Welcome to Lafayette

[ULToday]

For those of you who are planning to come in this weekend, we're holding Festivals Acadiens & Creoles, in Girard Park adjacent to the UL campus: http://www.festivalsacadiens.com/

If you can swing it, it's worth taking off Friday to get there Friday night. People come in from all over the country, and even the world, to make this one. It's one of the two biggest festivals we have down here (and the region has like 60 festivals a year). The other one is Festival International in the Spring.

We have a reputation for 'partying' down here, but truth be told, it's what we do all year long. We drink (but not excessively), dance, listen to music, and we always have the kids in tow. So it's a family outing, very tame. Bring your kids, they'll have a blast.

Continental flies directly from DFW & LFT, but the drive is about 6 hours from Dallas. I-49 from Shreveport to Lafayette has a moratorium for signs, so it's a very pretty drive. I went to UNT in the '80's, and my brother and his family live in Allen, so I get up there a lot. Not a bad drive at all.

We tailgate under the Eauque (oak) by Bertrand, we feed and water our guests very well, come over, all are welcome. If you want to know more, post on RaginPagin.com.

Finally, here are the national rankings for the week: http://ultoday.com/node/4485

Come down, I promise you that you'll have a good time. Well, except for the football game, where we'll try to ruin your day.

You will try to do the same thing to us, of course...

[greenminer]

When did you graduate from UNT, and what took you to Lafayette?

[ULToday]

When did you graduate from UNT, and what took you to Lafayette?

I didn't graduate. I'm an MD, but I always wanted to be a band director (still do, in fact). After my 2nd year at Tulane Med School, I was pretty unhappy with all of it, withdrew, went to UNT for music.

Turns out I'm tone deaf (not really, it's a long story). So I studied art for a year, went back to Tulane & finished.

I grew up in Sulphur (outside Lake Charles), went to UL undergrad. For some of us, even those like my wife and myself who have lived all over and travelled the world, there's just no place like Lafayette. It all depends on your priorities; if what you really value are warm, informal, laid back people who love their families and friends, and who are very tolerant, places like Acadiana (the region around Lafayette) are very, very rare.

In fact, it may be unique.

[greenminer]

I didn't graduate. I'm an MD, but I always wanted to be a band director (still do, in fact). After my 2nd year at Tulane Med School, I was pretty unhappy with all of it, withdrew, went to UNT for music.

Turns out I'm tone deaf (not really, it's a long story). So I studied art for a year, went back to Tulane & finished.

I grew up in Sulphur (outside Lake Charles), went to UL undergrad. For some of us, even those like my wife and myself who have lived all over and travelled the world, there's just no place like Lafayette. It all depends on your priorities; if what you really value are warm, informal, laid back people who love their families and friends, and who are very tolerant, places like Acadiana (the region around Lafayette) are very, very rare.

In fact, it may be unique.

I have family in Lafa, including a cousin that is attending ULaLa.

I wouldn't call all that unique to LaLa. But you do bring a great perspective to both fan bases, having attended both schools.

[kalebschumann]

I didn't graduate. I'm an MD, but I always wanted to be a band director (still do, in fact). After my 2nd year at Tulane Med School, I was pretty unhappy with all of it, withdrew, went to UNT for music.

Turns out I'm tone deaf (not really, it's a long story). So I studied art for a year, went back to Tulane & finished.

I grew up in Sulphur (outside Lake Charles), went to UL undergrad. For some of us, even those like my wife and myself who have lived all over and travelled the world, there's just no place like Lafayette. It all depends on your priorities; if what you really value are warm, informal, laid back people who love their families and friends, and who are very tolerant, places like Acadiana (the region around Lafayette) are very, very rare.

In fact, it may be unique.

Good luck getting a gig. I applied all summer and got a job the week before summer ended. My friends weren't so lucky.

[KRAM1]

For those of you who are planning to come in this weekend, we're holding Festivals Acadiens & Creoles, in Girard Park adjacent to the UL campus: http://www.festivalsacadiens.com/

If you can swing it, it's worth taking off Friday to get there Friday night. People come in from all over the country, and even the world, to make this one. It's one of the two biggest festivals we have down here (and the region has like 60 festivals a year). The other one is Festival International in the Spring.

We have a reputation for 'partying' down here, but truth be told, it's what we do all year long. We drink (but not excessively), dance, listen to music, and we always have the kids in tow. So it's a family outing, very tame. Bring your kids, they'll have a blast.

Question...so if you guys party so much, why in the world does the Cajun mu8sic festival close at 7PM on a Saturday night? Game time is 4PM...would be great to trek over after the game, but the website I saw said it closes at &PM on SATURDAY night? Did I miss the fine print about partying???? Or, did I just misread the time schedule?

