Community Chronicles

10/14/2026

10/14/2026

Mistletoe Market, Now in Lafayette By Hanna Alban
Lafayette — The holiday season is fast approaching, with the third-annual Mistletoe Market in Thibodaux and, for the first time, in Lafayette!
Taking place Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Heymann Center of the Arts, the event promises a wide variety of vendors selling a range of products. Louisiana-based couple Eyan & Alyssa Webre put on the event, and they're excited to bring upscale Christmas shopping to our area.
This year at Mistletoe Market, expect a wide range of unique finds from boutique vendors, candles, permanent jewelry, baked goods, wreath vendors, pottery, gift shops, Christmas decor, and other fantastic Christmas finds.
Alyssa Webre says that her favorite thing about putting on the Mistletoe Market every year is “creating relationships with all of my vendors. I love seeing all of the smiling faces of our amazing attendees when they have tons of bags in their hands from all of the unique things they found at the market.”
Tickets are ten dollars and can be purchased in advance or at the door. To buy them, visit this website: tickets.heymanncenter.com/en/buyingflow/tickets/1796/6298. Doors open for general admission at 10 am and the event lasts until 4 pm.
VIP tickets are also available for $25; these tickets will give people who purchase them access to the event starting at 9 am. VIP tickets also include a VIP tote bag full of local coupons and promotional items. They are also going to be raffling off a basket of Sweet Grace items valued at over $500. All of the proceeds will benefit a local widows' organization known as Widows of Worth. Tickets for this raffle can be purchased for five dollars at the door!
If you want more information about this year’s Mistletoe Market, or want to stay in the loop about updates about the event, their website has all of the information about tickets, restaurant recommendations, hotel recommendations, and a list of our vendors. Visit www.shopmistletoemarket.com/lafayette. Mistletoe Market also has a page and has created an event on the social media page as well. There you will find vendor shoutouts and so much more!

10/13/2026

Join us this Thursday 3pm for the groundbreaking of the beautiful expansion taking place at City Hall!

10/09/2026

Made in Scott Returns October 17 By Miranda Rhea
Scott-Local businesses, makers, food vendors, and community members will come together this October as Made in Scott returns for its second year, this time as part of the City of Scott’s Fall Fest celebration. Hosted by Envision Scott, the city’s chamber of commerce, the Made in Scott Fall Fest Market will take place Saturday, October 17, from 10 am to 2 pm at the Scott Event Center. The event is free and open to the public, with convenient parking available along Lions Club Road.
Made in Scott was launched by Envision Scott last fall as a way to give local makers and businesses an opportunity to showcase their work directly to the community. Following its first year, the market is returning as an annual event with a new October date designed to coincide with Fall Fest. The larger City of Scott Fall Fest will take place from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturday, October 17, and from 1 to 4 pm on Sunday, October 18, creating a full weekend of community activities for residents and visitors.
Inside the Scott Event Center, attendees can expect a full vendor market featuring a variety of locally based businesses. Vendors will include artists and crafters, clothing businesses, food vendors, local service providers, and other small businesses. Food trucks will also be on site throughout the event, while plans for live music and additional entertainment are still being finalized.
What sets Made in Scott apart is its emphasis on businesses and entrepreneurs from within the community. Every vendor participating in the market is local, allowing residents not only to shop locally, but also to meet the people behind businesses operating in and around Scott. It also gives shoppers a chance to discover products, services and businesses they may not have encountered before.
“Made in Scott is about putting our own people front and center,” said Jakob Goodwin, President of Envision Scott. “Every booth you'll visit belongs to someone who lives and works in this community, and I'm proud we get to do it alongside the City's Fall Fest this year.” Supporting local businesses is central to Envision Scott’s mission as Scott’s Chamber of Commerce. Through events such as Made in Scott, the organization aims to connect small businesses and makers with the people who live in the community while encouraging residents to keep their spending close to home.
This year’s move from November to October is one of the event’s biggest changes. Earlier promotional materials may have listed a November 7 date, but organizers emphasize that the correct date for Made in Scott is Saturday, October 17. With local shopping, food trucks, entertainment, and Fall Fest activities happening throughout the weekend, Made in Scott offers residents and visitors another reason to spend the day discovering what the Scott community has to offer.

10/07/2026

There's a version of this city's future that's about to become real, and we want you standing there when it happens.

