Gumbo, Rice, Andouille and More October Festivals in Acadiana

From Arnaudville to Larose, Explore the October Festivals in Acadiana

October festivals in Acadiana are top of mind as we enter our second ‘ber’ month of the year, the one that typically marks the real start of fall for us in South Louisiana.

October is packed with festivals and fall events as people try to take advantage of temperatures below 90º. With so many festivals to keep track of across a 22-parish region, a festival roundup is key to making the most of October.

From Arnaudville to Larose, explore the October festivals in Acadiana below.

October Festivals in Acadiana

Chackbay

Louisiana Gumbo Festival

• Oct. 9-11
• 326 Hwy. 304
• $35 day ride pass, $70 weekend ride pass
• Website

The Louisiana Gumbo Festival is held each year in Chackbay, the Gumbo Capitol of Louisiana. The festival offers a weekend of Cajun food, music, amusement rides, a parade, an auction and more. Organizers share that volunteers cook nearly 500 gallons of gumbo during the festival weekend.

Abbeville

Louisiana Cattle Festival

• Oct. 2-4
• Downtown Abbeville (100 N. State St.)
• Free admission
• Website

The 76th Louisiana Cattle Festival will feature a pageant, cook-off, branding of the barn event, auctions, live music, cattle show, eating contests and more.

Arnaudville

Halloween Art & Nature Festival

• Oct. 31, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.
• 1050 Andrew Gautreaux Rd.
• Free admission
• Website

Atelier de la Nature, an education center, nature reserve and sculpture park, will host the 2026 Halloween Art & Nature Festival with art, performances, science, strange creatures, Dungeons & Dragons, nocturnal hikes and more for all ages. Costumes are encouraged.

Carencro

C’est Bon Seasoning Festival

• Oct. 30 – Nov. 1
• Pelican Park (110 Softball Dr.)
• Costs vary based on event participation
• Website

In its third year, the C’est Bon Seasoning Festival will have a seasoning showcase and contest, a make-your-own spice booth, Cajun jam session, carnival rides, arts and crafts, a chili hot dog-eating contest and more.

Crowley

International Rice Festival

• Oct. 15-18
• Throughout Crowley
• $30 carnival day pass ($25 on Sunday), $54 four-day pass
• Website

Held every third full weekend of October, the International Rice Festival features a rice and Creole cookery contest, carnival rides, fiddle and accordion contests, queen’s contest and ball, parade and more.

Grand Coteau

Sweet Dough Pie Festival

• Oct. 31, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Grand Coteau Town Park (231 Burleigh Ln.)
• $5
• Webpage

The Sweet Dough Pie Festival celebrates the history of Grand Coteau and the sweet dough pie with a contest, live bands, various vendors for shopping and, of course, sweet dough pies, like fig, custard, lemon, blackberry and more.

Houma

Rougarou Fest

• Oct. 23-25
• 86 Valhi Blvd.
• Free
• Website

The Rougarou Fest celebrates the rich folklore of Southeast Louisiana’s bayous, showcasing live music, cultural activities, children’s activities, Cajun food, the Krewe Ga Rou parade and more.

Lafayette

Latin Music Festival

• Oct. 2-3
• Parc International (200 Garfield St.)
• $20-60 based on admission
• Website

Hosted by the Asociación Cultural Latino-Acadiana (ACLA), the Latin Music Festival is the organization’s signature event featuring authentic food, vibrant local art and live entertainment. For 2026, the theme is “Sharing Traditions, Blending Cultures,” with the Grammy-winning Gente de Zona as the headliner.

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles

• Oct. 8-11
• Oct. 9-11 at Girard Park (500 Girard Park Dr.)
  • Oct. 8 “Dry Bones” premiere at Acadiana Center for the Arts (101 West Vermilion St.)
• Free admission
• Website

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles is a Cajun and zydeco music festival with live music, arts and crafts, food vendors, the village des tentes, symposium, special events and more. This year, the Smithsonian Institution selected the festival as one of the folklife events in the US to join their “Festival of Festivals,” a nationwide initiative to highlight festivals that are vital spaces for cultural exchange, civic engagement and dialogue.

South Louisiana Blackpot Festival & Cookoff

• Oct. 30-31
• Vermilionville (300 Fisher Rd.)
• $35 Friday night and $45 Saturday (no camping), $7o weekend pass with camping (no RV camping sites this year)
• Website

Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Blackpot Festival & Cookoff offers two days of live music across three stages on Friday and four stages on Saturday. The cookoff categories are gravy (not a roux base), gumbo, Cook’s Choice (anything cooked in a blackpot), jambalaya and dessert.

Lake Charles

Chuck Fest

• Oct. 16-17
• Downtown Lake Charles
• Admission cost not listed
• Website

Chuck Fest exists to enrich and strengthen the cultural heritage and quality of life in Southwest Louisiana by creating unique arts, music, cultural and community experiences that support tourism and regional economic growth.

Southwest Louisiana Veterans Fest

• Oct. 31, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Lake Charles Event Center (900 Lakeshore Dr.)
• Free
• Facebook Page

The Southwest Louisiana Veterans Fest offers veteran services and resources, free food and drinks, a car show, trick-or-treating and live music.

LaPlace

St. John the Baptist Parish Andouille Festival

• Oct. 16-18
• St. John Community Center (2900 Hwy. 51)
• $5 admission
• Website

Hosted by St. John the Baptist Parish, the Andouille Festival features live music, arts and crafts, sweets, a 5k run, carnival rides and more.

Larose

French Food Festival

• Oct. 23-25
• 307 East 5th St.
• Free admission
• Facebook Page

The French Food Festival offers live music, food, a craft show and more.

Rayne

Roberts Cove German Fest

• Oct. 3-4
• 7212 Roberts Cove Rd.
• $8 admission for ages 13+
• Website

The Roberts Cove German Fest celebrates the local German community with two days of events, including folk singers, dancers, German bands, sausage making, beer making and more.

Thibodaux

Acadia Music Fest

• Oct. 17
• Percy Brown Rd.
• $70 admission for ages 13+
• Website

Featuring local musicians, art and southern food, the Acadia Music Fest is Thibodaux’s biggest outdoor music festival, according to organizers.

Westlake

West Fest

• Oct. 3, 1 p.m., music starts at 2:30 p.m.
• Pinderosa Park (3104 Westwood Rd.)
• Admission not listed
• Facebook Page

The West Fest offers live music, food, drinks and vendors.