Below is a list of events, festivals and cook-offs happening around Acadiana this weekend.
ACADIA PARISH
- Crowley International Rice Festival - October 20-26 in Crowley, La.
EVANGELINE PARISH
- Village of Chataignier 4th Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk & Gumbo Cook is Saturday, October 22, at Village of Chataignier Recreational Park! Registration opens at 11 am, the walk begins at 1 pm, and gumbo tasting is at 2:45 pm.
IBERIA PARISH
- The 12th Annual Beneath The Balconies will be in Downtown New Iberia on Sunday, October 23, 2022. Performances start at Shadows-on-the-Teche (317 E. Main St.) at 2 p.m. Bring a lawn chair. Before the event, enjoy food and music by The Fifth Addition on the grounds of the Shadows from noon to 2 p.m. Celebrity Chefs will be on site from Noon-2pm with outstanding Grits and Grillades, Shrimp and Grits, and Oriental Salad for purchase along with desserts and beverages and the famous “Bayou Balcony Breeze”. Drinks will also be available for purchase at Bouligny Plaza. New Iberia Now hats and visors are available for sale at the Shadows for $20 each. Admire historic architecture while delighting in live theatrical vignettes from beneath the balconies of New Iberia's award-winning Main Street. Follow the amazing Bunk Johnson Brazz Band from the Shadows on the Teche to Bouligny Plaza. Restrooms will be available at the Shadows on the Teche, The Sliman Theatre, and Bouligny Plaza. The following performances will be taking place. 2:00-2:20pm Shadows Front Gallery “Shadows Serenade with Kate Gulotta 2:20-2:40pm Alvarez-Jordan Residences “Tarzan” 2:40-3:00pm Kyle Cox Residence “Spirituals on the Bayou Teche” 3:00-3:20pm Bojangles Restaurant “Crossroads Jam” 3:20-3:40pm Broussard Poche “She Loves Me” 3:40-4:00pm Bouillion-Briggs Residences “Rock of Ages” 4:00-4:20pm Bouligny Plaza Gazebo “Locally Grown” 4:20-5:00pm Steamboat Warehouse Pavilion “Motown Magic.” In case of inclement weather, the event will be held at the Sugar Cane Building in New Iberia City Park. Iberia Cultural Resources Association presents events like Beneath The Balconies, Symphony Concerts in in several venues in New Iberia, and The Books Along the Teche Literary Festival. For more information about Beneath The Balconies follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NIBeneaththebalconies.
- The Shadows on the Teche Plein Air Competition will host a Show Tell & Sell featuring their creations this Saturday. 🗓️ Sat., Oct. 22 ⌚ 4-6 p.m 📍 Shadows on the Teche Visitors Center 🔗 ShadowsOnTheTeche.org/Upcoming-Events/Show-Tell-Sell
- Sisters on Saturdays is for breast cancer awareness! There will be a survivor parade, presentations, refreshments and more on Saturday, October 22, from 3 to 7 pm at King Joseph Recreation Center on 701 Hebert St, located in Jeanerette.
JEFF DAVIS PARISH
- Old Time Rice Threshing Event in Welsh is Saturday, October 22, at Welsh Airport Field from 10 am to 4 pm! Experience how rice was harvested in the early 1900s. Play in the rice straw, help with the harvest, or just relax and enjoy. Fun for the whole family. Antique equipment welcomed.
LAFAYETTE PARISH
- Great Strides Lafayette is Saturday, October 22, 2022, at Moncus Park. Check-in at 9 am and event starts at 10 am. There will be music, food, activities and a celebration of the Cystic Fibrosis community and the many medical milestones achieved in the fight against CF.
- The Big Easel Art Festival will take place Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 9 am to 4 pm in the River Ranch Town Square. Over 65 artists will set up tents in the Town Square to display their artwork, varying from Acrylic, Pottery, Porcelain, Mixed Media, Oil, Photography, Metal, Jewelry, Wood, Glass, Encaustic, Clay, Watercolor, Fiber, and more. All art is available for sale on the event day.
- Celebrate Halloween at Vermilionville Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 10 am to 3 pm! There will be old-time games, face painting, balloon animals, and fun movies in the Performance Center. Also offered are a coloring station and trick-or-treating throughout the historic village. In the Cooking School, children can decorate their own Halloween treats and other Halloween crafts as well. In the restaurant, a menu lined up to match the spirit of the day. Boo Bayou encourages kids and adults to wear costumes. Enjoy great photo opportunities at the Fall Photo Station. Admission is $5 for everyone over the age of 2.
- Sample bacon and boudin dishes from over 20 of the best culinary minds across Louisiana and East Texas at Louisiana’s premier boudin and bacon event Saturday, October 22, 2022. Free and open to the public from 10 am to 4 pm at Parc International. Live music. Family friendly. Free games, fun jumps, face painting, and ice cream sandwiches. Boudin and bacon eating contest and the world’s only boudin ball eating contest! Boudin Cook-off & Acadiana Bacon Fest benefits Love of People’s Blue Monday Mission to support local musicians in times of crisis.
