NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Janet Ravare Colson
Assistant Director
NSU Creole Heritage Center
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6685

9/05/2006

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES -The 13th annual Creole Heritage Celebration will be held Oct. 12-13 at the Natchitoches Events Center. The celebration is sponsored by the NSU Creole Heritage Center and will include a Louisiana Vendor Fair, varied informative workshops, exhibits, special guests and program presentations, musical enjoyment, an array of Creole foods, the ultimate Creole Heritage Celebration sale and more.

The Vendor Fair will be on Thursday, October 12th and is free and open to the public. Louisiana products and vendors will be on hand with crafts, services, art works, jewelry, books, and reference materials. The NSU Creole Heritage Center will have a multitude of Creole Heritage Memorabilia for sale, including the long awaited prints from the Gilbert Fletcher Creole Legacy Art Series. Another featured item will be the 2006 Commemorative T-shirt that containing more than 800 Creole family names.

Workshops will cover topics including the 1910 Indian Enumeration Census project, a Creole Conversation presented by various Creole speakers, the history and demonstration of Tignon Tying and a 1970's video look at the St. Augustine Church Fair. Other topics include the mini-grant workshop, the 2006 Annual Creole Heritage CD containing over 1,500 pages of data, Creole Lessons, a children's workshop, a report on Natchitoches-New Orleans family connections, a discussion on "Treasures in the French Archives" by a French professional researcher and genealogist and the national Creole Family History & Genealogical Database.

The full registration packet covers admission to all workshops, evening events, banquet meal and zydeco dance. A one-day registration option is also available. A brochure mailer containing a detailed schedule will be mailed to all address listings in the Center's registry. Additional information and online registration is available at www.nsula.edu/creole or by calling the Creole Heritage Center at 318-357-6685.