🍁 It's almost Fall in South Louisiana!
But let's be honest. It still feels like summer outside.
September has finally arrived. Which means football season is back, sugar cane is growing, festivals are right around the corner, and before we know it, we'll be decorating pumpkins and filling candy buckets!
Fall in South Louisiana may look a little different than those picture-perfect autumns with colorful leaves and chilly weather, but I wouldn't trade our fall traditions for anything.
From small-town festivals and parades to pumpkin patches, trunk-or-treats, gumbo nights, football games, and family adventures, there is SO much happening throughout our communities.
Check out the upcoming events happening around Acadiana.
That's why I've created the Ultimate South Louisiana Fall Family Fun Guide!
This guide will be updated throughout the season as more events are announced, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back often!
Here, we cover family fun throughout:
🍂 Vermilion Parish
🍂 Iberia Parish
🍂 St. Martin Parish
Let's make some memories this fall, South Louisiana! ❤️
🍂 THE ULTIMATE SOUTH LOUISIANA FALL BUCKET LIST
How many can your family check off this season?
☐ Visit a pumpkin patch
☐ Pick out the perfect pumpkin
☐ Attend a local festival
☐ Watch a parade
☐ Take family fall photos
☐ Go to a high school football game
☐ Try a new local coffee shop
☐ Enjoy a fall sweet treat
☐ Make gumbo together
☐ Decorate your front porch
☐ Paint pumpkins
☐ Carve a pumpkin
☐ Attend a trunk-or-treat
☐ Have a Halloween movie night
☐ Make homemade Halloween treats
☐ Visit a local farmers market
☐ Take a family nature walk
☐ Go on a weekend road trip
☐ Attend a community event you've never been to before
☐ Support a local small business
☐ Make s'mores
☐ Have a backyard bonfire
☐ Take the kids to pick out Halloween costumes
☐ Start a brand-new family fall tradition
📅 SEPTEMBER FAMILY FUN
September is the unofficial beginning of fall around here, even if the weather hasn't gotten the memo yet!
Now is the perfect time to start planning your family's fall calendar!
🌾 Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival & Fair
📍 New Iberia, Louisiana
📅 September 24–27, 2026
One of Acadiana's most beloved traditions is returning to New Iberia!
The Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival celebrates the area's rich sugar cane industry with festivities including parades, carnival activities, music, competitions, and more. The main festival and carnival activities take place around Bouligny Plaza in downtown New Iberia.
Family events to watch for include:
🍭 Children's Parade
🚜 Agricultural and sugar cane celebrations
🎡 Carnival fun
🏃 5K and 1-mile run/walk
🚗 Car Show
🎉 Festival activities throughout the weekend
The 2026 festival is scheduled for September 24-27.
Family tip: Check the official festival schedule before heading out, because individual events and times may change.
Visit the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival website
🐄 OCTOBER FAMILY FUN
October is when South Louisiana REALLY starts getting busy!
Between festivals, pumpkin patches, Halloween events, and community celebrations, you may want to keep your weekends open.
🐄 Louisiana Cattle Festival
📍 Abbeville, Louisiana
📅 October 2-4, 2026
If you're from Vermilion Parish, you already know that Cattle Festival weekend is a BIG deal!
The Louisiana Cattle Festival brings three days of food, music, cattle demonstrations, vendors, activities, and family fun to Abbeville. The festival includes a Grand Parade, cattle events and exhibits, and activities designed for families and children.
Don't miss:
🐄 The cattle demonstrations
🎉 The Grand Parade
🎵 Live music
🍔 Local food vendors
🛍️ Arts and crafts
👨👩👧👦 Family activities
🎪 The Kids Area
The Grand Parade is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in downtown Abbeville.
This is definitely one to put on your family's fall calendar!
Learn more about the Louisiana Cattle Festival
🍁 Patterson Main Street Fall Festival
📍 Patterson, Louisiana
📅 October 10, 2026
Families in St. Mary Parish can look forward to the annual Patterson Main Street Fall Festival, with a day of community entertainment, vendors, food, music, and family activities at Morey Park.
More details will be added here as the event approaches!
🎃 PUMPKIN PATCHES & FALL FARMS
Because it wouldn't be fall without a pumpkin or two! 🎃
🌽 Poche's Patch & Maze
📍 Lafayette, Louisiana
While technically just outside our primary coverage area, Poche's Patch & Maze is a popular fall destination for Acadiana families and an easy day trip for many South Louisiana families.
The 2026 pumpkin patch season is scheduled for October 1 through November 1 and includes attractions such as a maze, photo stations, obstacle courses, slides, games, and pumpkins.
📅 Thursday: 3:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m.
📅 Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Always check for the latest information before visiting.
🎃 MORE PUMPKIN PATCHES COMING SOON!
I'm continuing to search for:
🌽 Pumpkin patches
🚜 Hayrides
🐐 Petting zoos
📸 Fall photo farms
🍂 Family-friendly fall experiences
Know a pumpkin patch or fall farm that belongs on this list? Send it my way! Send an email directly to hannahl@macaronikid.com.
👻 HALLOWEEN HEADQUARTERS
🎃 Calling All Halloween Events!
