NEW IBERIA La. --- On April 17-19, 2020, New Iberia will celebrate the 8th annual El Festival Español de Nueva Iberia in Bouligny Plaza on New Iberia's historic Main Street.
The focus and mission of the festival is to celebrate the 1779 founding of New Iberia by 16 Spanish families from Malaga, Spain and to create an educational and cultural awareness and exchange of food, music, art and history between New Iberia and the Andalusia region of Spain, while recognizing the contributions of the original Spanish settlers to our culture.
The host agencies are La Asociación Española de Nueva Iberia and the City of New Iberia. Major supporting organizations include The Daily Iberian, Segura Farms, Bayou Teche Museum, Iberia Performing Arts League, New Iberia Main Street Program, Cuidad de Alhaurin de la Torre, Positively Iberia and the Iberia Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau, as well as numerous local friends and supporters.
La Asociación’s festival planning committee has been working diligently in preparation for this year’s festival theme:
“Taste of Spain on the Teche,” celebrating Nueva Iberia with food, music, culture, and more.
The festivities start Friday, April 17 with a free "Taste of Spain on the Teche" lecture at 6 p.m. at the Essanee Theatre (126 Iberia St.), followed by a viewing of the special Spanish exhibit at Bayou Teche Museum (131 E. Main St.) at 7 p.m.
A ticketed gala will follow at 7:30 p.m. at the Sliman Theater (129 E. Main St.) with wine, beer, sangria, gourmet foods, live Spanish guitar, flamenco dance performances and a live auction. Tickets are $75 per person and include a one year membership to La Asociación Española de Nueva Iberia, Inc. (501c3 non-profit). Tickets are available for purchase at
NewIberiaSpanishFestival.com or by check mailed and made payable to LAENI, PO Box 12963, New Iberia LA 70562.
On Saturday, April 18, the festival will provide many activities throughout the day such as Running of the Bull’s Dog-Friendly 5K/1 Mile Fun Run, parade, re-enactment of Spanish arrival, arts and crafts show, paella, tapas, jambalaya and Spanish desserts cook-off, genealogy displays, visiting royalty, paella eating contest, children’s tent and fun zone with face painting, fun jump, and petting zoo.
The live entertainment will include John Lawrence and Ven Pa’Ca ~ Spanish Guitar and Flamenco Dance Performances, The Bad Boys Band, and festival headliner Travis Matte and The Kingpins.
On Sunday, April 20, the public is invited to attended a mass of Thanksgiving at St. Peter’s Catholic Church (108 East St. Peter St.), in honor of New Iberia’s founding families (Gary, Lopez, Migues, Prados, Romero, Segura, and Viator).
"The association would like to invite everyone (no Spanish ancestry needed) to join them for this rich, cultural celebration on the banks of the Bayou Teche," said event planner Brinkley Segura. "The festival is open to the public and admission is free. Bring the family for a fun filled day and get a 'Taste of Spain on the Teche'!"
For an up-to-date schedule of events for the festival, please visit
NewIberiaSpanishFestival.com periodically or follow the association on
Facebook. If you have any questions or need additional information, call (337) 349-7343 or (337) 380-7636.
###
