LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)– “Cajundome City,” a documentary that explores the sheltering effort following Hurricane Katrine in the Cajundome, is set to air on LPB on Aug. 23 at 7 p.m., for its first public broadcast, according to Chris Allain, director and host of the documentary.

The documentary premiered at UL Lafayette’s LITE Center on Aug. 25, 2022.

Produced by Vidox in association with Acadian House Publishing, “Cajundome City” tells the story of how a community transformed an event venue, designed to host basketball games and concerts, into the country’s first mega-shelter following Hurricane Katrina, according to Allain. Over the course of 58 days, volunteers converted the Cajundome into a home for 18,500 hurricane survivors.

The documentary includes interviews with those involved in the sheltering operation as well as hurricane survivors. Some of the interviews include former Cajundome director Greg Davis, who was director at the time, as well as Dr. Paul Azar, who directed the medical clinic inside the venue.

The Cajundome staff, volunteers and Lafayette leaders served hundreds of thousands of meals prepared in the Cajundome’s kitchen, organized children’s educational services, arranged regular entertainment and opened a post office. Medical professionals and community volunteers also created and staffed a 24/7 clinic and pharmacy available free of charge to Cajundome residents.

“Our goal from the beginning has been to bring light to the incredible effort of the Cajundome staff and volunteers,” Allain said . “Such a massive operation could not have been possible without the endless generosity of the Acadiana community.”

The film follows a book from Acadian House Publishing in 2017 — “The Day of the Cajundome Mega-shelter.”

“Like the book, the film will resonate with many in the community,” Trent Angers, Acadian House publisher and editor, said. “People have heard the Katrina story and so many aspects of it for a long time, but no one has ever done a film about the Cajundome’s role.”

Along with the premiere, LPB will encore “Cajundome City” on  Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 10 p.m. and again on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 8:30 p.m.