Thousands of Volunteers Help Bring Lafayette’s Festival International to Life

Festival goer pens a note of thanks to the thousands of volunteers who make Festival International happen at the LFT Fiber booth near Scene Francophone CODOFIL stage. Photo credit: Sadie Wilks 2026.

Before the music blares and the crowds arrive, volunteers are working hard, setting the stage for one of the biggest events of the year, Festival International de Louisiane. 

The 40th annual festival returned to Lafayette on Wednesday for five days filled with food, music and art. And the magic happens, thanks to about 2,000 volunteers who create the foundation of this festival each year, offering crowds of people who enter the grounds a chance to enjoy themselves, without ever having to think about the work required to set things up and keep them flowing smoothly.

One of the people who helps to make it happen is Luann Duhon, who has been volunteering at the festival since the second one ever nearly 40 years ago. Duhon and her husband started volunteering as an outlet for their work. She was a potter and was responsible for various art installments during the festival. Her husband played a significant role as an electrician. She also has worked on the jury that decides which artists are asked to perform. Since the beginning, Duhon has been an important piece of the puzzle that is the festival.

“I love the festival. I cannot get enough of it,” Duhon said. “I wish it would never end.

Regardless of what I’m doing, it is always a blast.”

A common theme among the volunteers is the joy and excitement that they feel when working at the event. Their work includes many different tasks, from rolling T-shirts and assisting vendors to delivering food to the musicians and providing security. Festival organizers say the event would be impossible without the hard work of the volunteers.

“There is something about seeing the whole event come together and being able to provide such a fun experience for others,” Duhon said. “All the volunteers I have worked with feel the same way. I consider it a privilege and honor to work with them.”

As much as she loves the festival, Duhon said this is her final year of working the event so she can spend more time with family.

Max Arcenaux, payment coordinator and a member of the informatics department, has lots of hands-on experience working with the volunteers, preparing them for the event. With the festival relying on so many volunteers per year, he said he fully understands their importance.

“I don’t think I can overstate how much the volunteers keep this actual event alive… and free,” he said. “It would be impossible without the over 2,000 people who donate their time and effort.”

While many see the event when it is fully put together, the work and training done in the preceding weeks is where the foundation of the event is built. Arcenaux explained that training is straightforward, putting volunteers in a position to be placed in various roles or jobs.

“Most volunteer positions with Festival aren’t overly complicated, so it’s very easy to get fresh people comfortable and ready to work,” he said.

The festival, which closes on Sunday, offers an extensive list of musical performers and artists for attendees to enjoy after a long day of eating food made by locals and outsiders alike. With an average attendance of 300,000 people throughout the week, the event offers guests of the city the opportunity to experience Lafayette at its proudest.

Admission is free, so festivalgoers offer their support by purchasing gourmet food and drinks, as well as various artworks that are created specifically for the event, including 40^th anniversary memorabilia.

With the various attractions the festival offers, the performers and attendees keep returning, and so do the volunteers. Arcenaux said the pleasant and easygoing vibe among the volunteers creates a work environment that feels less like work and more like fun.

“Most of our volunteers find out about the event through word-of-mouth, and that can spread like wildfire,” Arcenaux stated. “There are plenty of people still around who volunteered at the first festival and have not missed one since. I love the feeling of meeting new volunteers, showing up with a smile on their face and a great big handshake.”

Volunteers can select the shift and role that best suits them. Duhon and Arcenaux say this flexibility is why the festival retains so many volunteers and continues to grow.

Lafayette resident Claire Martin is no stranger to the event, nor the presence of the volunteers.

“I think I have gone with my family the past five years, even flying home from school so we could all go,” Martin said. “We always have a ton of fun, and I think the people working the event are what unlock all of that.”

Martin was born and raised in Lafayette and has seen the event evolve, but she said the common denominator of the event being so fun has been the volunteers.

“I’m sure there is work done behind-the-scenes that I’ll never see or understand, but I absolutely appreciate,” Martin said. “Going to the event as given my family some of its best memories, and I think a big part of that is thanks to the volunteers and all that they do.”