The University of Louisiana at Lafayette proudly preserves and celebrates the Cajun and Creole cultures. Our rich heritage is interwoven in our traditions and is a part of everyday life on campus.
UL Lafayette embodies the cultures and spirit that are the heart of Louisiana.
We embrace each others' uniqueness and share a sense of community, determination, innovation, and joie de vivre — an exuberant enjoyment of life.
It's a tradition — and our favorite color. Every Friday, students, faculty, staff and community members show their Ragin' Cajun spirit by wearing red.
Other traditions have come and gone, along with name changes and spirit leaders, but red has always been the University's school color. In fact, we are the only university to have vermilion as an official color.
Something extra. That’s what Lagniappe Day is all about. For 50 years, students take a break each spring from studying with fun activities: canoe races in Cypress Lake, the annual lake jump, and a crawfish boil so big we use 10,000 lbs of crawfish.
Experience Lagniappe Day
Held the first week of classes in the fall, Cajun Craze consists of activities that celebrate students' return. Activities include free donuts and snacks on the first day, and Get on Board Day.
Experience Cajun Craze
For more than 30 years, Krewe of Roux has served as the University's kick-off to the Mardi Gras season. The parade includes students, organizations, faculty/staff and University departments. Participants ride in decorated vehicles or walk the parade route on campus.
Experience Krewe of Roux
Whether you graduated in 1960 or 2023, Homecoming gives Ragin’ Cajuns a perfect opportunity to reconnect with campus. During Homecoming Week, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and fans can take part in activities such as Paint the Town Red, Yell Like Hell, and the Homecoming parade.
Experience Homecoming
The snow may not be real but the holiday spirit is genuine. Each December, the University celebrates Sneaux Day at Martin Hall with hot cocoa, jambalaya, and a visit from Santa. A snow machine pulls up to Martin Hall and covers the front lawn with shaved ice, perfect for snowball fights!
Experience Sneaux Day
UL Lafayette is one of only two dozen universities in North America offering hands-on musical instruction in oral traditions, and the only one to feature the Cajun and Creole French music of Louisiana.
Service to others is a tradition at UL Lafayette. Each year, on average, students and faculty provide more than 150,000 service hours. Each year hundreds of students and employees give back on a day of service called The Big Event.
Experience the Big EventThe Walk of Honor is one of our greatest traditions. Bricks are inscribed with the names of every student who has graduated from the University, literally making our alumni a piece of the campus years after graduation.
Ragin' Cajuns fans are known as some of the best fans and champion tailgaters in the world. Our Cajun heritage is one of a love for music, food, fun, and good people, so it's no surprise that the parking lots around Cajun Field on game days are one giant party.
Learn more about tailgating
The Louisiana Ring Ceremony celebrates the bond between all UL graduates. Students and graduates who participate are presented with their official Louisiana Rings, which spend the night before in a custom-built pirogue on Cypress Lake.
Experience the Ring Ceremony
Spirit. That's what Ragin' Roar is all about. Students gather on campus before the first home football game for Ragin’ Roar, UL Lafayette’s biggest pep rally of the year.
Experience Ragin' Roar
UL Lafayette's Earth Day celebration, Fête de la Terre, hosts a green curriculum and green job expo where campus departments and organizations share information with students.
Experience Fête de la Terre
The Center for Louisiana Studies is dedicated to researching, publicizing, promoting, and preserving Louisiana’s cultures and history. It’s at the heart of our scholarly investigation into Louisiana’s culture and heritage.
Explore the Center for Louisiana Studies