[RajunCajn]

That is just the festival. Go downtown after the game if you want to party. They normally shut the roads down because of the amount of people. We also have a taxi service that caters to drunk people and it is free of charge! so you can go and have a great time then you can call tipsy taxi to pick you up!

[tylermeangreen]

That is just the festival. Go downtown after the game if you want to party. They normally shut the roads down because of the amount of people. We also have a taxi service that caters to drunk people and it is free of charge! so you can go and have a great time then you can call tipsy taxi to pick you up!

Sounds great - will there be music on stages downtown that Saturday evening, or just in the clubs?

Lookin' forward to visiting with all of you folks - been a long time since I have been to LaLa.......

[ULToday]

I have family in Lafa, including a cousin that is attending ULaLa.

I wouldn't call all that unique to LaLa. But you do bring a great perspective to both fan bases, having attended both schools.

Well, I spent about 30 years trying to figure out why Lafayette was different from Lake Charles, from Baton Rouge (went to LSU for a semester), New Orleans, just about everywhere I've lived or visited. Tolerance is the key. For those of you with a philosophical bent: http://ultoday.com/node/770

UNT was an interesting mix... lot of cool, laid back people, but a small minority who were, well, 'different'. They left me with some irritating memories. Human nature being what it is, I have to remind myself of all the great people I met, because just a few jerks tend to distract our memories.

[ULToday]

Sounds great - will there be music on stages downtown that Saturday evening, or just in the clubs?

Lookin' forward to visiting with all of you folks - been a long time since I have been to LaLa.......

No stages downtown, alas, but the Festival will continue Sunday if you're up for leaving a little later that day.

UL, Girard Park, and the Downtown are all close enough to walk; you could actually walk from the Festivals to the football game if you have about 40 minutes (I live by the University, once walked to the Cajundome, it was a very nice evening.)

The Downtown is tiny, you can walk from one end to the other in about 15 minutes, but lots of bars & restaurants. Just walk up and down Jefferson Street. Funkiest/coolest nightclubs are the Blue Moon Saloon; Artmosphere; and Grant Street (if open). Don's is the original Cajun restaurant, but it's not my first recommendation. Bonnie Bell's isn't open most weekends, but that is outstanding food. The food at the Filling Station is pretty good, one of the best burgers I've had. Pamplona is the tapas bar, not bad. Athena is Mediterranean, I don't think they serve booze, but if I remember they'll let you go next door for wine or beer. Couple of Sushi bars, Tsunami & Bonsai, both good, a bit pricey. Also, check out Carpe Diem, the gelato bar. Lady who owns it is from Italy, excellent stuff.

Be careful wandering too far off the beaten path Downtown, we had a rash of muggings in the past, although Lafayette's a pretty safe town. We'll take the kids down at night for ArtWalk and stroll around. As long as there are other people around, you're fine.

And when you're at the Festivals, walk over to Cypress Lake on the UL campus, it's maybe 5 minutes away. Just gorgeous.

Oh, and Friday evenings we have Downtown Alive http://www.downtownlafayette.org/ which is an extension of the Festivals: http://www.festivalsacadiens.com/music.html

Edited October 11, 2011 by ULToday

[ULToday]

Just got in the eMail for the Blue Moon lineup this week: http://bluemoonpresents.com/calendar.html?filter=FESTIVAL+ACADIENS+ET+CREOLE+OFFICIAL+HONKY+TONK&filter_type=type&start=30

[tylermeangreen]

No stages downtown, alas, but the Festival will continue Sunday if you're up for leaving a little later that day.

UL, Girard Park, and the Downtown are all close enough to walk; you could actually walk from the Festivals to the football game if you have about 40 minutes (I live by the University, once walked to the Cajundome, it was a very nice evening.)

The Downtown is tiny, you can walk from one end to the other in about 15 minutes, but lots of bars & restaurants. Just walk up and down Jefferson Street. Funkiest/coolest nightclubs are the Blue Moon Saloon; Artmosphere; and Grant Street (if open). Don's is the original Cajun restaurant, but it's not my first recommendation. Bonnie Bell's isn't open most weekends, but that is outstanding food. The food at the Filling Station is pretty good, one of the best burgers I've had. Pamplona is the tapas bar, not bad. Athena is Mediterranean, I don't think they serve booze, but if I remember they'll let you go next door for wine or beer. Couple of Sushi bars, Tsunami & Bonsai, both good, a bit pricey. Also, check out Carpe Diem, the gelato bar. Lady who owns it is from Italy, excellent stuff.

