A&E

Pride, not prejudice

by Walter Pierce

The Acadiana PRIDE Festival goes full swing this weekend.

Long overdue for a progressive community that embraces diversity (more or less), the inaugural Acadiana PRIDE Festival will celebrate inclusion - yes, this is an LGBT event but everyone's invited - with music, theater and outreach. There will also be a tie-in to Acadiana PRIDE on Sunday, March 30 at the Boudin Festival in Scott.

The family-friendly festival began Thursday at Cité des Arts with an opening ceremony and reception followed by a performance of Dennis Ward's play, Chez Gisele, about the owner of a gay cabaret in Lafayette in the 1960s and '70s.

The party moves to Parc International on Friday and Saturday for a ton of musical performances:

FRIDAY
5 p.m. - Michigan Avenue
6:45 p.m. - Dustin Dale Gaspard
8 p.m. - 5 Finger Discount

SATURDAY
noon - Acadiana PRIDE Idol Winner
1:15 p.m. - Brandon Moreau & Cajungrass
2:30 p.m. - Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie
5 p.m. - Jason Dottley
6:15 p.m. - Steve Grand
7:30 p.m. - Nakia