Lafayette Mardi Gras - there's an app for that!

Mardi Gras season is in full gear in Lafayette with parades, balls, exhibits, festivals and king cake - plenty of king cake! Lafayette's family-friendly atmosphere encourages people to take their spots along the parade route while enjoying the sights and sounds of the Carnival season. Float riders particularly love to throw beads and trinkets to children so be sure to bring a bag to carry your loot.

The first parades roll on Saturday starting with the Krewe des Chiens parade (dog parade) and the Krewe of Carnivale en Rio Parade. Mardi Gras day is Tuesday Feb. 21 with many events leading up to the Fat Tuesday celebration - seven parades over a five-day period. Le Festival de Mardi Gras a Lafayette runs from Friday, Feb. 17 through Mardi Gras day at Cajun Field. It offers a safe, secure, family-friendly atmosphere with great food, drinks, carnival rides, national, regional and local bands. On top of that, all of the parades roll right through the festival grounds.

The Greater Southwest Louisiana Mardi Gras Association has created an app for for both iPhone and Android that features all of the information you need to celebrate Mardi Gras! The free app includes a parade map with GPS tracking so you'll always know where the parade is, a layout of Le Festival de Mardi Gras at Cajun Field, schedules of bands playing at Le Festival de Mardi Gras, schedule of parades, Mardi Gras history & traditions, and much more. Click here for more information.

Lafayette lives up to the Mardi Gras tradition with food and vendors along the streets selling everything from hamburgers and andouille dogs, to red beans and rice, jambalaya and gumbo. The smell of chicken and sausage gumbo fills the streets of Lafayette as family and friends visit, laugh, and haggle over plastic Mardi Gras beads. Lafayette chef Patrick Mould is an expert on Louisiana's Cajun and Creole cuisine. He shares his know-how through cookbooks, culinary tours and classes, and his own show, "Cooking Up a Good Life." If you've ever visited Louisiana and fallen hard for a big bowl a gumbo, you'll enjoy his recipe for making this Louisiana specialty at home.

2nd Saturday ArtWalk - 2/11,3/10 Downtown Lafayette,
337-291-5566

Louisiana IceGators Hockey - 2/14, 24, 26 Cajundome,
337-704-4423

The Home, Garden & Lifestyle Show - 2/25-26 Cajundome Convention Center

Cajun Comic Relief - 3/3 - Heymann Center

PASA presents "A Far Cry" - 3/8 Heymann Center,
337-291-5555

Louisiana Crossroads A Tribute to Louisiana's Little Walter - 3/8 AcA's James D. Moncus Theater,
337-233-7060

In Your Own Backyard Monthly Series - 3/13 Vermilionville's Performance Center,
337-482-1320

Acadiana Symphony Orchestra presents "Carmina Burana" - 3/17 Heymann Center,
337-291-5555

Downtown Alive
For 29 years, Downtown Alive! (DTA!), Acadiana's premiere concert series, has united community and culture to create a weekly tradition and celebration in Downtown Lafayette every Fall and Spring.
The Spring 2012 series kicks off March 9 with Louisiana legends Warren Storm, Willie Tee & Cypress with special guest G.G. Shinn, celebrating Warren Storm's 75th birthday!
This Spring, DTA! once again offers great entertainment in the form of free, smoke free, family-friendly, outdoor concerts. Performances feature Grammy nominated, renowned and up and coming musicians representing a variety of genres: Swamp Pop, Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Soul, Rock and more. The Spring season also includes the special event the 2nd Annual Bread Pudding Taste-Off on May 18 beginning at 5:30 p.m. DTA! begins at 5:30 p.m. with food and beverage concessions - musical performances from 6-8:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted. Concession sales help keep DTA! free, so please leave your ice chests at home with your pets. For more information, visit www.downtownlafayette.org. Downtown Alive! is produced by Downtown Lafayette in cooperation with Lafayette Consolidated Government.