Be careful wandering too far off the beaten path Downtown, we had a rash of muggings in the past, although Lafayette's a pretty safe town. We'll take the kids down at night for ArtWalk and stroll around. As long as there are other people around, you're fine.

And when you're at the Festivals, walk over to Cypress Lake on the UL campus, it's maybe 5 minutes away. Just gorgeous.

Oh, and Friday evenings we have Downtown Alive http://www.downtownlafayette.org/ which is an extension of the Festivals: http://www.festivalsacadiens.com/music.html

Great - thanks for the information. I love listening to Cajun music, and watching the musicians perform it.

[Green Oracle]

I didn't see alot of Diversity in those festival pics...

[CajunsOwnYou]

The Festival celebrates the cultural diversity of the area. French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, etc.

I didn't see alot of Diversity in those festival pics...

[tylermeangreen]

The Festival celebrates the cultural diversity of the area. French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, etc.

Hey CajunsOwnYou:

Got any suggestions for where to park a single time (central spot) that would allow a mid-day visit to the festival; tailgating and game; and then a walk downtown after the game?

With the festival and your homecoming/game parking will surely be at a premium. We are arriving LaLa just before Noon Saturday.

Thanks for any help you can give us.

[CajunsOwnYou]

Anywhere on Cajundome blvd would be good for game. There are several lots. Behind the Hilton is probably easiest. The stadium is pretty well separated from campus and downtown so I'm not sure if you could walk to each. Girard Park (festival) and campus are back to back. Downtown is about .5 to .75 miles from campus. Stadium is about 2 miles from downtown. Parking isnt really that bad but the walk is through pretty nice residential areas.

Hope yall enjoy your stay. Please stop by any of the tailgates and I bet they will set you up with some food!

Hey CajunsOwnYou:

Got any suggestions for where to park a single time (central spot) that would allow a mid-day visit to the festival; tailgating and game; and then a walk downtown after the game?

With the festival and your homecoming/game parking will surely be at a premium. We are arriving LaLa just before Noon Saturday.

Thanks for any help you can give us.

[tylermeangreen]

Anywhere on Cajundome blvd would be good for game. There are several lots. Behind the Hilton is probably easiest. The stadium is pretty well separated from campus and downtown so I'm not sure if you could walk to each. Girard Park (festival) and campus are back to back. Downtown is about .5 to .75 miles from campus. Stadium is about 2 miles from downtown. Parking isnt really that bad but the walk is through pretty nice residential areas.

Hope yall enjoy your stay. Please stop by any of the tailgates and I bet they will set you up with some food!

OK - thanks for the reply.

[oldguystudent]

Not gonna' make it down this time, but I've driven through Lafayette several times en route to Baton Rouge and/or NOLA, and have always been intrigued on stopping. Now with this whole UNT affiliation I've got going and whatnot, I've got a better reason to actually do it. But first, I need to figure out which one of my neighbor kids I can sucker into feeding/walking my dogs for a two-night stint.

I do imagine that Lafayette is probably the best road trip available to UNT fans with MUTS being a close second.

[ULToday]

Hey CajunsOwnYou:

Got any suggestions for where to park a single time (central spot) that would allow a mid-day visit to the festival; tailgating and game; and then a walk downtown after the game?

With the festival and your homecoming/game parking will surely be at a premium. We are arriving LaLa just before Noon Saturday.

Thanks for any help you can give us.

For the Festival, you can park in the Oil Center (the business area just to the SE of Girard Park, look at Google Maps), or possibly on the Campus, we have a couple of parking garages not far from Girard Park.

For the game, you can park in the Research Park, which is across the street from Cajun Field. They park people in the grassy areas, it's free.

If you go out that night in the Downtown, Blue Moon has its own parking area behind Bordens on Johnston St. For the rest of the Downtown, you can park just about anywhere (but it will be crowded because of Festivals) and there's a parking garage on W. Vermilion between Jefferson & Polk.

If you just want to park once, maybe the old Lourdes Medical campus? It's empty now, and about a half mile from everything.

Edited October 12, 2011 by ULToday

[tylermeangreen]

For the Festival, you can park in the Oil Center (the business area just to the SE of Girard Park, look at Google Maps), or possibly on the Campus, we have a couple of parking garages not far from Girard Park.

For the game, you can park in the Research Park, which is across the street from Cajun Field. They park people in the grassy areas, it's free.

If you go out that night in the Downtown, Blue Moon has its own parking area behind Bordens on Johnston St. For the rest of the Downtown, you can park just about anywhere (but it will be crowded because of Festivals) and there's a parking garage on W. Vermilion between Jefferson & Polk.

If you just want to park once, maybe the old Lourdes Medical campus? It's empty now, and about a half mile from everything.

Thanks very much for the information.