The fall is one of the best times of the year to visit Lafayette, when a busy festival calendar, celebrations of local cuisine and comfortable days for exploring the outdoors all come together. Whether your itinerary centers on live Cajun and Creole music, delectable dishes, quiet times to recenter in nature or engaging discussions about creativity, the season provides plenty of reasons to plan a getaway.
A centerpiece of the season is Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, which will take place October 9-11 in Girard Park. Now in its 52nd year, the free festival brings together three days of live music, dancing, regional food, arts and crafts and cultural demonstrations. This year’s performance schedule is as packed as ever, with artists including Cedric Watson et Bijou Creole, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Geno Delafose and French Rockin’ Boogie, The Revelers and Chris Ardoin and NuStep Zydeko all scheduled to perform.
The weekend performances will conclude at 4:30 pm. Oct. 11 with a Bayou Blues Band featuring an all-star lineup including Roddie Romero, Sonny Landreth, Michael Doucet, Grant Dermody, Michael Juan Nunez and more.
In addition, a daylong pre-festival symposium on Oct. 9 at the Hilliard Art Museum will bring together scholars, musicians, folklorists and culture bearers for a deep discussion on the cultural influences that shaped South Louisiana, along with the evolution and documentation of Cajun and Creole music.
Visit festivalsacadiens.com to learn more and plan your visit.
Live local music is a hallmark of Lafayette fall festivals.
The South Louisiana Black Pot Festival and Cookoff celebrates its 20th anniversary on October 30-31 at Vermilionville. The festival has become a signature Lafayette event that honors the black pot style – a method that has long invited cooks to slow down and let the flavors build. Amateur and professional cooks can compete in categories including gravy, gumbo, jambalaya, dessert and cook’s choice. Amid the aromas and tastings, festivalgoers can also relax to live shows from performers including The Pine Leaf Boys, Horace Trahan, Donny Broussard and the Louisiana Stars, and many more. Visit blackpotfestival.com to learn more.
Amateur and professional cooks can compete in various categories at the Blackpot Festival.
The fall festivities continue into November with the Southern Screen Festival, scheduled for November 19-22 in downtown Lafayette. This multidisciplinary event brings creators and audiences together around film, television, music, podcasts and emerging media, with professionals from Louisiana and beyond sharing their work and expertise. Attendees have frequently noted that they walk away from Southern Screen with renewed inspiration, creative ideas and a sense of community.
Learn more about this year’s festival and purchase your pass today at www.southernscreen.org.
Lafayette’s festivals are a true celebration of Louisiana life, but there’s always plenty to do outside of those events. An itinerary can be built around food alone. The Cajun Boudin Trail connects locally-owned meat markets, specialty shops and restaurants serving traditional boudin alongside cracklins, smoked meats and plate lunches. Because each location puts its own spin on generations-old recipes, the trail is an ideal introduction to the variety within Cajun and Creole cooking.
Moncus Park is on Johnston Street in Lafayette.
The season’s more comfortable weather – cool mornings and evenings, warm daytime temperatures and lower humidity – makes it easy to spend time outdoors. Visitors can join locals any Saturday morning at the Lafayette Farmers & Artisans Market, where farmers, makers and food vendors gather alongside a weekly Cajun jam. The Market takes place at Moncus Park, Lafayette Parish’s largest greenspace. The Park features an adventure play area, trails and paths, picnic and rest areas and native gardens.
Lafayette is also a short drive to even more outdoor escapes. At Lake Martin, travelers can walk, paddle or take a swamp tour underneath cypress trees and Spanish moss. Another scenic drive leads to Arnaudville, where a leisurely day might include brunch on the Bayou Teche, stops at local galleries and a trip to an area brewery.
Natural escapes like Lake Martin offer a chance to reflect and recharge.
A weekend or a few days in Lafayette can shift easily from dancing to live music to eating boudin at a neighborhood market to spending a quiet afternoon on the water. In a place where food, music, history and community are closely connected, the fall is a chance to slow down a bit, discover new sounds and flavors and remember what it means to enjoy your surroundings.
Visit www.lafayettetravel.com to learn more or schedule your visit today.
Source: www.nola.com
