With Hurricane Francine over, students were welcomed back to Lafayette with free food, good music and a fun evening at Downtown Alive!. The event was held on Sept. 13 at Parc Sans Souci and gave students a chance to enjoy their Friday evening after spending much of the week sheltered in their dorms or evacuated from Lafayette.
The event was a collaborative effort between the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the organization Downtown Lafayette. Candice Dazet, the organizer of the event and assistant director of Student Engagement and Leadership, said, “It’s a beautiful day, you’ve been stuck inside for three days! There’s free everything, it’s beautiful weather and you’re about to have amazing music from The Good Dudes!”
While it is fortunate that Hurricane Francine did not disrupt this event or impact Lafayette severely, not all Louisianans were so lucky which is why the nonprofit Second Harvest was present all night long to receive food donations for people who were impacted by the storm.
Downtown Alive! was proposed by the Dean of Students, Margarita Perez to be in partnership with UL Lafayette and was first celebrated last year which just so happened to be the university’s 125th anniversary. This year, the event had live music, a pep rally and most importantly, food. With options including a soul food truck, jambalaya from Olde Tyme Grocery and an ice cream truck with a traditional ice cream shop interior, where you could walk in and place an order of Blue Bell Ice Cream.
Buses brought students from the student union to the event and upon signing in, students were given two tickets and some amazing UL Lafayette merchandise.
Students got free koozies and got to pick between a bucket hat, a fan or a clear fanny pack that would be perfect for gameday. The tickets could be redeemed for free water and free jambalaya from Olde Tyme Grocery, which had some deliciously seasoned chicken and juicy andouille sausage.
After getting their food and free swag, students were able to buy food from vendors or just hang out in the park while the music played. The crowd was a blend of UL Lafayette students and alumni as well as Lafayette locals who came to enjoy an evening of free music and Ragin Cajun spirit.
Performing on the stage was The Good Dudes, some of whose members are UL Lafayette alumni. The indie pop-rock band played both covers and originals, a stand out being their song “Ready for It.” The song had a loose feel but was injected by passionate vitality from the lead singer, Myles Migl. Overall, the vibe of the band was energetic but also relaxed, with a unique blend of rock and blues elements.
At the intermission of their performance, The Good Dudes and the crowd made room for a Ragin’ Cajun pep rally. UL Lafayette’s marching band, cheerleaders and dance team gave an outstanding performance of the Ragin’ Cajuns Fight Song as well as a band rendition of “Hot to Go” by Chappell Roan. Not only was there some amazing choreography but there was even some flaming batons being twirled and tossed into the air.
Jelani Broussard, a sophomore in early childhood education and a member of the Ragin’ Jazz , said, “UL really has that Louisiana culture that Lafayette really portrays, and I think combining it with Downtown Alive! makes it seen in real effect.”
Often the only aspect of downtown Lafayette students experience is its nightlife, and while fun, it is just one part of downtown which has so much more to offer. “A big thing that we wanted to happen with UL, was just to have students have a connection to the nicer parts of downtown, so you know there’s other things you can do than just going out,” said Candice Bazet.
Louisiana is blessed compared to other states in regards to its food, its music and its culture and events like Downtown Alive! present an opportunity for people to enjoy that side of Louisiana.
Megan Ivey, a senior in industrial design, said “It’s nice because it allows us as students to break away from our schoolwork and our studies and come hang out. Especially since sunset at downtown Lafayette is so beautiful[…].” And with midterms just around the corner, now is certainly the time to get out and enjoy the city before those late night study sessions kick into gear.