Where community comes alive.

Downtown Lafayette brings people together to celebrate culture, connection, and shared experiences.

Tradition meets the unexpected.

Adapting to community needs and cultural exchanges, we lead to revitalization that blends the old with the new.

From policy to projects, we shape Downtown.

We go beyond maintenance—actively creating a thriving, inclusive space for everyone.

Children play on rope suspended platforms at The Playground in Parc Sans Souci
people walk through Parc de Lafayette, shoping during Artwalk

Where community blooms alive.

From signature events to local businesses, Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana

Explore Downtown

Where culture finds its rhythm.

From signature events to local businesses, Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana

Explore Downtown

Where community blooms alive.

From signature events to local businesses, Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana

Explore Downtown
A couple holds each other while dancing in Parc International
Bonjour

Downtown Lafayette is a cultural district, uniquely positioned to activate community.

Shaped by a dedicated team, Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana, is more than a destination—it’s a thriving hub where business, culture, and people connect in a space that is genuine, welcoming, and safe for everyone.

Explore our district
See what we focus on
GET TO KNOW OUR TEAM

The heart of Lafayette & Acadiana.

Downtown Lafayette is the city's vibrant core, embodying South Louisiana’s spirit of bringing people together through shared experiences, flavors, and traditions—both old and new. But the energy doesn’t stop there; it continuously sparks a lively dialogue with our neighboring communities of UL Lafayette, La Place, Freetown-Port Rico, McComb-Veazey, Sterling Grove, and beyond.

Want to live Downtown? Find your neighborhood.

An illustration of notable buildings seen in Downtown Lafayette
Food
Music
Public Art
Shopping
Arts

Delicious Food

Lafayette is a haven for a variety of high-quality restaurants, charming eateries, and humble plate-lunch houses. Take just a few steps downtown and you will find Cajun and Creole dishes mixed with inspired modern cuisine.

COME EAT
A platter of oysters on ice are carried by a man towards a table
A smiling man holds out a garnished drink
An overhead view of a table filled with various dishes, including a burger, chicken, and salmon on toast.

Rich Music

Live music nearly every night, festivals year-round—do not miss a beat on Lafayette’s signature and diverse music scene.

COME LISTEN
One man plays fiddle on stage while another plays accordion behind him during a downtown event
2 women performing on an outdoor stage
A man plays electric guitar on stage, lit by bright red and purple lights as he sings into a microphone

Dynamic Displays

Lafayette’s arts scene is alive with creativity, from colorful murals to inspiring galleries, outdoor sculptures and performance spaces. Discover a place where culture thrives and art in every form is celebrated around every corner.

COME See
Artist Hannah Gumbo sits in front of a mural in Downtown Lafayette
Mural of a painted bunting bird in a swamp scene
Geometric sculpture in front of a glass windowed building
Abstract colorful mural featuring a heart and the phrase "Life is better when we come together"

Local Shops

Stroll through Lafayette’s charming shops and specialty stores to uncover local treasures you won’t find anywhere else. From handmade crafts to unique fashion, shopping downtown offers something special for everyone.

COME Shop
A couple and their young child look at artwork in the Sans Souci Fine Crafts Gallery on Jefferson Street
A man works on a bicycle in the Hub City Bicycle shop downtown.
Several people shop in a used clothing store downtown

Bold Expression

Home to the monthly 2nd Saturday ArtWalk and scores of art studios, galleries, theaters and museums, creativity is always on full display.

COME EXPERIENCE
People walk around and look at iron sculptures displayed in the Acadiana Center for the Arts gallery space.
3 young people look at artwork in Basin Arts downtown
2 young people look at artwork for sale in Gallery Russo

Don't miss a Downtown event.

DTA Icon.svg
DTA 03.jpeg
Feb
13
13
Fri
Downtown Alive!
6:00 pm
-
8:30 pm

Downtown Alive! ft. Dustin Dale Gaspard

Parc Sans Souci
DTA Icon.svg
DTA 03.jpeg
Feb
13
13
Fri
Downtown Alive!
6:00 pm
-
8:30 pm

Downtown Alive! ft. Dustin Dale Gaspard

Parc Sans Souci
677d7e7d030b3da33b0a1643_Artwalk_Icon_01.svg
Artwalk 06.jpg
Feb
14
14
Sat
Artwalk
5:00 pm
-
9:00 pm

February ArtWalk

Downtown Lafayette
DTA Icon.svg
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Mar
6
06
Fri
Downtown Alive!
6:00 pm
-
8:30 pm

Downtown Alive! ft. Sydney & The Sams

Parc Sans Souci
677d7e7d030b3da33b0a1643_Artwalk_Icon_01.svg
Artwalk01 (1).jpeg
Mar
14
14
Sat
Artwalk
5:00 pm
-
9:00 pm

March ArtWalk

Downtown Lafayette
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Mar
27
27
Fri
6:00 pm
-
11:00 pm

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre: Death of a Showgirl

Acadiana Center for the Arts
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Mar
28
28
Sat
6:00 pm
-
11:00 pm

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre: Death of a Showgirl

Acadiana Center for the Arts
DTA Icon.svg
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Apr
10
10
Fri
Downtown Alive!
6:00 pm
-
8:30 pm

Downtown Alive! Les Amis de DTA! ft. BRAZILIANA

Parc Sans Souci
Lifeline Duathlon Charity Logo.png
Apr
11
11
Sat
7:00 am
-
11:00 am

Lifeline Duathlon

Parc Sans Souci
677d7e7d030b3da33b0a1643_Artwalk_Icon_01.svg
Artwalk 09.jpg
Apr
11
11
Sat
Artwalk
5:00 pm
-
9:00 pm

April ArtWalk

Downtown Lafayette
DLU_Icon-01-12.svg
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Apr
15
15
Wed
General DDA DLU Event
5:30 pm
-
8:30 pm

22nd Annual Rooftop Crawfish Boil

Parc-Auto Du Centre-Ville
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Apr
22
26
Wed
Festival
8:00 am
-
8:00 pm

Festival International

Various Locations
See all events

Have a Downtown event you want to share with the community?  Submit your event.

A skyline view of downtown Lafayette during sunset

Have questions or issues about Downtown Lafayette? Here are some helpful resources.

Moving Downtown
LIVING & WORKING downtown
Developing downtown

Recent News & Stories

February 12, 2026

Why Free Events Matter More Than Ever

Free public programming is not just about access. It is about trust. It is about generosity. And it is about building a downtown where everyone has a seat in the crowd.

Events
February 11, 2026

Five ideas for plugging Lafayette's brain drain

We gathered about 40 such people for lunch this week and we asked them: Kids are leaving, what can we do about it?

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February 9, 2026

DTA kicks off Mardi Gras weekend with live music

This festive evening marks the perfect way to dive into Deep Gras season while supporting local music, local businesses, and the vibrant Downtown Lafayette community.

Events
February 5, 2026

Choosing Local Is a Love Language

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romance, it’s about intention.

Explore
February 1, 2026

Happiest City in America, and Downtown is the heart of it all!

Ask locals what explains Lafayette’s happiness and the answers overlap.

Explore
January 26, 2026

Beyond the Wall: How Public Art Creates Place

If you can envision it, you can build it. If you can dream it, you can paint it. And when that dream is shared between artists, institutions, and the public, it becomes part of the city’s story.

Development
READ all ARTICLES

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