If you are approaching downtown Lafayette from the north, a short detour will bring you to one of the most impressive sights in the city: a rotating loaf of bread suspended in the sky.
The iconic Evangeline Maid billboard at the intersection of West Simcoe and South Bienville streets in Lafayette is one of those quirky artifacts that has become emblematic of a community. The Evangeline Maid factory has been a cornerstone Lafayette business since 1926, and the Downtown Alive! concert series was launched in 1983, just a few blocks from that bright, freshly baked billboard.
The recently repainted Evangeline Maid rotating sign is pictured Friday, August 2, 2024, at the intersection of West Simcoe and South Bienville Streets in Lafayette, La.
READ MORE: Downtown Alive, launched to give economic boost, continues to celebrate local culture 40 years later
Downtown Alive!, produced by Downtown Lafayette, has launched its spring 2026 lineup, along with new merch that highlights the recognizable Evangeline Maid aesthetic — the colors, the billboard and the maid herself. Evangeline Maid is a longtime supporter of Downtown Alive!, according to JoElle Judice, communications and engagement manager for Downtown Lafayette.
Downtown Alive!, produced by Downtown Lafayette, has launched their spring 2026 lineup, along with a new poster and merch that highlights the recognizable Evangeline Maid aesthetic.
“These are both organizations that embody deeply rooted culture in our area,” said Judice. “We really wanted a visual representation of the relationship that we have with them, but it’s also really cool because people have such fond memories and ties to both things. Both Downtown Alive! and Evangeline share in the values of community pride and showing up year after year, and it speaks to an experience that you can only get here.”
Lafayette graphic designer Burton Durand, who helped design a Lafayette-themed mural in Lafayette’s sister city of Namur, Belgium, last year, created the art for the new poster and products, like a hat with a Cajun fiddler sitting on top of the billboard.
Downtown Alive!, produced by Downtown Lafayette, has launched their spring 2026 lineup, along with a new poster and merch that highlights the recognizable Evangeline Maid aesthetic.
Durand said, “To everyone here, it’s iconic. Growing up, you saw the Evangeline Maid, and you see her today, and it’s something that ties me back to my childhood.
“I like to incorporate fun and humor in my designs, so that’s why I pitched the ‘fiddler on the loaf.’ It’s something that made me kind of chuckle and was a cool image, and I’m glad that the clients appreciated that.”
Downtown Alive! is a series of free outdoor community concerts, taking place in the spring and fall in Parc Sans Souci. The music is from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and these local artists are on the upcoming spring lineup:
- Friday, Feb. 13: Dustin Dale Gaspard, opened by Certified Blues
- Friday, March 6: Sydney & the Sams, opened by Mike Larson and The Ones That Got Away!
- Friday, April 10: Les Amis de DTA! featuring Roddie Romero, Andre Michot, Rodrigo Munhoz, Drake Leblanc, Jean Torres, David Crochet, and Sami Parbhoo, opened by Amelie Cecile
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.theadvocate.com ’
