Celebrate Year-Round Events in Lafayette  

Lafayette is at the heart of Louisiana’s Cajun and Creole country, an area known as the Happiest City in America, and it’s no mystery why. Its distinctive blend of food, music, and culture has people from all over heading down south with smiles on their faces. No matter what time of year you visit Lafayette, there is always something to celebrate. The region is teeming with celebratory events year-round, and below, you’ll find a rundown of some you may not have heard of. Each of these festivals offers an interesting way to discover the rhythm of Lafayette. Experiencing all of them might take a few trips, but it’s well worth it. 

Festivals Acadiens et Creole – October 11-13, 2024 

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, held the second full weekend in October, provides the ideal opportunity to discover Lafayette’s unique blend of food, music, and culture. Since 1974, this free festival has offered locals and visitors three days of nonstop music, dancing, food, crafts, and a genuine Cajun and Creole immersive experience like no other.  

Boudin Cook-Off & Bacon Festival – October 19, 2024 

The Boudin Cook-Off and Acadiana Bacon Festival takes place on the third Saturday in October at Parc International in Downtown Lafayette. The event will bring boudin makers and bacon artisans from Louisiana and Texas together to compete for the best boudin and bacon title. There will be food, prizes, refreshments, live music, and fun for the whole family.  

Gulf Brew – October 19, 2024 

Acadiana Center for the Arts presents Gulf Brew, Louisiana’s oldest craft beer festival, an outdoor street festival along Jefferson Street in Downtown Lafayette. Ticket holders will enjoy sampling more than 200 beers from craft breweries across the county while strolling along four pedestrian-only blocks of Jefferson Street in Downtown Lafayette. The event is one of the few occasions where Louisiana’s craft breweries and brewpubs showcase their newest beers in one place. Tickets are available online or at walk-up. 

Blackpot Festival & Cookoff – October 25-26, 2024 

The South Louisiana Black Pot Festival & Cookoff is one of the most unique festivals in Louisiana. Held annually in late October, the festival celebrates Cajun culture and cooking with two days of great music, dancing, food, camping, and jamming. Live performances range from Cajun and Zydeco to Creole, Swing, Hot Jazz, Blues, Bluegrass, Americana, Irish, and Old-Time. Plus, there is an old-fashioned black pot cookoff called Square Dancing and ample camping space for tents. 

Southern Screen – November 21-24, 2024 

Southern Screen is held annually over four days in Downtown Lafayette at various venues in November. In addition to film screenings, Southern Screen also showcases live music, screenwriting, a live podcast, workshops, parties, and more for people of all ages to enjoy. Southern Screen moves beyond traditional film and music festivals, working to expose the community to the widespread possibilities of storytelling using various forms of multimedia. 

For a complete list of festivals and events visit LafayetteTravel.com/Events. 

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