La Asociación Española de Nueva Iberia unveiled its winning poster last week in preparation for the association’s annual El Festival Español de Nueva Iberia.

Thursday’s unveiling was held at Clementine on Main, with Spanish royalty and organizers all attending. The artist for this year’s poster is Troy LeLeux. 

“Troy did an exceptional job of making our festival theme, ‘Spain Alive,’ represent all that is alive in our Spanish heritage and culture here in New Iberia, La Asociación Española de Nueva Iberia Chairman Ebrar Reaux said. 

Leleux, a New Iberia-based artist, said the prospect of creating a poster was an exciting one for him. 

“As a traditional artist, I always find it a little difficult to create posters,” Leleux said at the event. “I guess because in my mind there is a difference between a painting and a poster.

“However, I think my painting for Spain Alive this year took on a life all its own. I feel I was able to strike a balance between fine art and poster art.”

Leleux also said he had not painted in light colors for years and enjoyed doing it again with the poster. 

“In the end I achieved an overall tone and balance of color, always with a curious use of symbolic imagery,” he said. 

The poster features a treasure chest underneath a tree that Leleux said is representative of the Spanish culture that has taken root in New Iberia. Symbols of the Acadian flag are painted in the leaves of a moss-draped live oak tree in the poster, which Leleux said symbolizes South Louisiana like no other. 

A flamenco dancer is also painted in as a symbol of beauty, and children are playing near the tree to symbolize the generations of children who realize their Spanish heritage. 

“So in my painting, the landscape and culture are interconnected,” Leleux said. 

This year’s festival is scheduled to be held May 11-13. Events include a “Running of the Bulls” walk/run, a lecture from Wade Falcon on Spanish genealogy and music, a Spanish exhibit at the Bayou Teche Museum and a Spanish gala at the Sliman Theater. 

Also included is a walking parade, which begins at City Hall and heads to Bouligny Plaza. That event is followed by a welcome from the mayor and a paellas, tapas and jambalaya cookoff held at Bouligny Plaza. 

Spanish dance lessons will be available for those interested. 

The festival plays host to other unique events, like a tour of St. Peter’s Catholic Church cemetery. The tour features live actors who perform skits based on the lives of significant people buried at the cemetery. 

The festival ends with a Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Peter’s Catholic Church on the last day of the festival. The Mass honors the founding families of New Iberia, which include the Gary, Lopez, Migues, Prados, Romero, Segura and Viator families.

La Asociación Española de Nueva Iberia’s goals are to promote, celebrate and recognize the local Spanish heritage and culture, create an awareness of the Spanish influence in Louisiana, educate the public on Spanish history by putting on lectures and workshops and promote the celebration of Spanish History Month in the community.