Angola Prison Rodeo & Arts and Crafts Festival - Angola, Louisiana - official site of the annual festival featuring professional rodeo events including convict poker, wild cow milking, bull-dogging, guts and glory, and more. The Angola Prison Rodeo is a professionally produced rodeo and the longest running prison rodeo in the nation, starting in 1965.

Ark-La-Tex Jazz & Gumbo Music Festival - Shreveport, Louisiana - a Louisiana cuisine, crafts and music festival. Offers a weekend of hot gumbo and cool jazz featuring family entertainment including unique vendors, delicious food and Great Music.

Bayou Lacombe Crab Festival - Lacombe, Louisiana - This is a "down home" festival with something for the whole family. The charm of this rural community and the friendliness of the participants have created a warm and happy atmosphere. All of this is enjoyed in the shade of hundred year old oak trees. There is continuous entertainment throughout the festival with a variety of music; R&B, Country, Jazz. something for everyone.

Bayou Teche Bear Festival - Franklin, Louisiana - The Festival, an outreach program to educate the residents of St. Mary Parish on the Louisiana Black Bear, will feature live music, food, education activities, field trips and children's activities in true Louisiana style.

Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival - Breaux Bridge , Louisiana - one of the many Louisiana food festivals that is held in May and centers on the legendary Louisiana crayfish. This is one of the more popular Louisiana festivals. Get dates, directions, camping and RV info.

Bridge City Gumbo Festival - Bridge City, Louisiana - Bridge City's "world famous" Gumbo is cooked daily at the festival grounds and over 2000 gallons of both seafood and chicken/sausage gumbo will be prepared for our visitors during the festival. A variety of other native Louisiana cooking such as jambalaya, New Orleans style red beans and rice with sausage as well as hamburgers, hot dogs, onion mums, homemade cakes and candies, funnel cakes and many other delicious surprises will also be available.

Church Point Buggy Festival - Church Point, Louisiana - one of many Louisiana festivals offering fun for the children and adults, contests, music, food and more. The Church Point Buggy Festival was originally organized by The Acadia St. Landry Medical Foundation, a non-profit organization, as a fundraiser in support of the Acadia St. Landry Hospital. This event has through the years, not only allowed the hospital to remain open but has allowed the hospital to add several new departments and expand into a top notch rural hospital.

Contraband Days Festival - Lake Charles, Louisiana - Once a year during the first two weeks in May, the city of Lake Charles, Louisiana, returns to rollicking, swashbuckling days of the pirates and buccaneers who once sailed the area's lakes, rivers, and bayous. Legend has it that the notorious pirate Jean Lafitte buried his contraband treasure somewhere along the Southwest Louisiana's plentiful waterways. The celebration of this historic figure and his adventures has grown into a twelve-day extravaganza of unmatched festivity.

Cultural Crossroads - Minden, Louisiana - Spring Arts Festival - Non-profit arts organization based in Minden. Hosts the Spring Arts Festival each Spring in April. Call (318) 377-3002 for more details! Arts & Fun for the whole family! This festival is dedicated to preserving the arts and culture of Webster Parish.

ANNUAL WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE COOK-OFF Annual World's Championship Crawfish Etouffee Cook-Off will again be held at the Northwest Community Center Pavilion in Eunice. This year will feature rides for the kids and fun jumps. Eunice, Louisiana's Prairie Cajun Capital is home to the best music, food, people and fun times. Come join us for our annual quest to crown the "Champ Chef" of Crawfish Etouffee.

Delcambre Shrimp Festival and Fair Association - Delcambre, Louisiana - Catch this festival the third full weekend in August. Fais-do-do (street dances), fair, pageants, Blessing of the Fleet on Sunday, shrimp cook-off and cajun rides.

Downtown on the Bayou Fest - Houma, Louisiana - There's nothing like a little bit of Cajun hospitality, unless it's a lot of Cajun hospitality. If you're ready to pinch some tails, dance in the street or even yell Ayyeeee, then get on down to the Annual Downtown on the Bayou Festival! From every variety the Cajun chef has to offer to some of the most unique crafts in South Louisiana, the Downtown on the Bayou Festival has something for every member of the family. Join us on the second full weekend of October for a special up-close-and-personal view of what we do best!

