2021 Christmas Events Across Acadiana

The Holiday and Christmas season in Louisiana is always such a magical time. From festive parades and extravagant light shows to concerts and performances, there’s always plenty going on in the state, particularly in the Acadiana region. So, if you’re looking for a holiday experience in the region, then this curated list from KATC will lead you in the right direction.

Christmas in the Park | Lafayette, Louisiana

At long last, one of the most-anticipated locations in Lafayette Parish, Moncus Park, is set to officially open to the public at the turn of the new year on January 1, 2022. Residents of Lafayette have been awaiting this massive, innovative public park for years, but locals can secure a chance to enter the park before it’s “officially open” by purchasing a ticket to Christmas in the Park, a 12-night seasonal event kicking off its opening session by way of a festive holiday celebration.

The event will feature a wide variety of family-friendly activities “including six separate kid’s activities per night, a visit from Santa, a Christmas Market and General Store, selfie stations, a live art installation, local food vendors,” and so much more.” Additionally, Moncus Park will host live music each night of the event with performances ranging from local school and church choirs to regional performers.

The Christmas in the Park event at Lafayette’s Moncus Park is presented by Iberia Bank, a division of First Horizonand Laborde Earls Injury Lawyers. It will take place from December 16 to December 29 (excluding Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), tickets can be purchased here, and the event lineup is below:

  • Thurs, 12/16, 7:00 PM Comeaux High School Choir, 8:00 PM Walter Wolfman Washington
  • Fri, 12/17, 7:00 PM North Vermilion High School Choir, 8:00 PM Souled Out
  • Sat, 12/18, 7:00 PM Choir, 8:00 PM Wayne Toups
  • Sun, 12/19, 7:00 PM ELF (movie night)
  • Mon, 12/20, 7:00 PM Corale Des Amis, 8:00 PM Blue Monday Allstars w/ Roddie Romero & Michael Juan Nunez
  • Tues, 12/21, 7:00 PM Local Choir, 8:00 PM Dyer Country
  • Wed, 12/22, 7:00 PM Local Choir, 8:00 PM Josh Leblanc + Nicki Needham
  • Thurs, 12/23, 7:00 PM Caroling w/Dave Trainer, 8:00 PM The Good Dudes
  • Sun, 12/26, 7:30 PM Chubby Carrier
  • Mon, 12/27, 7:30 PM Kelli Jones + The Lindas
  • Tue, 12/28, 7:30 PM Ray Boudreaux
  • Wed, 12/29, 7:30 PM Rebirth Brass Band

Christmas at West Village | Scott, Louisiana

The new 143-acre mixed-use development off of Apollo Road Extension in Scott, Louisiana is welcoming residents to its first Christmas event on Saturday, December 18th from 6 pm to 9 pm. Christmas at West Village presented by Robbie Breaux & Team is set to be a free, family-friendly event with live music by Chubby Carrier & The Bayou Swamp Band, a photo opportunity with Santa Claus, local pop-up shops, and the official Coca-Cola Christmas Truck available on site. The event is open to the public.

Evangeline Parish Events | Turkey Creek and Vidrine, Louisiana

  • The 19th Annual Turkey Creek Christmas Parade will be held on December 18th and start at 11 am.
  • The Vidrine Fire Department will be holding a Santa Run on December 24, Christmas Eve. They’ll start at the Vidrine Fire Station at 1:30 pm and arrive at Vidrine Elementary around 3:30 pm where participants can take photos with Santa.

Jefferson Davis Parish | Jennings, Louisiana

The Jennings Christmas Festival will be held on December 17th from 5 pm to 8 pm in Founder’s Park and offer such experiences as Hot Chocolate with Santa, a Hayride, the Jennings Hall of Trees, a Christmas Fireworks presentation, and much more.

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Acadiana’s Silicon Bayou Gains New Tech Firm

Over the past decade, Acadiana’s tech industry, Silicon Bayou, has caught the eye of many interested parties nationwide as “Acadiana’s Silicon Valley” has became only more prevalent and successful with time. As detailed by an Advocate article, the educational technology company, SchoolMint Inc, will move its headquarters and other U.S. operations from California to Acadiana.

SchoolMint Inc, which has previously acquired a Lafayette-based company in 2019, will asl o consolidate their offices in New York and Miami, as CEO Bryan MacDonald and Governor John Bel Edwards announced in Lafayette. The firm develops enrollment, application and behavioral management software for schools. The firm develops enrollment, application and behavioral management software for schools.

This monumental deal already has roots in Acadiana, as the history of this Lafayette success story traces back to a sophomore at Carencro High School in 2004, Casey Bienvenu. Bienvenu’s company was eventually purchased and ended up being known as Smart Choice Technologies when it was bought by School Mint in 2019.

Total, the moving of offices and the company will involve a $515,000 investment in new office spaces, and it will create 178 new direct jobs in Lafayette, with an average salary of more than $74,000 plus benefits, according to the governor’s office.

The success of the move to Silicon Bayou was rightly applauded by the governor in the announcement. “From Lafayette to Baton Rouge and New Orleans and across north Louisiana’s I-20 Cyber Corridor, Louisiana is leading the way with cutting-edge tech firms creating quality jobs for our digital future,” he declared.

Taxpayers will help out with $1 million for the company’s relocation assistance, and a healthy tax credit for development of software products, among other benefits. These are seen as valuable, especially for smaller companies, but MacDonald put an emphasis on other avenues the state and community can take to contribute to growth in the technology-based economy.

Once such avenue is to keep the “pipeline of talent” full of students from universities who can provide the educated workforce that such a tech company requires. What is seen by some to be underrated in the previous announcements is the state’s award-winning program, Fast Start, which is used to recruit qualified people to work in relocated businesses, be they blue-collar jobs in a factory or white-collar positions in a software firm.

While leaders across Louisiana applaud SchoolMint as a new, well quasi-new, star in the local Acadiana technology scene, Louisiana as a whole cannot guarantee success in any national, much less international market for digital products or services. Though, SchoolMint is seen as a massive contributor of new talents as well as old to Louisiana’s tech scene, and talent is what our state will need to be more competitive in the 21st century.

“Acadiana’s Silicon Valley” has only grown in prosperity and size over the past decades, and with the addition of SchoolMint, it’s hoped that these successes will inspire lawmakers to invest more in community colleges and universities that make Louisiana more talent-competitive.

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