Authors to speak on Acadian history at Acadian Memorial Festival & Wooden Boat Congrès

Authors Ollie Porche Voelker of Destrehan will discuss her book “Home at Last: An Acadian Journey” and Warren and Mary Perrin of Lafayette will discuss “Acadie Then and Now:  A People’s History” at Saturday’s 12th annual Acadian Memorial Festival and Wooden Boat Congrès in St. Martinville. The event will feature food, music, arts and crafts, theater, demonstrations, children’s activities, a re-enactment and more from 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. in Evangeline Oak Park. The event is free and open to the public.  

Voelker is a retired teacher and educational diagnostician whose interest in genealogy led her to "Home at Last." She is the descendant of several Acadian families who were deported from Nova Scotia beginning in 1755. She is also the author of "A Silver Lining: From Acadie to Louisiana."

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of “Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History,” “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana” and “Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana” and co-author of “Magic’s in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets.” She also writes Louisiana romances under the pen name of Cherie Claire. Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.