Travel South Magazine Travel South low (kasey daleo's conflicted copy 20 | Page 52

PLAN YOUR ESCAPE IN THE HAPPIEST CITY IN
in America
Lafayette is at the heart of
Louisiana’s Cajun & Creole
Country, an area known as the
“Happiest City in America” by the
Wall Street Journal ’s MarketWatch.com and it’s no
mystery why. Their distinctive blend of food, music,
and culture has people from all over heading down
south with a smile on their face.
Festivals
No matter what time of year you visit Lafayette, they
will have something for you to celebrate. That’s in
large part because the region is teeming with cele-
bratory events year round, from the largest outdoor
francophone festival in the world, Festival Interna-
tional (April 25-29), to the fall’s Festival Acadiens et
Creoles October 11-14), and of course Mardi Gras
(March 5, 2019).
One thing unique to Lafayette is the free concert se-
ries that take place in the fall and spring. Kick off your
weekend early on Thursday with Rhythms on the
River, a free evening concert held in River Ranch’s
Town Square. Bach Lunch, a free popular lunchtime
music series that takes place on Fridays in Down-
town Lafayette, couples local food with music for all
ages. The fun continues into the evening with
Downtown Alive!, another local favorite concert se-
ries offering free music from regional artists of all
genres.
Food
Lafayette has the Cajun & Creole flavors you crave,
along with the freshest in Louisiana seafood, and
always a little something unexpected. Homegrown
chefs are putting an inventive spin on time-hon-
ored recipes with the freshest local ingredients. But
don’t take their word for it. Lafayette has received
many awards for their cuisine including being
named the “Tastiest Town of the South” by Southern
Living magazine, “Best Food Town” by Rand Mc-
Nally and a “ Top 10 Foodie City” by Livability.com.
LAFAYETTE,
LOUISIANA