Festival International 5K: Know Before You Go

(Lafayette, Louisiana) - Every year, the streets of downtown Lafayette fill with the sounds of music, arts and crafts, a diverse variety of food offerings, and runners. Festival International is back April 23-27th, 2025. The festival is free to attend, and is the largest free international music festival in America.

One of the ways the festival stays free is by having plenty of volunteers to coordinate the event. From assisting with music staging, concessions, cleanup and more, there are opportunities galore to help out and get some freebies for your time, plus a unique way to experience the festival.

Read More: Festival International 2025 Volunteers Needed

Read More: Upcoming Festivals for South Louisiana in 2025

Another way is by purchasing the annual Festival International Pin (as well as other Festival merchandise). The pins change design every year and have become somewhat of a collectors item. The sales of the pins, posters and flags, hats, bags, accessories and more also help support the festival. You can shop the Festival International store here.

It was also mentioned above that you'll find runners downtown. That's because every year, Festival International holds a 5K as part of their fundraising efforts on the Saturday of the festival. It's your chance to experience downtown Lafayette in a unique way, without cars, but with plenty of people all supporting the event.

Get our free mobile app

The Courir de Festival 5K (presented by Stuller, Inc) is certified for those that are really into running and like to compete. You are encouraged to build a team of friends/family/coworkers to join you in the run, with the largest team registered receiving some special prizes.

How Much is Registration for the Courir de Festival 5K?

You can register online, and the earlier you register the more you can save. For the first 200 registrants, the price is $35. After that, the price per person is $40 and will be able to register until April 18 at midnight.

I Registered, When and Where Do I Pick Up My Packet?

There are two options regarding packet pickup. You can pick up your packet early at TriRunning (located at 2813 Johnston St.) on Friday, April 25th from 10am-5pm. You can also wait until the day of the race, where you can pick up your packet at Scène Ochsner Lafayette General Fais Do Do at the 700 block of Jefferson St. starting at 7am. *Shirts will be on a first-come, first-serve basis on the day of the race, and quantities might be limited*

I Have More Questions Regarding the Race

For any further questions regarding the Festival International 5K, you can contact the race director at sylvie@festivalinternational.org.