Southern Celebrations: Festivals in the Shreveport-Bossier City Area
The fall is a perfect time to enjoy one of the many festivals as the weather is still warm enough to be outdoors but not as humid as it is in the summertime. In September, two fun festivals to take part in are Pioneer Days and Super Derby Festival of Racing. The Pioneer Days Festival is held in Greenwood which is about 15 miles from Shreveport. The festival includes all of the wonderful things any festival should such as entertainment, games, arts & crafts and even a parade. The Super Derby Festival of Racing is held at Harrah’s Louisiana Downs in Bossier City and focuses around well known horses and jockeys competing in exciting horse races.
As winter arrives in the South, you may want to bundle up a bit more but venture out into the cooler climate to enjoy spectacular holiday festivals. Christmas in Roseland takes place during the winter season, starting in the pre-winter month of November and showcases lights and festive decorations at the American Rose Center on Jefferson-Paige Road in Shreveport. December on the Red is an ongoing festival throughout the holiday season where parades, fireworks and holiday exhibits are a must see.
Towards the end of the winter season, you will want to make sure that you don your beaded regalia and take part in the many Mardi Gras oriented festivals throughout the Shreveport-Bossier area. Mardi Gras fever is in the air during this time of year and you will find a number of festivals taking place including Krewe of Centaur Mardi Gras Parade, Krewe of Gemini Mardi Gras Parade and for the pet lovers, Krewe of Barkus and Meoux Mardi Gras Parade. Marching bands, floats and a festive spirit are all present during the Carnival season.
When the flowers start to reemerge from their winter hideaways, you will know that spring has arrived and so have the springtime festivals. In March and April, many of the festivals have a flower type of theme to them. The Louisiana Redbud Festival takes place in the town of Vivian which is a short trip from Shreveport and includes a parade, live music, and food and craft tables. In April, the First Bloom Celebration takes place in Shreveport at the American Rose Center and has numerous activities relating to the various beautiful rosebushes. Rounding out the spring season is the Mudbug Madness Festival celebrating those cute little crawfish. This festival is an important one as it celebrates the Cajun heritage of Louisiana. Food is a big part of this celebration as is all of the fun that goes along with it.
As summer arrives in the Ark-La-Tex, one would think that the festivities would slow down but not by a long shot. The Peach Festival in Ruston, located about an hour’s drive away from Shreveport, centers around food, arts and crafts, live music and an antique car show. It is worth braving the heat to enjoy all that this Ruston-based festival has to offer. Last but not least is the Riverblast Celebration as the Fourth of July festivities take place on the Red River. Fireworks are the center of this festival but that is by no means the extent of this patriotic event. Plenty of live music, food and fun for the entire family will make the Fourth a spectacular holiday.
As one can see, the Shreveport-Bossier area has plenty to offer with regard to festivals. This is an area where food and fun make for a great place to vacation or to live.
