NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

6/27/2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES ­ Louisiana's rich and diverse agricultural industry will be the theme of the 26th annual Natchitoches/NSU Folk Festival July 15-16 in Prather Coliseum. Activities will be from noon until 10 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets are $7 for an all day pass, $5 for an evening pass and $12 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.

This year's festival will include music, food, arts and crafts, displays and narrative sessions that can provide useful information and background on topics related to the theme. Dr. Lisa Abney, director of the Festival, said she was "delighted to be able to host so many wonderful craftspeople, musicians, exhibitors and narrative stage participants." Narrative stages have been funded by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and the Festival music and crafts are supported by the Louisiana Division of the Arts.

For the second year, the Folk Festival will host the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship. Fiddlers from around the state will compete in three age divisions, age 0-21, 22-59 and 60 and over. The top two fiddlers from each division will compete for cash prizes and the opportunity to be recognized as the state's best fiddler. The winner will perform Saturday, July 16 at 6:15 p.m. on the Festival's main stage in Prather Coliseum.

This year's festival will include many of the types of music heard in Louisiana including country-western, Cajun, blues, folk, bluegrass, gospel and zydeco.

Friday night's headliners include Natchitoches' Jeff Rachal and 24/7 playing country music, Hadley Castille performing traditional Cajun music and the Treater Band playing Cajun dance music.

On Saturday night, the headliners will include the Louisiana State Fiddle Champion, Scotty Pousson and Pointe Aux Loups Playboys playing Cajun music, the River Road Boys playing western swing and the Rivers Revue Band playing rhythm and blues.

Also scheduled to perform are the Southern Messengers, the Kennedy Family, the Hoodoo Papas, Fred Charlie, Bernie Alan and Knight Train, A.J. Cascio and the Two Tone Blues Band, The Sideman. Other musical groups scheduled to perform are the Back Porch Band, Southland, Don Fontenot and Willis Prudhomme.

Traditional craftspeople have been invited to attend the Festival and demonstrate their work. Craftspeople will display work including baskets, toys, woodcrafts, weaving and more.

For more information, contact the Louisiana Folklife Center at (318) 357-4332 or visit their website www.nsula.edu/folklife.

Main Menu