Lafayette, city in southern Louisiana and seat of Lafayette Parish. It is located on the Vermilion River, which connects the city to the Intracoastal Waterway. Situated in a productive farm area, Lafayette is an important service center for the region's petroleum and natural gas industries. Manufactures include cordage, packing materials, processed foods, and jewelry. Commercial air transportation is through Lafayette Regional Airport. The University of Southwestern Louisiana (1898) is located in the city.
Points of interest include Evangeline Downs Thoroughbred racetrack; Acadian Village, a folklife museum with restored buildings from the 19th century; and the Lafayette Museum, housed in the former home of Alexander Mouton, who served as a United States senator and governor of Louisiana in the early 19th century. At nearby Vermilionville, costumed craftspeople and performers re-create a Louisiana bayou town of the period 1765 to 1890. Lafayette's annual Mardi Gras celebrations are said to rival the more famous festivities in New Orleans. The Festivals Acadiens is held in September to celebrate the Acadian heritage through food, crafts, and music.
