Summer Fun

Fun is warming up across Louisiana this season—festivals highlight the best of the state, applauding community, food, music and more. From Louisiana’s sweet corn and juicy peaches to slow-roasted cochon de lait, the state’s agricultural offerings call for delicious seasonal celebrations that satisfy your appetites for both food and fun. Arts and music abound, too, with events that feature fine arts, unique crafts, Cajun music, country music and more. From heart-thumping, stadium-sized concerts to small carnivals, quiet art museums and bustling art markets, escape into the healing worlds of art and music as you let the good times roll with family and friends.
Pull out your calendar for May and June and fill your weekends with trips to any and all of Louisiana’s exciting, early-summer events. Wherever you head, know you’re in good hands—a medical spotlight highlights the latest news from some of Louisiana’s expert local healthcare providers.

Cities & Parishes

Avoyelles Parish overflows with opportunities for lovers of food and music at its annual festivals, and spring and summer bring much of the fun.
Cajun Crossroads Festival in Hessmer takes place May 3-4. That weekend, Paragon Casino Resort hosts 38 Special in concert on May 4. Then, the “Cochon de Lait Capitale of the World” hosts the 45th annual Cochon de Lait Festival in downtown Mansura on Mother’s Day Weekend (May 9-12). The Tunica Biloxi Tribe of LA invites you to the 24th Annual Tunica Biloxi PowWow (May 18-19) at the Alcide Pierite Pow-Wow grounds on the Tunica Biloxi Reservation. Visit TunicaPowWow.org for details.
In June, Bunkie hosts the 33rd Annual Louisiana Corn Festival (June 13-15) at the Haas Auditorium and festival grounds with corny contests, live music, Louisiana food, and a carnival.
Louisiana’s longest running 4th of July Celebration and the Avoyelles Arts and Music Festival take place July 4 in downtown Marksville. This family fest is free to the public.
Visit TravelAvoyelles.com or Travel Avoyelles on Facebook for a complete listing of events.

 

Central Louisiana is a little-known art lover’s paradise. The Alexandria Museum of Art (AMOA) is a world-class museum hosting a permanent collection with 800 pieces, including prominent 20th and 21st Century Louisiana and Southern artists. AMOA host a variety of exhibits throughout the year and currently features Sordid & Sacred: The Beggars in Rembrandt’s Etchings and Concrete & Adrift: On the Poverty Line through June 22. In November, The Pelican State Goes to War: Louisiana in World War II will go on display.
River Oaks Square Arts Center (ROSAC) is another important piece of Central Louisiana’s artistic allure. ROSAC provides a variety of educational programs and hosts three galleries of contemporary visual art and fine crafts as well as a gallery gift shop with gifts from over 200 artists. A particularly unique attribute of ROSAC is the artist-in-residence program currently hosting 35 artists.
Performing arts also abound in Central Louisiana with Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center, Kress Theater, Lagniappe Theater Company, and Louisiana College all hosting live performances throughout the year.
To learn more or plan your trip, visit AlexandriaPinevilleLA.com or call 800-551-9546.

 

Summer Fun
Ruston Peach Festival

 

It’s peach season in Ruston and Lincoln Parish! Mark your calendars for the 69th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival happening June 21-22 in downtown Ruston. The weekend will be filled with live entertainment, activities for the kids and families, arts and crafts, a downtown parade, and of course, savory peach treats. Come early for free admission noon to 5 p.m. on Friday, June 21.
Returning this year is Peach Restaurant Week happening June 17-23. Visit local restaurants for delectable peach dishes only available the week of the Louisiana Peach Festival. Items include coffees and teas, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, cocktails, specialty desserts, and so much more.
Don’t forget to add a trip to Mitcham Peach Farm to your itinerary. Ice cream made from Louisiana’s sweetest peaches is only available during the summer. For more information about Ruston or to plan your trip to the Louisiana Peach Festival, visit ExperienceRuston.com.

 

Summer Fun
Baton Rouge

In America’s City on the River, you’ll experience authentic Louisiana sights, sounds, and tastes at every turn. Centrally located—just an hour from New Orleans and Lafayette—Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is the perfect city to experience the sounds of rich southern soul harmonizing with a medley of art, community, and 300 years of history.
Take advantage of the walkable downtown while exploring venues and attractions such as the Old and New State Capitols. Enjoy an array of culinary experiences that will immerse your taste buds in authentic Louisiana cuisine. With an ever-growing restaurant scene to choose from, you can enjoy everything from local dives to delicious, new restaurants highlighting classic Southern fare. After a big meal, dance it off to the sounds of Baton Rouge—jazz, zydeco, swamp-pop—with live performances almost every night.
On May 25-26, Baton Rouge’s Tiger Stadium welcomes Bayou Super Country Fest, which features Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, and Florida Georgia Line alongside many more nationally acclaimed country superstars.
For more information, head to VisitBatonRouge.com or call 1-800-LA-ROUGE.

Louisiana Medical Spotlight

The Wellness Center of Thibodaux Regional, located in Lafourche Parish, is changing the health of the community. The Center offers WellFit, which integrates wellness into clinical care. WellFit is an eight-week, physician-referred program that offers a customized plan for improving an individual’s health and well-being. Participants receive nutrition counseling with a registered dietitian along with fitness education and unlimited access to the Center’s Fitness Center. Smoking cessation options, physical therapy, and behavioral health screenings are also available if needed.
“The goal of WellFit is to help people live the highest quality, most active lifestyle possible,” says Education and Training Coordinator, Katie Richard, MA, BSN, RN. Physician specialists helped to shape the WellFit pathways. “We want people to feel that their unique needs are being met and that their doctor was a part of the process,” says Richard.
Call 985-493-4765 for more information or visit Thibodaux.com.

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