Earth Fest at Audubon Zoo - New Orleans, Louisiana - Audubon Institute celebrates the wonders of Nature. Earth Fest is a fun way for people to learn about saving the environment. You can't have a festival without food and music in New Orleans, and Earth Fest is no exception. Come be entertained by live bands and taste-tempting Louisiana cuisine (chicken and sausage gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish étouffée, onion mums, and more!) will be available both days of Earth Fest. There is even a Folk artists area to pick-up unique hand-crafted items from artist from across the Southeast.

FestForAll - Baton Rouge , Louisina - a community party celebrating the arts with fun, food, & music. FestForAll – a festival for all – has a distinguished 30-year history garnering a reputation as one of Louisiana's premier arts events attended by thousands.

Festival International de Louisiane - Lafayette, Louisiana - Where the French from France meet the French from Louisiana. Performers info online as well as daily schedules by events or by stage. This festival is an annual community event drawing together approximately 1,000 volunteers from all segments of the community to work together to celebrate both our diversity and the common human experience that binds us together.

Festival of the Bonfires - Lutcher, Louisiana - a unique Cajun Christmas celebration. Site has history, schedule of events, activities, maps and info. This is a spectacular tradition, folks, going way back before there was a festival, back to the early Cajun settlers. In more recent generations, Cajuns tell their children the fires are there to guide Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

Franklin Parish Catfish Festival - Winnsboro, Louisiana - The Franklin Parish Catfish Festival for the past 18 years has been held on the second Saturday of April in downtown Winnsboro, Louisiana. This family-oriented event features some 300 arts and crafts booths from vendors across America. In addition, the Catfish Festival provides a great venue for local and area entertainment groups, as well as other featured performers. Children's games, arts and crafts, music, and great Louisiana pond-raised catfish help make the event the success it is.

French Quarter Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana - New Orleans own celebration. Enjoy 250 hours of free entertainment featuring more than 150 musical performances on fifteen stages throughout the French Quarter over a three-day weekend. Nearly 60 food and beverage booths located in Jackson Square, Woldenberg Riverfront Park and the Louisiana State Museum's Old U.S. Mint. One of the more popular New Orleans festivals.

Frog Festival - Rayne, Louisiana - From the opening "fais-do-do," a World Champion Frog Jumping Contest, a spectacular Fireworks Display, incredible entertainment and--of course--those jumping "ouaouarons" we will guarantee that you "pass a good time."

Giant Omelette Celebration - Abbeville, Louisiana - Annual Celebration is a French cultural exchange program which includes the cooking of a 5,000 egg omelette in the middle of Concord Street in Downtown Abbeville, Louisiana, using a 12 foot skillet on an open fire. Celebration includes an art & craft show, antique car show, tour of homes, Cajun bands, food and dancing. According to legend, when Napoleon and his army were traveling through the south of France, they decided to rest for the night near the town of Bessieres. Napoleon feasted on an omelette prepared by a local innkeeper which was such a culinary delight that he ordered the townspeople to gather all the eggs in the village and to prepare a huge omelette for his army the next day. From this beginning, the omelette became a tradition to feed the poor of the village at Easter. It has also become the symbol of a world-wide fraternity, rich in friendship, tradition and cultural exchange, known as the Confrerie.

Go 4th On The River - New Orleans, Louisiana - featuring entertainment and fireworks extravaganza sponsored by the riverfront attractions and local television and radio. Voted one of Southeast Tourism Society's "Top 20 Events in the Southeast USA!" Ranked 5th "must see" fireworks display in the U.S., by American Pyrotechnic Association.

Gospel Fest Jubilee - Mamou, Louisiana - a fun family day of worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ through songs, dance, skits, etc. sponsored by Jesus Is Lord Ministries. The annual Gospel Fest Jubilee is held on the second Saturday in October. It is a fun family day of worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ through songs, dance, skits, etc. etc. This year we featured the Circuit Riders Motorcycle Outreach Ministry from Galliano, LA. They are former motorcycle gang members that left a life of drugs and alcohol to follow Jesus. You can learn more about them by clicking of their link below. Below is a list of the groups that appeared. We would like to give each and every one of them a very special thank you for coming out and giving of their time and talents to help us spread the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Greater Baton Rouge State Fair - Baton Rouge, Louisiana - The Greater Baton Rouge State Fair is operated by an all-volunteer Fair Board with the help of a number of dedicated volunteers. Monies raised by the Fair are used to fund youth-oriented Worthy Causes in the Greater Baton Rouge area with over $1,200,000 being returned to the community in the years since 1987.

