NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
http://www.nsula.edu/news
6/13/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES – The presentation of traditional crafts is one of the unique aspects of the annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival, which will be held July 20-21 in Prather Coliseum on the Northwestern State University campus.
This year’s theme for the Festival is “Passing It On – The Next Generation,” highlighting next generation artists who are carrying on family and community traditions. The Festival will feature music, food and Kidfest along with exhibits and narrative sessions.
Craftspeople will present their talents and traditions on Saturday in the Prather Coliseum arena. One of the most enjoyable parts of the event for festival-goers is that craftspeople interact by demonstrating their work and selling items. Many of these artists use natural resources such as vines, river cane, white oak, and moss in creating the crafts that are part of their culture.
Participants will have a variety of crafts on display such as baskets, leather goods, woodcarvings, chairs, Mardi Gras masks, walking sticks, dolls, quilts, toys, needlework and musical instruments.
For the fourth year, the Folk Festival will host the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship on Saturday, July 21, from. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Prather Coliseum’s Main Stage. Fiddlers from around the state will compete for cash prizes and ribbons in two categories – Trophy Division and Championship Division. Fiddlers can enter in either division, but not both. The Trophy Division is not competitive for the state championship and is open for the following age groups: 12 and under, 13-18, and 60 and above.
The top two fiddlers from each group in the Championship Division – ages 0-21, 22-59, and 60 and above -- will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be recognized as the state’s best fiddler. The winner will perform that evening at 6 p.m. on the Festival’s main stage in Prather Coliseum.
For music lovers, this year’s festival will include many of the types of music heard in Louisiana including country-western, Cajun, blues, ballads, jazz, bluegrass, gospel and zydeco.
Narrative sessions will focus on subjects including cooking, quilting, furniture making, healing traditions and the timber industry. A foodways demonstration on Creole cooking will also be presented.
Festival activities will be from 5 p.m. until 11 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $8 for an all day pass, $5 for an evening pass and $11 for a weekend pass which is available in advance only. Children age 7-12 are admitted for $3, and children under six are admitted free.
For more information, contact the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332 or visit www.nsula.edu/folklife.
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