Spanish festival preparations are underway in New Iberia.
The city’s Spanish heritage dates to 1779, and you’ll get a taste of Spain on the Teche at El Festival Espanol de Nueva Iberia.
“A Lot of people think the people here are more French settlers but they actually have Spanish descent. We have seven of the families that still reside here in New Iberia such as Romero, Leotard, Lopez, Prodoffs,” President/Director of New Iberia Spanish Festival, Brinkley Lopez, said.
This is the city's eighth annual Spanish Festival which will be three days for the first time this weekend.
The festival will feature live music, a parade, food vendors, carnival rides and a genealogy display to check your Spanish descent at the Sliman Theatre.
“We are actually expecting a few thousand people to come out to downtown New Iberia. For our three-day festival, there's going to be a lot of attractions to Downtown Mainstreet in New Iberia.”
Natalie Mendoza, Spanish Festival Queen VI, says she appreciates her city for embracing Spanish heritage as Hispanics are sometimes overlooked
“They didn’t want me to be a part of the group because I was Hispanic. So I lived through that my whole life, and I just kind of pushed it aside and thought positive about it. I just try to serve my passion as being who I am and just being me.”
Sunday a meet and greet with all the surrounding festival Queens will take place downtown
Fulton St. will be closed from Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. until Sunday evening. The Spanish Festival is April 8-10th at Bouligny Plaza.
Here is a complete look at the Festival Schedule.
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