On Thursday, October 15, the City of Carencro will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for the expansion and renovation of City Hall: where the work of this city has always happened, and where its next chapter starts.

You don't need an invitation to show up for something that belongs to everyone. But here's one anyway.

Groundbreaking Ceremony
Thursday, October 15 | 3:00 pm
Carencro City Hall, 210 E. St. Peter Street

A city that grows without forgetting who it is, that's worth showing up for. C'est Carencro.

10/07/2026

Opelousas General Health System Welcomes
Primary Care Physician, Madelyn Lavergne, M.D.


Opelousas, LA, 10/05/2026 – Lance Armentor, BSM, MHA, President & CEO of Opelousas General Health System (OGHS) announces that Madelyn Lavergne, M.D., will begin seeing patients effective October 6, 2026. Dr. Lavergne is board certified in Family Medicine. Her scope of services includes preventative medicine and chronic disease management, pediatrics, women’s health and geriatrics.

Dr. Lavergne joins the family medicine practice of Dr. Michael Burnell. She steps into the practice after Dr. Royce Darbonne decided to close his private practice. The office is located at 138 Lazaro Blvd., Suite A., Opelousas, off I-49 South Service Road, next to OGHS South Campus. Dr. Lavergne will continue caring for all of Dr. Darbonne’s patients and accept new patients. Appointments can be scheduled by calling the office at 337-447-4025.

“We are very pleased to welcome Dr. Lavergne to our community,” said Armentor. “Family medicine plays a vital role in keeping individuals and families healthy by providing comprehensive, compassionate care across every stage of life. We are confident that Dr. Lavergne will be a tremendous asset to our organization and, most importantly, to the families we are privileged to serve. I would like to thank Dr. Darbonne for serving patients in private practice and appreciate his continued work as a hospitalist here at OGHS.”

Dr. Lavergne completed her medical training at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans and her family medicine residency through LSU Health Sciences Center at University Hospital & Clinics.

Dr. Lavergne is a member of both Louisiana Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Family Physicians, and American Medical Association.

“I am both honored and excited to open my practice,” said Dr. Lavergne. “As a family medicine physician, I value the opportunity to care for patients throughout every stage of life and to build lasting relationships with individuals and families. I am grateful to Dr. Burnell and Dr. Darbonne for the opportunity to care for Dr Darbonne’s established patients and welcome new ones. I look forward to working alongside Dr. Burnell and his staff and being a trusted healthcare resource for the community.”

10/07/2026

SECOND ANNUAL PARCSGIVING AIMS TO PROVIDE 100+ THANKSGIVING MEALS TO LOCAL FAMILIES
Community invites to donate, volunteer and help ensure Lafayette families can gather around the table this Thanksgiving
Lafayette, LA – The Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Parks, Arts, Recreation, and Culture Department (PARC) is bringing back PARCsGiving for its second year, inviting the community to help provide Thanksgiving meals to local families this holiday season.
PARC has set a goal of assembling at least 100 Thanksgiving meal baskets for families in need across Lafayette Parish. Donations are being accepted now through November 6, with community members, businesses and organizations encouraged to participate.
“PARCsGiving is all about neighbors helping neighbors and making sure more families in our community can gather around the table and enjoy a Thanksgiving meal,” said PARC Director Byron Starks. “We’re excited to bring this event back and hope our community will help us reach even more families this Thanksgiving.”
HOW TO DONATE
Community members are encouraged to donate any non-perishable food items to help fill the Thanksgiving meal boxes. Items may include:
Rice (1–2 lb. bag)
Canned Green beans
Canned Corn
Cornbread mix
Dessert Items (cake mix, brownie mix, or pie filling and crust)
A handwritten note of encouragement (Perfect no-cost way for students, seniors and others to participate!)
DROP-OFF LOCATIONS
Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday at:
Girard Park Recreation Center | 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Lafayette City Hall | 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Any PARC Recreation Center | 2:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
DAY OF GIVING – NOVEMBER 20
Thanksgiving meal baskets will be distributed Friday, November 20, 2026, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Domingue Recreation Center, 901 Mudd Ave., on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Community members can also volunteer to help PARC assemble donated items into Thanksgiving meal baskets. To sign up for a volunteer slot, call 337-291-8364 or visit https://bit.ly/4hpx0j4 .
Through PARCsGiving, PARC hopes to continue building a Lafayette tradition centered on generosity, connection and neighbors coming together to support one another during the holiday season. Join PARC in making PARCsGiving a season of gratitude, connection, and community.

