A&E

INNOV8 Lafayette kicks off at makerspace

by Wynce Nolley

INNOV8 Lafayette launches its weeklong festival dedicated to cultivating innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

INNOV8 Lafayette, a festival designed to exhibit thought leaders and content experts in Acadiana, officially begins Tuesday night with a Kickoff Party to showcase the many lectures, workshops and networking events taking place throughout the week.

"It's a way to launch INNOV8 as a great event for the community to come out and find out what it's all about, what they can participate in, and what different activities that we'll have available for them to attend," says Skyra Rideaux, events and public relations coordinator at LITE.

Adds Rideaux, who is handling the event: "People can become a 'Friend of INNOV8' when they come to the event as well, and they can ask us any type of questions they might have about all of the events and activities that are going to be going on."

Hosted by the705, the INNOV8 Kickoff Party will be held at Lafayette's (still unnamed) makerspace, launching INNOV8's mission of cultivating innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship in Acadiana.

According to Rideaux, the makerspace was an obvious choice.

"It's something new for Lafayette, and they're celebrating their own way of being innovative by just having open space for people to come and make and create anything that they want to," she says.

In addition to familiarizing the general public with the finer details of INNOV8, the Kickoff Party features food provided by Black Café and live music from the Sour Sedans. There will also be a new kind of photo booth available called TapSnap, which allows guests to upload their photos from the party directly to their social media accounts.

The INNOV8 Lafayette Kickoff Party begins Tuesday, April 22, at 5:30 p.m., 401 E. Cypress St., in Downtown Lafayette. The event is free and open to the public. For more information about INNOV8 Lafayette including a full schedule of events, visit Innov8Lafayette.com.