About Lafayette Parish, LA

Come join us tonight for our 19th annual Gumbo Cook-Off in the Parc International downtown Lafayette from 4pm to 7pm.

This annual event is a fundraiser for Rebuilding Together, Faith House and Community Foundation of Acadiana. This year's theme is "Fright in the Parc" and as always, it promises to be a fun event with great food.

If you don't have plans for dinner tonight, make plans to attend. For only $5, you can taste all the gumbo you can eat and then vote for the best one.

This is a great event where real estate brokers and their affiliates compete to get the public's vote on their gumbo. Tents are decorated and people are costumed. There will also be a costume contest for children, so dress em' up!

Entertainment this year will be provided by Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie. You will not want to leave your dancing shoes at home!

Great food, great music, great fun! See you there!

Three homes sold in the third quarter this year In Sugar Mill Pond (Youngsville, LA). The lowest price was $200K and highest $363K. The average price per square foot was $147.

So far this year, 10 homes have sold in Sugar Mill Pond with an average price per square foot of $150.

There are 13 homes currently available starting at $192K for a 2 bedrooms, 2 baths home featuring 1245 sqft of living area, and up to $439K for 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and 2681 sqft of living area.

Click here to view all available homes in Sugar Mill Pond.

Festival season is in full swing in Louisiana for the fall and this weekend is Festivals Acadiens et Creoles in Girard Park in Lafayette. This is definitely one of my favorite festivals. Two + days of great music, food, and a crafts fair. What more can you ask for, right?

As always, this year's festivals have incredible line-ups. It all starts Friday night in Parc International downtown.

Friday, October 9 at Downtown Alive:

• 5:30 p.m. Feufollet & Special Guests
• 7:00 p.m. A Cajun Country Homecoming featuring Doug Kershaw, Jo-El Sonnier, Jimmy C. Newman

Scène Ma Louisiane Saturday, October 10

• 10:30 - 11:30 Hubert Matre & Triangle Playboys
• 11:30 - 1:30 Berard-Huval Family Affair
• 1:30 - 2:30 Ed Poullard & Amis Creoles
• 2:30 - 3:30 Jimmy Breaux et Amis
• 3:30 - 4:30 Nathan Williams & Zydeco Cha Cha’s
• 4:30 - 6:00 Balfa Toujours

• 6:00 - 7:30 Feu Follet

Sunday, October 11

• 10:30 - 11:30 Fricasse
• 11:30 - 1:30 Frey-Daigle Family Affair
• 1:30 - 2:30 Bonsoir Catin
• 2:30 - 3:30 Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole
• 3:30 - 5:00 Steve Riley & Mamou Playboys
• 5:00 - 6:30 Wayne Toups ZydeCajun

Heritage Stage Saturday October 10

• 10:45 - 11:45 Robert Jardel & Pure Cajun
• 12:00 - 12:45 Geno Delafose & French Rockin Boogie
• 1:00 - 2:00 Lafayette Rhythm Devils
• 2:15 - 3:15 Joe Hall & the Louisiana Cane Cutters
• 3:30 - 5:00 Doug Kershaw, Jimmie C Newman & Joel Sonnier & Special Guest
• 5:15 - 6:15 Jambalaya + D.L. Menard
• 6:30 - 7:30 Pine Leaf Boys

Sunday October 11

• 10:30 - 11:15 Briggs Brown and the Bayou Cajuns
• 11:30 - 12:30 T-Salé
• 12:45 - 1:45 Savoy Family Band
• 2:00 - 3:00 High Performance
• 3:15 - 4:15 Dexter Ardoin & Creole Ramblers
• 4:30 - 5:30 Roddie Romero & the Hub City All-Stars
• 5:45 - 6:45 Lost Bayou Ramblers

There will also be great happenings at the Salle de Dance, the Louisiana Folk Roots Atelier and at La Place des Petits. For a full schedule of events, visit the Festival Acadiens et Creoles website.

I will be working at the Ma Louisiane stage Saturday and Sunday so if you are in the neighborhood, come say hello. And while temperature will be much cooler this weekend with highs in the lower 70s, there are chances of rain in the forecast so you might want to bring an umbrella and don't forget your dancing shoes. You know what they say, in the dust or in the mud, this festival rocks! See you there!

If you've been thinking about earning your real estate license, there's a new class starting on October 8th in Lafayette. This 90-hour pre-licensing class is where you need to start. This upcoming session will last 4 weeks and classes are on Thursdays and Fridays at 5pm and Saturdays at 9am. The instructor is Mark Norsworthy. He is an excellent instructor with over 15 years of experience in sales and investments.

If you are unsure but would like more information, Keller Williams Realty Acadiana is offering a free information session, "Career Night" this coming Wednesday, October 7th, at 5:30pm. Our office is located at 900 South College, suite 100. All are welcome!

If you would like more information about the class or would just like to chat with me about a career in real estate, email me or call and I will gladly answer all your questions.

Sales in September were very similar to sales in August with 193 homes sold in Lafayette parish in September (versus 194 in August). Sales were up a little in all of Acadiana with 276 homes sold this past month.

When compared to last year, sales in September this year were much better than September last year but that is due in part to hurricane Gustav who hit us in September 2008 delaying many sales in the process.

There are currently 490 home sales pending in Acadiana, including 346 in Lafayette Parish.