University Of Louisiana At Lafayette Career Services

University Of Louisiana At Lafayette Career Services

University Of Louisiana At Lafayette Career Services

Laissez les bons temps rouler! In other words, “Let the good times roll.” This is the motto of Lafayette, Louisiana, billed as the “unofficial capital of Cajun Country,” a city where the populace almost unanimously embraces the spirit embodied in the French expression “joie de vivre” (joy of living). And this “work hard, play hard attitude” is reflected in the area’s music, food, and seemingly endless string of celebrations. Autumn is no exception, for when cooler weather arrives, at least relatively speaking for the subtropical climate, the city is alive with fun things to do.

Facts about Lafayette, Louisiana

Situated 35 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico, Lafayette has a population of 120,623 (US Census Bureau, 2010), and according to the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission (2011), is considered the “Heart of Acadiana,” with its “rich French heritage blended with Spanish, American, Indian and African influences.”

Festival Acadiens & Downtown Alive!

Held in October, this celebration of regional music, food, and crafts is actually a combination of six different festivals. Normally commencing during midweek with the Culinary Classics (a two-day culinary extravaganza), it concludes on the weekend in Girard Park with food, crafts, and a free concert that provides a total of 16 hours of entertainment and highlights the talent of dozens of Cajun and Zydeco musicians. What’s more, you can watch exhibitions of fascinating skills like alligator skinning, decoy carving, net and trap making, basket weaving, and other regional crafts, and attend instructional seminars, musical demonstrations, and performances by local humorists and storytellers. Finally, if you like to dance, you can cut a rug at the free Friday-night street dance called Downtown Alive! (Fry & Posner, 1996)