This section will be updated throughout September and October with:
👻 Trunk-or-treat events
🎃 Pumpkin decorating
🍬 Trick-or-treat events
🧙 Costume contests
📚 Halloween story times
🍿 Outdoor movie nights
🦇 Haunted attractions
🧡 Family-friendly Halloween events
Hosting a Halloween event?
We want to know about it!
Send your event details to hannahl@macaronikid.com to get your event listed on our Community Event Calendar!
🏕️ FALL FAMILY GETAWAYS & WEEKEND FUN
Looking for a fun way to make a weekend out of it?
🏕️ Fall Fun in Breaux Bridge
Camp Margaritaville Breaux Bridge has a fall activity calendar featuring themed weekends throughout October, including fall and Halloween-themed activities.
This could be a fun option for families looking for a staycation or weekend getaway right here in Acadiana!
Explore Camp Margaritaville Breaux Bridge's event calendar
💛 FREE & LOW-COST FALL FUN FOR FAMILIES
You don't have to spend a fortune to make fall memories!
Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy the season without breaking the bank.
🌳 GET OUTSIDE
Have a Family Picnic
Pick up some sandwiches, pack a blanket, and head to your favorite local park.
Go on a Nature Scavenger Hunt
Can your kids find:
🍂 Something brown
🌿 Something green
🐦 A bird
🐜 An insect
☁️ A funny-shaped cloud
🌳 A tree bigger than your house?
Watch the Sunset
Sometimes the simplest family memories are the ones we remember most.
Visit a Farmers Market
Support local farmers and let the kids help choose something new to try!
🏠 FALL FUN AT HOME
🎃 Pumpkin Painting Night
Skip the mess of carving and let everyone paint their own pumpkin!
🍿 Family Halloween Movie Night
Grab the blankets and snacks and make a night of it.
🍲 Make a Family Gumbo
Because if we're being honest, gumbo is one of South Louisiana's favorite signs that fall has finally arrived.
🧁 Bake Something Together
Try:
🍪 Halloween cookies
🧁 Pumpkin cupcakes
🍎 Apple treats
🍫 S'mores
🧡 Decorate the House Together
Let the kids help decorate the porch, windows, or living room for the season.
📸 FALL FAMILY PHOTO SEASON
Fall is one of the most popular times of year for family photos, and for good reason!
The holidays are right around the corner, the kids are growing faster than we'd like to admit, and this is the perfect time to update those family pictures.
Need some inspiration?
Try:
🍂 A sugar cane field
🌾 An open country road
🎃 A pumpkin patch
🌳 Your favorite local park
🏡 Your own backyard
🪑 A cozy front porch setup
Pro Tip: Don't stress about getting the "perfect" picture. Sometimes the laughing, silly, messy, completely imperfect photos become your favorites.
☕ THE SOUTH LOUISIANA FALL FLAVOR TRAIL
Where should families go for the BEST fall treats?
I'm looking for local businesses serving:
☕ Seasonal coffee
🍩 Fresh donuts
🧁 Fall cupcakes
🍪 Specialty cookies
🥧 Homemade pies
🍫 Sweet treats
🍲 Comfort food
Know a local business with a must-try fall item?
Please send me their information! Email me directly at hannahl@macaronikid.com or send a message on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MacKIDNewIberia/.
This section will be updated throughout the season with some of the best local fall flavors around South Louisiana.
🏈 FOOTBALL, FOOD & FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS
There is just something about fall and Friday nights in South Louisiana.
🏈 High school football
🎺 Marching bands
🍔 Concession stand food
📣 Cheering for your hometown team
👨👩👧👦 Spending time with family and friends
Don't forget to support your local schools this fall!
Check your local school's athletic schedule and plan a family night under the Friday night lights.
🦃 NOVEMBER FAMILY FUN
Fall doesn't end after Halloween!
November is the perfect time to slow down and enjoy family traditions.
🧡 Our November Bucket List
☐ Make a Thanksgiving craft
☐ Donate to a local organization
☐ Write down what you're thankful for
☐ Bake something together
☐ Take family photos
☐ Attend a local fall event
☐ Start Christmas decorating
☐ Shop local for the holidays
☐ Spend an unplugged day with family
☐ Create a new Thanksgiving tradition
Thanksgiving is about more than the food.
Take a moment this season to slow down and enjoy the people around you.
📢 KNOW ABOUT A FALL EVENT?
Help us make this the most complete South Louisiana Fall Family Fun Guide possible!
Are you hosting:
🎃 A pumpkin patch?
👻 A trunk-or-treat?
🍂 A fall festival?
🏈 A family event?
🧡 A fundraiser?
🛍️ A fall market?
📚 A library event?
🍬 A Halloween celebration?
Submit your event to Macaroni KID!
We'd love to help South Louisiana families discover all the amazing things happening in our communities.
🍂 HAPPY FALL, Y'ALL!
Whether you're spending the weekend at a local festival, picking out pumpkins, cheering under the Friday night lights, or simply enjoying a gumbo at home with the people you love, I hope this season brings your family plenty of reasons to get out and make memories.
And remember...
This guide is just getting started!
I'll be updating it throughout September, October, and November as more events and family activities are announced.
📌 Bookmark this page.
📅 Share it with a friend.
❤️ And check back often for new fall fun!