Greek Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana - Acropolis on the bayou! Being an eastern port city, New Orleans has a substantial Greek poulation who celebrate their culture with the Greek Festivals, one of New Orleans more popular festivals.

Gretna Heritage Festival - Gretna, Louisiana - Featuring Food, Live Music, Crafts, Carnival Rides, Games, Family Entertainment in Gretna, Louisiana. Also celebrates Italian and German culture with ethnic food, drink and music.

Gueydan Duck Festival - Gueydan, Louisiana - annual event celebrating the sport of duck and goose hunting. The festival is usually held the weekend before Labor Day. Since it does highlight the hunting heritage of the Acadiana region, the Duck Festival offers the public great entertainment with its Duck and Goose Calling contest, Skeet Shooting, Hunting Dog Trials, and Decoy Carving. This is in addition to great food, nightly bands, Junior and Senior Queen's Pageants, a Grand Parade, Outdoor and Indoor Cooking Contests, Auction, arts and crafts, One Mile and 5 K runs (Duck Dash), and to top it all off, a thrilling Carnival.

Highland Games of Louisiana - Jackson, Louisiana - Louisiana's own pageant of Scottish culture, heritage, tradition and athletic games, takes place on the Jackson (Louisiana) Museum grounds. Offers top name Scottish entertainment, music with bagpipes, of course, dancing, food, clan tents and all things Scottish. Come celebrate your Scottish (or Scotch-Irish) heritage.

Inter-Fest - New Orleans, Louisiana - All cultures come together to Party at Interfest. R&B, Poetry, Gospel, Latin, Caribbean, Blues, Dance. Two stages in Armstrong Park in September of each year.

International Arcadian Festival - Plaquemine, Louisiana - one of the many Louisiana festivals. The festival features something for everyone to enjoy. To prove our point, a motto of the festival is "Laissez Le Bon Temps Rouler." And if you don't know what that means, ask a Cajun and he'll tell you with a smile, "Let the Good Times Roll." In early 1969 the membership of Plaquemine Council 970, Knights of Columbus, decided that some events should be instituted in Plaquemine to bring some measure of publicity to our city and instill pride in our citizens just as other fairs, festivals and shows have done for other cities throughout Louisiana. At the same time it was felt that such and undertaking should have purpose and a direct link to the community it represented. The idea was put forth that since many of the residents of the area were directly descended from the Acadians who were exiled form Nova Scotia, that any event held of this type should attempt to preserve and enhance this heritage. It was quickly brought to the attention of the festival committee that legend has it that Emmeline LaBiche (Evangeline) traveled through Plaquemine on the waters of Bayou Plaquemine on her journey to the Teche Country in search of her lover Louis Arceneaux (Gabriel). As the story goes, she and her Indian guide spent the night on the banks of the bayou in what is now the City Of Plaquemine. Thus, the basis of the festival was formed.

International Rice Festival - Crowley, Louisiana - one of many Louisiana festivals it is one of the largest, filling the streets of Crowley with festival goers. It's also one of the oldest Agricultural Festivals in the US dating to 1927. Crowley played host to approximately 125,000 people at the 1972 International Rice Festival. They have had many celebrities as our guest during the past years and plans are made each year to have an outstanding personality with us at the time of our festival.

Jambalaya Festival - Gonzales, Louisiana - one of the Louisiana festivals where you can enjoy the vast variety of food, fun, music and activities. Great food, live music and entertainment, carnival rides, cooking contests, a variety of food and so much fun it takes four days to get it all in. The festival features World Champion Jambalaya served daily, live music and entertainment, carnival rides, cooking contests, a variety of food and so much fun it takes four days to get it all in

Jim Bowie Festival - Vidalia, Louisiana - this Louisiana festival kicks off with a "Backyard Barbeque Contest" between local amateurs and has become a two-day event, with live music, games and rides for kids, arts & crafts, concessions, with the greater part of the fest on the Riverwalk!

