Bayou Fest and Boat Parade 2025

Name: Bayou Fest and Boat Parade 2025
Start: 2025-09-27T10:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-09-27T18:00:00-05:00
Location: 300 Fisher Rd, Lafayette, LA, United States, Louisiana 70508

Schedule

Sat Sep 27 2025 at 10:00 am to 06:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

300 Fisher Rd, Lafayette, LA, United States, Louisiana 70508 | Lafayette, LA

Let the good times flow during the Bayou Vermilion Boat Parade! This annual celebration of the Bayou Vermilion begins at Vermilionville and continues downriver for about ten miles to Southside Park!
The Bayou Vermilion District hosts this party every year to increase awareness of the river as a great source of recreation and exploration for Lafayette Parish citizens and visitors from around the world. In addition, we celebrate the year-long efforts of the Bayou Vermilion District to conserve and preserve sites along the river, trash/debris clean up, and water quality management.
Paraders (paradeers?) can join in with their own kayak, canoe, pirogue, bass boat, barge, paddle board, dragon-boat, inflatable unicorn, or any other (decorated!) watercraft that their heart desires. And if you'd like to put in, but don't have a boat of your own, don't worry! The BVD has a number of canoes and kayaks that you can rent to get out and on the water.
This year's parade "sets sail" at 11:30 a.m. from Vermilionville with a celebratory toast by our Grand Marshal. More details coming soon! The celebration will meander 10.6 miles down the bayou to BVD's Southside Park on Robley Dr. If you'd like a shorter trip, you can start at Vermilionville and end at the Camellia Bridge -- you can park there and ride the 10:30 shuttle to Vermilionville -- and of course, we'd love to see you at the Bayou Fest at Southside Park!
The Bayou Vermilion Fest at Southside Park begins around 3 PM, with music PLUS games, jumphouses, food by La Cuisine de Maman, beverages, and beer from the Vermilonville BrewHouse!
Shuttle provided by Luxury Limo -- drop off your vessel and gear at Vermilionville, park at Southside, and ride the shuttle back to Vermilionville for the start of the parade, or park at Camellia, and catch the shuttle back. Shuttle times: leaving Southside at 9 AM, 9:30 AM, and 10:15 AM. Shuttle leaves Camellia at 10:30 AM