- Over 30 small businesses are participating in Fall Festival Pop-Up Shop Sunday, October 23, 2022, from 2 to 8 pm on 328 Guilbeau Road. Shop for clothes, jewelry, accessories, hair care, skincare, candles, tumblers, paintings, vacations, custom items, home decor, holiday/seasonal items and more! Try out southern style dishes like shrimp or chicken fettuccine, oxtails, red beans, fried chicken and fries for the whole family to enjoy. Sweets like pies, cheesecakes, fruit salads, pecan candy, and cupcakes are also available. Trick-or-Treat, games, and face tattoos will be offered to kids of all ages from 2 to 8 pm. Halloween Photos are available for $7. Beautifully Beat Beauty Bar & Spa by Stephanie Marie Bonnet will be doing a Live Halloween Makeup tutorial starting at 4 pm and will be assisting with the kids tattoos.
- Faith House's Domestic Violence Awareness month event, Fallin’ Into Fun, is a free family fun event including food, trick or treating, and carnival games for all ages. Fallin’ Into Fun will be held Sunday, October 23rd, 2022, at Moncus Park.
- Festivus Games, Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 8 am, is a same-sex and mixed-pairs competition for "the rest of us," welcoming all athletes. A multitude of fun challenges are to be expected. Divisions include Novice, Intermediate & Masters 45+. Sweat, laugh, cheer and compete at 425 Saint de Porres Street in Broussard.
- Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 1 to 5 pm, Acadiana Center for the Arts presents Gulf Brew, Louisiana’s oldest craft beer festival, an outdoor street festival along Jefferson Street Downtown. Stroll along four pedestrian-only blocks between Juliet Hotel and La Carreta Restaurant while sampling more than 200 beers where all of Louisiana’s craft breweries and brewpubs showcase their newest beers.
- The Halloween Trunk or Treat celebration at Ricky Smith's Audio on Johnston is Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 5 pm. There will be a costume contest for the kids and a Jeep decorating contest! A Vitalant blood bus will be there if you wish to donate, and Twins will be serving delicious spooktacular burgers.
- “Louisiana Salutes” UL’s Military Appreciation Football Game is Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 4 pm on Cajun Field. Send photos of yourself or military-connected family to geauxcajuns@louisiana.edu to make an appearance on the field. Your pictures will be shown on the video board and social media. There will be a recognition of current UL student veteran Gordon Eatley, a re-dedication of the POW/MIA chair, an Arny Guard vehicle display, and a Military Fighter Jets fly-over.
- Murder on the Bayou, Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 7 to 10 pm at Vermilionville, presents a murderous scenario where teams of up to eight people will work together to solve the mystery and wade through suspects and all the clues. Teams are encouraged to dress as their favorite sleuth, or corpse. There will be Halloween music in the Performance Center, along with prizes, food, adult beverages and soft drinks. Admission is $10, and this event is restricted to age 21 and up.
- On Saturday, October 22, 2022, the Ochsner Lafayette General Vaccine Clinic will be open all day for families to get vaccinated or boosted. Kick off Halloween plans by protecting yourself and your family from COVID-19. The Halloween-themed vaccination event will take place from 11 am until 2 pm at the clinic located at 816 Harding Street in Lafayette. Families are encouraged to join staff in wearing Halloween costumes. Treat bags will be handed out to those receiving their vaccination or booster. Ochsner Lafayette General is currently only administering Pfizer vaccines and boosters.
- St. Barnabas is selling pumpkins and gourds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. There are concessions, face painting, professional photographers, and vendor fairs on Saturdays and Sundays. Visit Pumpkin Patch at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church 9 am to 5 pm.
- In honor of UL Lafayette's recent designation as a Bee Campus USA due to it being a safe haven for pollinating insects, on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 7pm, UL Lafayette's Tenor/Bass and Soprano/Alto choirs will be joined by the internationally acclaimed Chamber Singers to bring an exciting evening of music to commemorate insects, nature's smallest storytellers. The performance Songs of Smaller Creatures at Angelle Hall is free to attend and open to all.
- Soul Food: Open Mic Night, a night of poetry and artistic movement, is Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 7 pm. Enjoy an evening of music, drinks and art at Parc Village on 2323 Moss Street.
- Unique Health and Fitness, a health and fitness program designed for anyone who needs a unique approach to training, including individuals with TBIs, SCIs, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida or individuals with Down Syndrome, Autism, etc., is excited for their Unique Halloween Party, the Spooktacular Fest! Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 5:30 to 8:30 pm, current and new members enjoy a fun night out while playing games, singing karaoke, and have a costume contest.
- Join Autism Society of Acadiana and COX Communications in their 4th Annual Trunk or Treat in the parking lot of Autism Society of Acadiana Office on 3108 West Pinhook Road. Costumes encouraged. This is an event for persons of all exceptionalities.