Lacombe Crab Cook-Off Festival - Lacombe, Louisiana - Celebrate Lacombe's beauty and history while sampling Cultus Pearson's boilded crabs, and spectacular cuisine from local restaurants such as Sal & Judy's, LaProvence, Clockners and many others. There will also be live music, carnival rides and crab cook-off and plenty to eat and drink.

Lagniappe Dulcimer Society Festival - Port Allen , Louisiana - another of Louisiana's great festivals with good Louisiana food and mountain dulcimer music.

"Le Cajun" Music Awards and Festival - Lafayette, Louisiana - held at Blackham Coliseum is a unique three day event that features an awards ceremony honoring the best in Cajun music and Cajun musicians and includes a three-day dance festival with award winning Cajun bands providing the music. The Grammy style awards ceremony, sponsored by the Cajun French Music Association (CFMA) includes awards for Band of the Year, Best Accordionist, Best Fiddler, Best Male and Female Vocalist, Song of the Year and Best Recording of the Year. Cajun bands from outside Louisiana including Europe are also recipients of awards. This year there will also be a "People's Choice Award" for Best CD voted on by the entire membership. The CFMA, which sponsors the festival, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of Cajun music, language and culture. It was founded in 1984 by Mr. Harry Lefleur of Eunice, La. and has grown to over 2,000 member families.

Louisiana Book Festival - Baton Rouge , Louisiana - The Louisiana Center for the Book in the State Library of Louisiana and the Louisiana Library Foundation are delighted to announce another Louisiana Book Festival. Booklovers of all ages won't want to miss this.

Louisiana Catfish Festival - Washington, Louisiana - Festival activities included a Bow Contest and Wildlife Cook-Off. Other activities included music, dancing, arts and crafts, antique markets, clothing vendors, ATV dealers and Hunter Safety. Held on the festival grounds at the entrance of town, the Washington Catfish Festival continues to be a huge success!! With beautiful spring weather, festival-goers were able brush up on their two-step with live Cajun and Zydeco music. Arts and craft booths, as well as shopping through the many antique markets was sure to please the "shopper-at-heart." For the children and the "children-at-heart" there is the Kid's Corner and the Farmer's Parade. In keeping with the history of the area, visitors are taken back in time with Civil War reenactments held throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. And, let's not forget the great food! Many Cajun delicacies were on hand at area booths. Then there's the Catfish Cook-Off, held on Sunday and beginning at 8:00 a.m. Contestants kick-off the day with their favorite catfish recipes. All proceeds from the festival go to the Municipal Public Library Renovation Fund.

Louisiana Cattle Festival and Fair - Washington, Louisiana - Festival-goers were able brush up on their two-step with live Cajun and Zydeco music. and are taken back in time with Civil War reenactments held throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday.

Louisiana Folklife Festival - Monroe, Louisiana - celebrate our heritage derived from many countries, cultures, and ethnic groups. This rich and varied mixture has resulted in a dynamic people who exhibit a zest for living.

Louisiana Folk Root Heritage Day - Lafayette, Louisiana - is a non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing the unique folkways and cultural resources. Both the Fall and Spring Dewey Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Weeks culminate in a full day of dances with music provided by top local bands and a range of workshops in Cajun and Creole music, crafts and culture.

Louisiana Freedom Festival - Houma, Louisiana - This annual 4th of July Christian Celebration combines drama production, food and fireworks, and gospel preaching into a 3 day freedom celebration. ... What an awesome 2004 Louisiana Freedom Festival! Eighteen years of glorious outreach climaxed this ... of Harvest Cathedral and the Louisiana Freedom Festival. It's impossible to list.

Louisiana Pecan Festival - Colfax, Louisiana - Welcome to the Official Site of the Louisiana Pecan Festival. You are cordially invited to visit this exciting celebration, or register on-line to become part of our festivities as vendor or demonstrator of Louisiana folk arts. ... The Louisiana Pecan Festival takes place on the first full weekend of November each year.

Louisiana Renaissance Festival - Hammond, Louisiana - open for six festive weekends. It's an English village & festive market place, mixed with a little bit of Louisiana spice. Come experience the exciting romantic renaissance and the most unique gift selections in Louisiana.

Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival - Morgan City, Louisiana- Cajun-style music, food, and fun for the entire family. The Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival has cajun, gospel and zydeco music, food, events, entertainment, the blessing of the fleet, arts and crafts, fireworks, storytelling, a parade and cajun dancing.

Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival - New Iberia, Louisiana - one of the many Louisiana festivals. The festival is held each year during the last full weekend in September.

Louisiana SwampFest - New Orleans - Audubon Institute celebrates with entertainment, food, crafts, and exhibits. Enjoy the great ambience of the Audubon Zoo and it's extensive landscaped grounds.

Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival - Madisonville, Louisiana - The Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival is the primary source of funding for the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum. Featuring over one hundred antique and classic wooden boats, music, artists, enormous children's village and great Louisiana food.

Mandeville Seafood Festival - Mandeville, Louisiana - one of the many Louisiana festivals. Celebrate Independence Day weekend at the Mandeville Seafood Fest with live music, food, arts and crafts, entertainment and a classic fireworks show. The Seafood Festival, draws visitors to the City and raises thousands for charity.

Marshland Festival - Lake Charles, Louisiana - one of many Louisiana festivals that offers arts and crafts, games, food and music. Sixteen years ago a group of parents, school teachers and administrators were concerned for the youth of Hackberry Louisiana. These various groups of the northwestern town of Cameron Parish, were trying to provide a way to fund various School, Church, and Community organizations. Through these efforts, the Marshland Festival was born.

Mudbug Madness Festival - Shreveport, Louisiana - one of Louisiana's largest and most popular Cajun festivals, featuring renown Cajun, Zydeco, Blues and Jazz artists, mouth-watering Cajun cuisine, raucous contests, and fun for all ages. Now a four-day festival held each Memorial Day weekend .In 1984, a group of brave and loyal North Louisianans decided to take a stand. This group was tired of hearing: “You people in Shreveport are more like Texans than anything else. You’re hardly a part of Louisiana, at all.” So this daring group gathered in the Downtown Shreveport Unlimited office to organize their ranks and pay homage to the most cherished of Louisiana institutions – the crawfish boil! And this group wanted to make their crawfish boil the granddaddy of them all. Through the years, festival organizers remain dedicated to the original premise of Mudbug Madness: Provide a downtown venue where everybody has a good time celebrating Louisiana’s rich Cajun heritage. But Mudbug Madness is more than just a big crawfish boil. Supporters take their commitment to downtown Shreveport very seriously and the festival has been successful in producing healthy revenues, a portion of which are reinvested in other downtown endeavors. Downtown Shreveport Unlimited, the presenting organization, provides sponsorship dollars for other downtown projects and events including: “Let the Good Times Roll,” “Jazz & Gumbo Festival,” “Cinco de Mayo,” “Rockets Over the Red” and the Shreveport Police Mounted Patrol Unit.

Natchitoches Christmas Festival - Natchitoches, Louisiana - offers a parade, live entertainment, food, carnival rides and a fireworks show. The finale is the turning on of over 300,000 Christmas lights and 77 light decorations in the historic district and along the scenic Cane River Lake.The Festival of Lights begins two days before Thanksgiving and lasts into the New Year. The Natchitoches (Nack-a-tish) Christmas Festival has been held on the first weekend in December since 1927. This annual event draws in excess of 100,000 visitors each year for the parade, live entertainment, food fair, arts and crafts show and a spectacular fireworks show over the scenic Cane River Lake. Mini-festivals are held every weekend in December with a Holiday Tour of Homes, entertainment and fireworks every Saturday and at midnight on New Year's Eve. More than 500,000 visitors annually trek to Natchitoches during the holiday season to enjoy the light displays, riverbank vendors, shops, restaurants, and nightly tours by streetcar or carriages.

Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival - Natchitoches, Louisiana - The Festival is held in cool, comfortable air-conditioned Prather Coliseum, on the campus of Northwestern State University of Louisiana in historic Natchitoches. The festival has an alcohol free environment. The Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival, which originated in 1980, is a four-time winner of the prestigious "Top Twenty Events in the Southeast" Award given by the Southeast Tourism Society. In 1980, 1981, and 1982, the Folk Festival was supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Louisiana Division of the Arts. While the Festival attempts to be largely self-supporting, Northwestern State University of Louisiana provides necessary and much appreciated financial support. The Folk Festival, as the inclusion of NSU in its name suggests, is fully integrated into the life of Northwestern and is a full-fledged University event. In addition to grant and university support, financial help from numerous corporate sponsors and hundreds of dedicated individuals is vital to the Festival.

