Held annually in Lafayette, Louisiana, at Girard Park, Festivals Acadiens et Créoles is a music festival celebrating Cajun music, culture, and heritage. Started in 1972, Festivals has a history just as rich as the culture it celebrates. The current branding and identity features motifs synonymous with Cajun culture, such as accordions, fleur-de-lis, oak trees, and more. However, despite its strengths, the current branding feels more serious than the festival itself, and the logo does not scale well or work in black and white. Therefore, I rebranded Festivals, creating environmental graphics and wayfinding easily removed from the park and saved for next year.
Whilst researching the history of Festivals, I discovered how it started out as three separate festivals, each focusing on unique parts of Cajun culture: A Tribute to Cajun Music, The Bayou Food Festival, and the Louisiana Native Crafts Fair. Because these three pillars are what started Festivals, and what keeps it going today, I wanted to highlight each aspect of Festivals, while having them fit into the same shape of a heart, representing the love and community that is built through Festivals. I used colors from the previous branding, but desaturated them, making them feel softer.
