Lafayette Farmers Market

The Lafayette Farmers Market features locally grown foods along with South Louisiana arts and crafts. Best of all, you can shop, eat or dance to the lively sounds of Cajun music.

a farmers market with a cajun accent in lafayette

Lafayette, Louisiana is deep in the state’s Cajun region. And since the beginning of this weekly farmers market, musicians of all skill levels have been sitting in a circle under the shade of large oak trees playing toe-tapping traditional Cajun songs. Chad Huval, a professional musician and teacher, is the jam session leader. He is joined by other pros and amateurs on fiddles, acoustic guitars, a tub bass and washboard. Huval plays the Cajun accordion. He explains that the jam session gives people, “a chance to see it done live in an informal setting. They can get up close to it and talk to the musicians, if they like.”

A crowd gathers around the jam session. Children dance and eat flavored snowballs while their parents sip their morning coffee. Some bring lawn chairs while others sit at several picnic tables under the live oak trees. Off to the side, I notice a covered area with a group of people speaking French. They are in the “French Tent”, a sitting area for those who enjoy speaking the old language of Acadiana. Kevin Domingue, the organizer of this small gathering, tells me, “We’ve got Cajun French going on, we’ve got standard French.” And he points out that the French-speaking group includes visitors from Belgium, France and South Louisiana, “It’s all French”.

it’s all local

The Lafayette Farmers Market is a producers’ market, meaning that vendors either grow, bake, catch or cook the foods being sold, or they are the artists creating the crafts and paintings on sale here. “There’s no buying and reselling of goods,” market director Mark Hernandez explains, “which creates a real crafters market.” There are up to 150 approved vendors who participate in the market, which is approaching its’ tenth year. And Hernandez says it takes place every Saturday, rain or shine.

A great family day in the park

The Farmers Market is held in the recently improved Moncus Park in Lafayette. In addition to the grove of 150-year-old oak trees, the park is a popular place for families and children. There is a water play area, and what resembles a giant tree house and climbing area in the oak trees.

lafayette farmers market featured on tv

getting there

The Lafayette Farmers Market takes place every Saturday from 8am-Noon at Moncus Park. The Cajun music jam session runs from 9am-11am under the oaks in the market area. Moncus Park is located at 2913 Johnson Street, Lafayette, LA. Phone: (337) 944-4167.

2913 Johnston St, Lafayette, LA 70503