Lafayette Parish

Known as the Hub City and the Heart of Cajun Country, Lafayette Parish is where Acadiana's food, music, and community all meet in one place — and it's home turf for The John Ray Group. Downtown, the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist still stands beneath its nearly 500-year-old Cathedral Oak, one of the oldest living things in Acadiana. A few blocks away, Vermilionville and the Acadian Cultural Center keep the region's Cajun and Creole heritage alive year-round, while Festival International de Louisiane fills downtown's streets with music every April. Families are drawn here for University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a growing list of strong schools, and neighborhoods like Elan, Pius Neighbors, and Congress West that blend front-porch living with easy access to everything the city has to offer. Whether you're new to Acadiana or you've called it home for generations, Lafayette Parish proves you can grow without losing what makes a place feel like yours.

John Ray’s Local Favorites

• Festival International de Louisiane — late April, downtown Lafayette
• Festivals Acadiens et Créoles — October, Girard Park
• Lafayette Mardi Gras — February/March — Louisiana's second-largest Mardi Gras celebration