The vacation spirit is taking on Lafayette this weekend with the lighting of the tree downtown, the Sonic Christmas parade and the Christmas Carnival.

Downtown is donned in garland, lights and home windows adorned in wonderland scenes. The official festivities begin Friday and proceed all through the month.

The lighting of the tree live performance begins at 5 p.m. Friday at Parc International. The free, household pleasant occasion begins with the swap being flipped on downtown’s 25-foot Christmas tree and follows with music from Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band.

Santa will get a heat Lafayette welcome when the Sonic Christmas Parade rolls by means of city Sunday. Floats, highschool marching bands and dance golf equipment will begin the parade at 1 p.m. on the Jefferson Street underpass in downtown. It’ll proceed down Jefferson Street on Johnston Street towards the Oil Center.

After the parade, there will likely be a Christmas carnival at Parc International. Santa will likely be there to take images and youngsters can drop off their letters to the massive man to allow them to make their method to the North Pole.

Free actions on the carnival embody crafts, leisure, an academic reptile encounter and likelihood to fulfill Lafayette’s first responders. Activity passes, obtainable for $15, will embody entry to the petting zoo, pony rides, enjoyable jumps and cellular arcade.

The downtown vacation festivities don’t cease there. A exhibiting of Dr. Seuss’ “The Grinch” will run on Dec. 9 at Parc International. Attendees are inspired to carry chairs and picnic blankets. The park opens at 4:30 p.m. and the film begins at sunset.

That similar evening, distributors will publish up downtown for Art Walk from 5-8 p.m. A particular vacation market will likely be arrange within the 400 block of Jefferson Street with vacation presents, stocking suffers and different hand-crafted objects.