New Orleans Film Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana - showcases American & foreign films including premieres of major feature films and short works and includes mentor sessions, workshops and panel discussions with industry leaders - all with directors, actors, screenwriters, cinematographers, film critics, and fans in attendance.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana - official site. The most well known of all Louisiana and New Orleans music festivals. It showcases strong gospel, rhythm and blues, soul, and jazz acts. The New Orleans Jazzfest is internationally known and attended by jaz and music lovers from around the world. Bruce Springsteen and the Seeger Sessions Band will make their first-ever Jazz Fest appearance on Sunday, April 30, Festival organizers announced today. Springsteen and the new band will release a new album next month featuring songs associated with the legendary guiding light of American music, Pete Seeger, and their Jazz Fest debut will feature most of the musicians who worked on the recording. The 2006 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell is set for April 28-30 and May 5-7.

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience - New Orleans, Louisiana - pairs the classic cuisine of New Orleans with great wines. Features vintner dinners, seminars, and grand tastings. Experience New Orleans' rich cultural heritage through indigenous cuisine paired with over 400 fine wines from vineyards around the world against a backdrop of local art, architecture, music and rare antiques. NOWFE is a non-profit organization. 2005 proceeds benefited the Louisiana Restaurant Association's School-to-Career Program, a mentoring curriculum serving Louisiana's young people who are interested in restaurant careers, and the University of New Orleans School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism, which prepares HRT graduates to become leaders in Louisiana's hospitality industry

Nicholls State University - Jubilee - A Festival of the Arts and Humanities - Thibodaux , Louisiana - The goal of the Jubilee Festival is to raise the level of awareness in the arts and humanities for the University and the southeast region of Louisiana that it serves. The purpose of the Jubilee Festival is to educate the student body, faculty, staff and members of the surrounding communities on matters of interest to the arts and humanities; to furnish role models through presenting locally and nationally distinguished lecturers and performers both on campus and in the surrounding community; and to raise consciousness and appreciation of the arts and humanities.

Original Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival - Plaisance, Louisiana - plan to stay a while for an unforgettable day of incredible music, dancing, food, family and friends. Zydeco music blends the soulful rhythms of black blues and R&B with the joyful melodies of French Cajun music. In 1981 fearful that Creole and Zydeco music was dying out, “The Treasures of Opelousas” a group of concerned citizens under the guidance and sponsorship of Southern Development Foundation, organized the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. The first Zydeco Festival in 1982 was started on a farmer’s field in the Plaisance community on the outskirts of Opelousas, with four hundred of our neighbors attending

Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival - Buras, Louisiana - Held at historic Fort Jackson in Buras, LA, the Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival has many activities to offer the entire family. We invite you to take the scenic trip to South Louisiana and experience our wonderful food, entertainment and hospitality.

Pontchatoula Strawberry Festival - Pontchatoula, Louisiana - Watch this page for up to the minute information on entertainment, activities and other details you may need to know about the largest FREE two day festival in the state of Louisiana. The Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Board was organized in 1971 and started planning for the first festival to be held in April of 1972. The first festival was co-sponsored by the Ponchatoula Jaycees and the Ponchatoula Chamber of Commerce from which both organizations provided three members to serve on the festival board. From the Strawberry Festival’s humble beginning, it has mushroomed into a Louisiana celebration second only to Mardi Gras in its magnitude. Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival has provided a venue as the largest fundraiser for non-profit and charitable organizations. The festival prides itself as being one of the only festivals in which non-profit organizations are the only vendors on the official festival grounds.