- The 3rd annual Trunk or Treat, hosted by Acadiana Fitness and featuring Dead Pedal Coffee, will be held Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 8 to 11 am at 329 Hector Connoly Road in Carencro.
- Walk of Remembrance - Event Honoring the Dearly Departed, hosted by the Acadiana Spiritual Association, is to honor deceased loved ones and ancestors together as a community, regardless of spiritual path, when the veil between the worlds is thinning. The free public event is on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 100 Moss Street.
- The 2nd Annual Wellness Expo is Saturday, October 22, from 11 am to 4 pm at Scott Event Center on 110 Lions Club Road. See premium wellness products and over 27 services exhibitors. There will be live demonstrations showcasing fitness, healthy eating, and overall self-care. Experience live music, comedy, food and more.
ST. LANDRY PARISH
- Bridal pop-up at Astros is Sunday, October 23, 2022, from 11 am to 3 pm on 238 Napoleon Ave in Sunset. Meet with the area's top wedding experts to guide you through all your wedding needs. Expect food, music, giveaways and entertainment.
- CH Mason Church of God In Christ is holding a Breast Cancer Awareness Parade and Luncheon on Saturday, October 22, 2022. The parade will start at 10 am on 201 S. Beulah Street in Eunice. Following the parade will be a luncheon with two speakers: Dina Woodley, Breast Cancer Survivor, and Dr. Rachel Marshall who is a Medical Physicist.
ST. MARTIN PARISH
- The TECHE Project is proud to announce the 11th Annual “Shake Your Trail Feather” Festival: A celebration of the Bayou Teche Paddle Trail to be held on Saturday, October 22. The TECHE Project is a nonprofit group working to enhance the quality of life for communities and recreationalists on the bayou. This volunteer group does periodic bayou cleanups and manages the Bayou Teche National Water and Paddle Trail, the only National Water Trail in Louisiana! They are building floating paddle trail docks in all of the towns along Bayou Teche. The Shake Your Trail Feather event is twofold, comprising a “Paddle Parade” and a “Party in the Parc” with food and live music. The Paddle Parade will start at Poche Bridge at 10 a.m. and go 6.5 miles to Lil’s on the Teche south of Breaux Bridge. For those wishing to paddle a shorter distance, paddlers can pull out at Parc des Ponts (120 St. Bernard St.) in Breaux Bridge after 4.5 miles. The whacky, feather-clad Paddle Parade (no motorized boats, please) will float down Bayou Teche accompanied by live music of two Cajun bands (Amis du Teche and Cajun Fire) playing on decorated barges. According to Holland, “Tickets to paddle are available on Eventbrite, and the paddle ticket also includes the annual event pin featuring our 2022 theme bird. This year’s bird is the Mississippi Kite, a common raptor soaring over the bayou during summer months.” The TECHE Project also encourages those living on the bayou to join the fun by watching from the bank. After the parade, a celebration of the Bayou Teche National Water and Paddle Trail will take place at Parc des Ponts in Breaux Bridge. Anyone who is interested can come usher in the paddlers and show their support for the bayou. Starting at 11:30 a.m., there will be food vendors, libations, merchandise and kids’ activities. Live music with Horace Trahan and the Ossun Express will be playing on the stage from noon-2 p.m.
ST. MARY PARISH
- The Family Fall Picnic takes place Sunday, October 23, 2022, at 10 am on 200 Stable Road in Patterson, and includes a free throw & casting competition, games, free jambalaya, face painting, bounce houses, a craft for the kids, and more.
- There is an annual Fish Fry Sunday, October 23, 2022, at 2100 Cedar Street in Morgan City from 11 am to 1 pm. "Don't forget to get an amazing fish dinner this Sunday and support the KCs!" says Holy Cross Church.
- Join the Shannon Hardware Anniversary Block Party Friday, October 21, 2022, on Front Street in downtown Morgan City to celebrate 150 years! From 5:30 to 8:30 pm, there will be food, drinks, and a live performance from Chee-Weez.
- Check out Trunk or Treat Saturday, October 22, 2022, under the US 90 bridge in downtown Morgan City from 4 to 6 pm.
VERMILION PARISH
- Dreams Come True of Louisiana is holding their 2nd Annual Anything Over Rice Cook Off and Dessert Challenge on Saturday, October 22, 2022, at Delcambre Shrimp Festival Grounds located at 409 East Main Street in Delcambre. Admission for adults is $10, children 6-12 is $3, and children under 6 as well as Dream Families are Free. There will be draft booths, food tasting, live entertainment, and a silent and live auction.
AROUND THE STATE
- The Krewe of Boo 2022 parade rolls around Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 6:30 pm in New Orleans.
- The 2022 New Orleans Zombie Run takes place Saturday, October 22, 2022, at 9 am.
