Spring has Sprung: Festival Time!
Photo by Keel 101.7FM & 710AM
If you are looking for something fun to do this Spring, the Shreveport-Bossier and surrounding areas offer a plethora of options— especially festivals. All of these events occur outdoors, so if our finicky Louisiana weather cooperates, you can enjoy a day or two of fun and games in our beautiful spring weather.
The first event on the Spring calendar is the Louisiana Redbud Festival held in Vivian, LA. It is held on the third Saturday of March each year. This year’s festival will be on 3/19/22 in downtown Vivian. The festival celebrates the beautiful redbud trees that bloom every year about this time. The festivities include a 5k walk or run, a beauty pageant, craft vendors, and food trucks. For those of you that aren’t familiar with the location, Vivian is about 16 miles north of Shreveport on Highway 1.
How many of you have a taste for crawfish? If you do, Mudbug Madness is the festival for you! The event originated in 1984 as a way of highlighting Louisiana’s Cajun heritage. Of course, the spring is crawfish season, so the supply of “mudbugs” should be at its peak. Mudbug Madness will be held from 3/27/22 - 3/29/22 at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport. There will be Cajun, zydeco, blues, and jazz music on the sound stages and, of course, lots and lots of Mudbugs.
Let’s travel to Blanchard, LA for our next adventure. The Poke Salad Festival will be held on 5/11 - 5/12 at the Blanchard Poke Salad Pavilion. For those of you who don’t have a clue what poke salad is, you’re not alone. Poke “sallett” (French for salad) is actually the pokeweed, which is an herbaceous weed that is poisonous if not cooked properly. In the South, people commonly ate pokeweed because it was abundant and easier to grow than turnip or collard greens. The 2-day festival includes a parade, carnival, beauty pageant, craft vendors, and lots of good food and music.
Next on the festival agenda is the 10-day Holiday in Dixie Fete. This historic event dates back to 1949. It celebrates the arrival of spring and the historic Louisiana Purchase. It is sponsored by the Ambassador’s Club and held at Festival Plaza every April. It features a wonderful carnival, a treasure hunt that draws people from all over the Ark-La-Tex, live music, food booths, and children’s activities. One of the highlights of Holiday in Dixie is the Barksdale Air Force Base air show. Barksdale will host an estimated 100,000 visitors over a 2-day period. Holiday in Dixie has been designated one of the top 100 events in America.
If you’re looking for a way to spend a leisurely weekend, look no further than the Sunflower Trail and festival in Gilliam, LA. The trail is located on Highway 3049 approximately 24 miles away from Shreveport. It is sponsored by the Red River Crossroad Association. The trail extends for about 20 miles and includes numerous fields of the lovely sunflowers. The fields vary in size and are breathtakingly beautiful. You may pull off the side of the road to take pictures and can even pick a sunflower if you wish. The Sunflower Trail will be held on 6/18 and will include crafts, food, live music, and a photography contest.
Last on our list for really fun times is the Let the Good Times Roll Festival. It is a 3-day event sponsored by Rho Omega and friends. It is designed to celebrate the music, art, and food of African culture. This year it will be held from 6/17/22 - 6/19/22 at Festival Plaza on the downtown riverfront.
This is just a partial rundown of some of the exciting festivals held in Louisiana each year. Go to the Louisiana Tourist Bureau’s web page to get a complete list of the myriad activities you can enjoy year-round in our state.