ABBEVILLE, LA - The sounds of Cajun music echoed through the streets of downtown Abbeville on Saturday as crowds gathered to celebrate L e Grand Réveil Acadien or The Great Acadian Awakening, a cultural festival honoring the heritage, language and traditions of Louisiana’s Acadian community.

Visitors from across the United States and abroad made the trip to participate in the festivities, including Sally and Chris Kenney, who traveled from Nova Scotia.

“We had to leave home at about 8 in the morning to catch a flight out of Halifax,” said Chris Kenney. “We went from Halifax to Philadelphia, Philadelphia to Dallas, and then Dallas to Lafayette. So we got here at 11 o’clock last night plus a two hour time change.”

The weeklong event commemorates the arrival of the Acadians in southern L

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