10/06/2026

City of Scott Senior Bingo By Miranda Rhea
Scott-For seniors in Scott and the surrounding community, the third Thursday of every month offers an afternoon of bingo, prizes, fellowship, and plenty of friendly competition. The City of Scott hosts its free Senior Bingo each month at the Scott Event Center, providing local seniors with a regular opportunity to get out of the house, visit with friends and neighbors, and enjoy an afternoon designed especially for them. Senior Bingo is held from 2 to 4 pm on the third Thursday of each month, with doors opening at 1 pm. There is no cost to attend.
The monthly gathering has already proven popular with area seniors. More than 170 people attended the City of Scott's first free Senior Bingo in August, filling the Scott Event Center for an afternoon of games, prizes, and good company. While everyone hopes to hear their numbers called and yell "Bingo!" before their neighbors, the event is about more than winning a game. Senior Bingo gives residents a place to socialize and reconnect while providing another way for the City of Scott to bring members of the community together.
Local businesses, organizations, and community members also have an opportunity to become part of the monthly event. The City of Scott is actively seeking sponsors for upcoming Senior Bingo events. Sponsors can help provide prizes for players while also getting an opportunity to introduce their business or organization to those attending. Sponsors may set up a promotional table at the Scott Event Center during Senior Bingo to share information about their products, services, or organization and interact directly with community members.
Local businesses and community leaders have supported previous events by contributing prizes and helping make the afternoon memorable for participants. Sponsorship offers another way for businesses to support Scott's senior community while becoming involved in an event that takes place throughout the year. Businesses, organizations, or individuals interested in sponsoring an upcoming Senior Bingo can contact Brenda Dugas at Scott City Hall at 337-233-1130 for additional information about sponsorship opportunities.
The next Senior Bingo will be held Thursday, October 15, at the Scott Event Center. Doors will open at 1 pm, with bingo beginning at 2 pm and continuing until 4 pm. Those who cannot attend in October will have another opportunity the following month. Senior Bingo returns to the Scott Event Center every third Thursday of the month, giving area seniors something to look forward to year-round. Whether they come hoping to take home a prize, catch up with longtime friends, or meet someone new, attendees can count on a free afternoon of games and fellowship each month in Scott.

10/05/2026

Festivals Acadiens Attendees Come from Near and Far By Kay Couvillon

Lafayette-Part of Festivals Acadiens is meeting people from Connecticut, California, Pennsylvania, France, or England. Part of the festival is the built-in community that binds us together. Whether it’s the love of the music or the love of the people, it’s an experience to take a walk on the side of musicians as they perform under the beautiful live oak trees in Girard Park.
I first met Suzie from England in 2006 at Festivals Acadiens. We hugged and visited under the dance tent last year. Because we set up under an oak tree, the same oak tree every year, our friends and family know where we are for the weekend of connection and joie de vivre that is Festivals Acadiens. Hazel, who now lives in Pennsylvania, attended the festival last year for the first time. Even though she is a Lafayette native, she marveled at the communities that gravitated to the same spots year after year with a common goal: music, art, and cuisine.
Nothing else says “breaking bread together” like a visit to the food vendors. Taco Sisters returns with its brisket burrito, and The Cajun Table offers alligator-on-a-stick and alligator smoked sausage sauce piquante. Bon Creole’s crawfish spinach boat is a classic to repeat. It’s possible to start your day with beignets from Poupart’s and enjoy lunch or dinner from one of twenty-one food vendors. Geauxsicles ice pops or pies from Magnolia Pantry can provide the sweet finish to your meal.
Souvenir is a French word for memory. As you meander through the art tents sponsored by Louisiana Crafts Guild, let something you love be the memory of the music, the people, and the food. Is it metal, clay, fiber, or mixed media? Is it that pair of earrings that you’ve secretly yearned for the last three years? Is it a new artist who has brought original art for the first time? Is it cypress furniture that is perfect for your porch? See you at the festival, October 8th - 11th. Six stages will feature musicians ready to rock, jam, play, and make you put your boogie shoes on! Acadiana is a one-of-a-kind experience.
Pictured is Hazel Keahey from Pennsylvania enjoying last year’s festival.