While perusing grocery stores, greenhouses and shops, you may have noticed the increase in foot traffic – and an entirely too soon decrease in masking. It’s often misunderstood that the reopening will happen in increments, and not all at…
As stores turn on their long-dormant lights, quarantine restrictions are lifting in Acadiana. Which restaurants have open patios ready for patrons? Which stores are allowing shoppers to return? And what are those who are maintaining quarantine status up to?…
While you’re making dinner this evening, an hour or so before sunset, look out your kitchen window. You’ll see more walkers, joggers and cyclists than usual taking in springtime air and breaking the monotony of life indoors. I’m one…
Many years, a change of location, and a pandemic made Melanie Cunningham, owner of Melodi’s Belles & Beaus, add locally made masks to her store’s list of products. Cunningham’s daughter, social media manager and part-time shop employee, Erica Thibodeaux,…
Should you make your way down Madison Street, you’ll find the home of the Urban Naturalist Marcus Descant and the third of an acre he cultivates. The garden center offers environmentally friendly products and solutions for Acadiana gardens that…
Home and gardening stores are seeing a boom! We all have more time on our hands, and more incentive to accomplish whatever tasks we’ve been putting off around the house. There is one task, however, outside of the house:…
As your Zoom meetings and FaceTime and wine sessions indicate, communities are adapting how to go about interaction. What do you talk about when we’ve collectively hit pause? This is a great time to catch up on reading, or finally…
Over the years, Louisiana has been showcased in films to encapsulate irreverence, magic, charm, Southern gothic and a subversively sweet nature only available in the state known for its parishes, not counties. Often combining magical realism and impassioned ways of…
What a time to be alive. On lockdown, there are no events or activities as we – hopefully -- eschew community for rituals in our homes. It doesn’t come naturally to us. The mandate has been met with indignance,…
In recent years, the annual celebration of the Irish saint St. Patrick has permeated Acadiana. And if you think about it, the similarities between Cajun and Irish cultures are abundant: predominantly family-oriented but down for a good time, hardworking…
Mardi Gras season has concluded, and events around Acadiana are returning to their usual blend of uniquely creative and innovative. This weekend kicks off with the annual Women’s Leadership Conference, which is sure to motivate and equip Acadiana women…
This weekend, celebrations start early, end late and go well into the week for Mardi Gras! Everything from parades to their afterparties are featured here, so you’ll know where to go before you start your night. This week is all…
This weekend marks the return of floats, costumes and public intoxication with Mardi Gras! Whether you celebrate with your friends, children or just looking to stumble upon something exciting, this weekend won’t disappoint. And this year Mardi Gras coincides with…
This weekend brings free artistic experiences in various capacities. We are a musically inclined community, and that will be on full display this Saturday with the annual unveiling of the Festival International de Louisiane poster and pin! This coincides…
Acadiana springs are the prettiest, albeit briefest, season. This week’s activities and events include spring-related celebrations, including a UL-Lafayette alumni gathering to network and admire the campus in bloom, a springy, seafood-rich 5-course meal, and a fun celebration for…
The in-between time between Christmas and Mardi Gras could feel oddly vacant – but not this weekend. I’m not sure why January feels like it’s been going on for approximately 17 years, but that just means more time for seeing…
An exceptionally productive weekend awaits Acadiana. Kick it off with a vision board workshop to map out your momentum! Follow that by planting trees in one of Acadiana’s favorite parks for nature enthusiasts. Sing some songs that evening to benefit…
By now, the Christmas lights are taken down, and I’ve got the post-holiday blues. What to do after weeks of holiday parties? Do I exist outside of a cocktail dress? Why is water somehow not as enjoyable as champagne? Fear…
It’s the last week leading up to Christmas. In true fashion for Lafayette at all times of the year, it’s a time for food, music and good deeds for others. This week, you can indulge in two cross-cultural dinners in…
Who doesn’t love a good holiday party? If you’re anything like me, you’re down for a theme, and Christmas-themed parties leading up to New Year’s Eve are the best. Before we delve into holiday celebrations with our families, there…
This week, Lafayette and the surrounding parishes will celebrate the holidays with multiple ways to shop for Christmas presents and take part in traditional holiday festivities. Trees, neighborhoods and homes will be ceremoniously lit. Live music is, as always, in…
Black Friday officially heralds the holiday season. Small Business Saturday, however, is on its heels and gaining traction in Acadiana. This weekend, locally owned shops in Lafayette and the surrounding areas will celebrate with special deals and events that make…
It seems that after Halloween, we have all collectively decided to eschew Thanksgiving events altogether in favor of Christmas-themed gatherings. Personally, I’m all for it. I’ve always associated Christmas season in Acadiana with shopping with my mom. We’ve always had…
Need to get some shopping done? Want to bring home a new family member? Maybe you just want some brunch. This weekend, we’ve got you covered! 11/17: Vermilionville Cochon-de-lait: Café’ Vermilionville invites the community to participate in a…
This weekend marks the return of Southern Screen, the annual Lafayette film festival that celebrates local artists and invites collaborators from all over to downtown! The festival coincides with November’s second Saturday Artwalk, which will have plenty of exhibits and…
Fall in Acadiana means we’re in peak celebration season to enjoy the cooler temps, and this weekend has plenty to offer. From Halloween hangs to intimate fall concerts, a special fall poetry event that takes over an entire town to…
Halloween weekend in Lafayette and the surrounding areas is shaping up to be such a good time, it’s scary. Blackpot Festival and Cook-off returns to Vermilionville this year, and a local brewery hosts its annual costume party. The Children’s Museum…
We’re known for entrenching ourselves within the arts and celebrating our artists, and this is particularly evident in the events scheduled for this weekend. Beginning on Friday with a special artist showcase and closing with a Cajun camp unlike any…
Right on schedule, the cold front signifies Festivals Acadiens et Creoles week! The autumnal festival, held every second week of October, celebrates Cajun heritage through cuisine, music and lots and lots of dancing. In addition to the festival proper, additional…
As someone who is half-Latin American, I value the almost-new Latin Fest in downtown Lafayette more than a little bit. The festival sheds light on where the Viator, Miguez, and Lopez families – plus many more – come from,…
Ashley Hinson is a writer with a concentration in music, arts and culture. She is most interested in understanding how artists think and create, and what inspires their work. Having written across several parishes in Acadiana, she is deeply familiar with its ins and outs, its highways and dancehalls.
Hinson graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 2015 with a Bachelor’s in English. Her work has been published by regional newspapers and magazines as well as The Associated Press. She is also in school for nursing at Louisiana State University at Eunice.