Satchmo Summer Fest - New Orleans, Louisiana - "What a wonderful World" you'll discover during an "edutaining" weekend honoring the man, his music and his life.In New Orleans, Satchmo's legacy and spirit lives on. You can find it anywhere: on her sultry historic streets, on the faces of her children, in hearts of her people, even on her lazy soulful river. But it all steps into the spotlight at an annual party honoring Louis Armstrong and his undeniable contribution to American music and the global music community. New Orleans' native son, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, is honored in true New Orleans fashion at the Satchmo SummerFest. From brass bands to big bands and early jazz to All-Star sounds, learn about the phenomenal man who cultivated the language of jazz and experience the undeniable influence he has on the culture of the Crescent City still to this day. The jazz-inspired program includes educational seminars, an outdoor music festival, exhibits, a jazz mass, activities for budding young jazz fans, a club crawl, local cuisine, and a star-studded line-up of performances from local and international jazz musicians. Step into the past, present and future of jazz at the Satchmo SummerFest.

Shakespeare Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana - Shakespeare on the road: bringing Shakespeare to Louisiana Students.

Shrimp and Petroleum Festival - Morgan City, Louisiana Deep in the heart of Cajun Country, every Labor Day Weekend, tens of thousands of people celebrate at Louisiana's oldest chartered harvest festival. The festival has been honoring those who have worked tirelessly through rain and shine....and sometimes even hurricanes, to provide the area's economic lifeblood for over half a century. The festival also emphasizes the unique way in which these two seemingly different industries work hand-in-hand culturally and environmentally in this area of the "Cajun Coast." The event is free and has grown to become one of the country's premiere festivals. There's plenty of fun for "kids" of all ages and lots to see, hear, do and EAT! The festival is truly a feast for ALL senses and according to Time Magazine... .. one of the best, the most unusual, the most down-home, the most moving and the most fun the Country has to offer... the festival recognizes the working men of both the seafood and petroleum industries who work tirelessly through rain and shine....and sometimes even hurricanes, to provide the area's economic lifeblood for over half a century.

Slidell Heritage Festival - Slidell, Louisiana - another of the many Louisiana festivals for delicious food, sensational music and entertainment, arts, crafts, antiques, games for the kids, classic cars, a Fourth of July Parade and, of course, a fantastic fireworks display! Slidell Heritage Festival on the Fourth of July 2006 will be Slidell's biggest event of the year! Presenters of the Slidell Heritage Festival are The Times-Picayune and Slidell-Picayune newspapers, the City of Slidell, and the Rotary Clubs of Slidell and Slidell Northshore.

Southdown Marketplace Arts & Crafts Festival - SOUTHDOWN PLANTATION HOUSE / THE TERREBONNE MUSEUM Houma, Louisiana - Gates open 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. More than 300 booths of arts, crafts, antiques, and more; Cajun cuisine food court; museum tours. Family-friendly festival. $3 admission (children under 12 free). Additional fees for food, drinks, and tours.

Southern Decadence Festival - New Orleans, Louisiana - The official Southern Decadence web site.Southern Decadence's importance to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, and the millions of dollars in economic impact, the past three Mayors of the City of New Orleans have issued an official proclamation welcoming visitors to Southern Decadence, including Sidney Barthelomew, Marc H. Morial and C. Ray Nagin. All three mayors' proclamations appeared first and exclusively in Ambush Mag, Official Southern Decadence Guide. The last two mayors' proclamations also appeared first and exclusively on-line at SouthernDecadence.COM, the original and only Official Website of Southern Decadence. Additionally, in 2000, the New Orleans City Council issued the first proclamation recognizing the Official Southern Decadence Grand Marshals that year.

Southern Decadence 2007 Gears Up!


The City of New Orleans is gearing up for one of the largest Southern Decadence celebrations in its 37-year history, expected to attract over 125,000 revelers to the Crescent City. An “end of summer celebration of Gay life, music and culture,” Southern Decadence has received much acclaim throughout the US in recent years due to the major marketing efforts of businesses and other festival supporters such as AMBUSH Mag, AMBUSHonline and SouthernDecadence.com. Thanks to these and other supporters throughout the community, the city of New Orleans stands to gain tremendously from the festival and related activities with earnings projected to hover around the $100 million mark.

Southern Decadence is a weeklong series of annual events and entertainment hosted by the New Orleans gay and lesbian community in early September, climaxing with a parade through the New Orleans French Quarter on the Sunday before Labor Day. Most events take place in and around the French Quarter although the entire region stands to benefit from tourism dollars generated by gay and lesbian visitors spending the entire week in the city.

Ground Zero for the Southern Decadence celebration is the intersection of