Good morning, Lafayette.

Tonya Bolden-Ball and the TBB Collective are hosting the 13th annual Love Thy Neighbor Holiday Care Package Drive Sunday, Dec.

7, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Northgate Mall parking lot (near the former Transcom building) to collect essential household supplies for families facing financial hardship.

LFT Fiber restored service after repairs were completed on the damaged main fiber line that caused a region-wide outage.

Customers are seeing connectivity return while technicians continue to monitor the network (ensuring stability).

Off the Hook opened its first location on Kaliste Saloom Road on Tuesday, Dec.

2, and offered a fast, casual, family-friendly space serving locally caught seafood with a Cajun twist. The new restaurant was introduced with a ribbon-cutting ceremony presented by Butcher Air Conditioning.

Broaddus Burger will close its Congress Street location at 4519 W.

Congress St. on Dec. 21 — it will shift to table-side service and new specials at its current site on 610 E. Kaliste Saloom Rd.

Noel Acadien au Village is the 45th annual Christmas light show at Acadian Village, featuring 500,000 lights, a lit chapel, live entertainment, carnival rides, and Santa photos.

The event, which supports LARC, runs nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. through Dec. 23 (weather permitting).

Lafayette celebrates the season today as LARC’s 23-night festival lights up Acadian Village with over half a million lights, a Sonic Christmas Parade starts at 1 p.m. through downtown, and holiday markets at Moncus Park run from 4 to 8 p.m. + all events support local traditions.

Louisiana is home to 15 Native American tribes—fourly federally recognized and 11 state recognized; the state's diverse heritage and natural resources once provided refuge for many displaced groups.

One Acadiana celebrated 10 years of progress on Wednesday in a region-wide event that honored economic growth, leadership change, and new business projects — including $3.4 billion in planned investments across Acadiana while awarding Diogo Tavares and Joseph Savoie as board leadership passed from Al Patin to Vincent June.

Legendary Zydeco musician Chubby Carrier performed for French immersion students at Scott Middle School and taught them Louisiana music traditions, featuring Zydeco + Cajun tunes to help preserve local culture.

Louisiana residents are advised to set thermostats at 68 degrees during winter days to keep homes warm and save energy and lower them to 60-62 degrees at night, authorities say (Southern Air) while recommending further adjustments on warmer days and savings measures when away.

After a lengthy debate on Tuesday, mayor-president Boulet and the City Council agreed that next year’s Mardi Gras parade route will not reroute down Jefferson Street and that a planning committee will be postponed until residents can weigh in after March.

Local high school football players signed letters of intent with colleges (Dec.

3) on National Signing Day, highlighting rising talent from Lafayette and surrounding parishes.

Festival of Lights

5:30-9 p.m. — Ochsner Parking Garage — Ticketed event — Celebrate the holidays with lights, food, music, and family fun activities.

The Gospel According to Scrooge

December 5-8 — 1100 Lee Ave, Lafayette, LA — Free entry — Experience a musical retelling of a classic Christmas tale with a message of transformation and grace.

Locally Filmed Christmas Movie Showing

5-9 p.m. — Acadiana Center for the Arts — Ticket price applies — Enjoy heartwarming local Christmas films and a Q&A with cast and crew.

George Porter Jr. Performance

7:30-11:30 p.m. — Acadiana Center for the Arts — Ticket prices vary — Experience the legendary bassist and funk pioneer perform classic grooves from his illustrious career.

Breakfast with Santa 2025

9 a.m. — Dave and Buster's Lafayette — $10+ — Celebrate the holiday season with Santa over a festive breakfast and exclusive arcade fun for the whole family.

Cajun Christmas Ballet

3:00 – 4:30 PM — Acadiana Center for the Arts — Family-friendly — Experience a Cajun-inspired ballet that celebrates Christmas through the adventures of Marie in the bayou.

Marc Broussard Concert

8:30 PM – 12:00 AM — Rock'n'Bowl® de Lafayette — $25 cover charge — Enjoy an evening of live music featuring Marc Broussard and special guest Mike Broussard.

New Year’s Eve Dance with Geno Delafose

8:30 PM – 12:30 AM — Lafayette Parish Bayou Vermilion District — $45 — Celebrate the New Year with live music, food, and dancing at the biggest party of the year.