famous tree to keep a most precious memory of their marriage and proposal.

Peggy Hulin with Old Castillo Hotel: La Place du Evangeline, ( 220
Evangeline Blvd, St. Martinville 337.394.4010 ) will co-host the event and the city of St. Martinville invites all couples to be a part of this annual romantic celebration. Come enjoy a Valentine romance "Cajun Style" then dine in our historic city.

Enjoy a reception with music, door prizes, lecture on Longfellow's
"Evangeline" and the influence this story has on romance for couples and the history of the Acadian/Cajuns. Come early and catch the 1929 film of "Evangeline" shown at the Acadian Memorial Conference Room (121 South New Market~ 337.394.2258.

Free and open to the public.

Brenda Comeaux Trahan
Curator Director Acadian Memorial & Museum of the A.M.
Director of St. Martinville Department of Tourism
www.acadianmemorial.org & www.stmartinville.org
337.394.2258
fax 337.394.2260

March 20, 2010 - CALLING ALL CAJUNS

The Acadian Memorial Festival, a museum style celebration of the Acadians who settled in Louisiana, will be held on March 20th., 2010 from 10 am to 4 p.m.

The "Evangeline Oak Park" is the setting for a day of old fashion Cajun fun. Enjoy an old fashioned spring day of Cajun culture and traditions with music, cuisine, history, lectures, theatre, films, demonstrations, storytelling, wooden boat parade/exhibit, antique cars, and much more. This day is an opportunity for Acadian families to join together for reunions and connections. Featured are educational and traditional opportunities for our younger generation. Bring your children, grandchildren and elderly family members to reconnect with all Cajun families. Acadian costumes are encouraged.

The highlight of the day is the Reenactment of the Arrival of the Acadians to St. Martinville. It will take place on the Bayou Teche at 1 p.m. All Cajun family associations should join in a huge welcome of the Acadians arrival in St.Martinville. Let us make this the biggest day ever!

The two families honored, who will participate in the reenactment, will be the Breaux and Guidry families. We will need two to 4 members from each family to ride in pirogues or barges for the reenactment. We will furnish the pirogues unless you have one of your own and want to bring it.

It is mandatory that these participants dress as the Acadian ancestors did during their arrival beginning in 1764. Most carried all their belongings with them so a grass sack full of hay, old clothes etc. would have that effect. Come dressed the part and encourage all your family members and friends to dress accordingly also.

The festival is free but Cajun food and drinks are sold to pay expenses. We cook on site: cracklin, boudin, jambalaya, fried fish, cush cush, cajuns sweets, etc. We also sell drinks: water, coke, beer, wine. etc. Also, anyone interested in selling their Cajun products can rent a booth.

On Friday night, March 19th, we kick off the festival with a Promenade on downtown historic St.Martinville by hosting an art walk and free tour of the St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church, the oldest church in South Louisiana. The announcement of our two families, Breaux and Guidry will be made at that time and introduced to the public. Our L"Ordre du Bon Temp organization will be selling boiled crawfish from 5:30PM until 8:00PM. If your family would like to have a short family meeting during this occasion, we will help to accommodate a place.

Most of the merchants around the church square will keep their doors open until 8:00PM to receive you, showcase their business, and allow everyone to view art exhibits displayed by different artist.

For more information or to volunteer, call or e-mail info@acadianmemorial.org / 337-394.2258 or 337-288-2681. www.acadianmemorial.org or stmartinville.org

Hope to see all of you on Friday and Saturday, March 19th & 20th.

Ray Trahan
Acadian Memorial Annual Festival Chairman

Brenda Comeaux Trahan
Curator Director Acadian Memorial / Museum of the Acadian Memorail
Co-Chair of the A.M. Festival

Tentative Events planned

Opening / guest announced /
Brief speaker intro to fest / schedule
A. M. Choir
Lisa's Dance group
Color Guard

Lectures and Theatre:
Breaux Family Slide show of travel to Maritimes Canada
Bourgious - Grand Pre Acadian exhibit
Theate Acadiane