Opportunity Machine celebrates permanent home in downtown Lafayette
Read Clair Taylor’s article for The Acadiana Advocate here.

Read Clair Taylor’s article for The Acadiana Advocate here.

Festival International de Louisiane is set to take over Downtown Lafayette this weekend, converting the city center into a world music mecca like no other. The streets will be packed with throngs of sandal clad weekend warriors—over 300,000 people attend the festival each year, coming from all over the country and around the globe. Everyone knows the bands they want to see and where the stage is, but there’s more to Festival than just the music. This guide to Festival International’s unofficial and off-the-beaten-path events will help you to get the most out of a full week of Downtown festivities.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic and Hurricanes Laura and Delta impacted the construction, the developers behind the old federal courthouse redevelopment in Downtown Lafayette knew the project would take a lot of work. J. Dyke Nelson, the architect behind the project, said he had to wear a hazmat suit the first time he came out and saw the property.

Perficient, a digital consulting firm with an office in downtown Lafayette, hired 50 graduates from its training bootcamp held last fall.The second Bright Paths Program, an initiative designed to advance STEM education and career opportunities for underrepresented constituencies and communities, was offered at its Lafayette and Detroit locations. Students completed software engineering coursework, learned about the consulting business, connected with mentors, and engineered their own innovative applications, company officials announced Thursday.

Tim Skinner has been a business owner in Downtown Lafayette for almost 30 years. While he has made an investment in the area, Skinner said he is thrilled to see other taking a vested interest as well. “This is the first big project that we see coming that will enhance east of Main,” Skinner said. “When the streets are improved and sidewalks are improved, the more accessible they are it’ll encourage people to invest money in new properties and renovating older properties. ”

SchoolMint will move into a temporary space in downtown Lafayette and could soon land a permanent home possibly later this month. Company CEO Bryan MacDonald said the company will move into the first floor of the Lemoine building, 214 Jefferson St., and hopes to have employees working there on Feb. 1.

The Downtown Development Authority is proposing construction of a performing arts center in downtown Lafayette to replace the 61-year-old Heymann Performing Arts Center, which landlocked Ochsner Lafayette General wants to buy. Referring to the idea as “the type of investment that tips the scale,” DDA CEO Anita Begnaud introduced the proposal at the board’s monthly meeting Thursday morning.

Don’t miss out on the third annual Merry & Bright Holiday Series, presented by Lafayette Coca-Cola Bottling Co., happening Downtown this holiday season.The holiday season is a time to come together and celebrate the connection you have to your family, friends, and community. Part of Downtown Lafayette Unlimited’s mission is to foster a downtown district where this can happen, to serve as a gathering place for memories and traditions that stand the test of time.

Parc San Souci has been the go-to place for people living in Lafayette for nearly twenty years. It has served as a place to host events, play and listen to live music, as well as take an iconic photo, but the Downtown Development Authority believes that it’s missing something.

After the success of both Chicken Sandwich Snackdown and Burger Battle Royale, we HAD to continue the fun competition amongst our Downtown neighbors. 16 Downtown restaurants will compete for the ultimate title: TACO TAKEDOWN CHAMPION.This exciting month-long food fight is a fundraiser for Downtown Lafayette Unlimited, with $1 per every taco sold going to our non-profit organization. Check out our Facebook and Instagram feeds to see who’s ready to knock-out the competition. Public voting begins August 15.

Lafayette, LA – Downtown Alive! announces their Fall lineup as they return to in-person programming this Fall in Parc International. This beloved community tradition pivoted to virtual programming throughout 2020 and Spring 2021 due to COVID-19 and managed to reach over 45,000 viewers in the Spring season alone thanks to supporters near and far.

CGI just keeps growing and growing… The global information technology firm, which reported 500 jobs in Lafayette just over a year ago, doubled its initial projection for Lafayette from 400 to 800, which it expects to reach in 2023. The company will expand into the 50,000-square-foot space in the Versailles Centre in Downtown Lafayette this summer and will house 400 employees there over time.