Shreveport-Bossier is host to nearly 60 festivals and annual events. Check out these awesome Shreveport festivals and annual events to enjoy in Louisiana’s third largest city.
When people think of Louisiana, it’s likely that their thoughts immediately wander to the eclectic city of New Orleans or the historical capital of Baton Rouge, but Shreveport, Louisiana’s third most populous city, is also rich with its own unique culture.
Did you know that Shreveport-Bossier is home to nearly 60 festivals and annual events? Southerners love any excuse to get together with good food, live music and everything that makes north Louisiana special. With over 50 Shreveport festivals going on throughout the year with themes ranging from art to wine to crawfish, music and more, there’s definitely a festival for everyone.
CORK WINE FESTIVAL
I went to the Cork Wine Festival for the first time this year, and I can definitively say that it’s worth the money. If you’re a fan of wine, you will love Cork. You can sample 80+ different wines. Plus, local restaurants provide a variety of different foods for you to enjoy during the festival. If you try a wine you fall in love with, you can purchase a bottle or two (or ten, whatever) before you go. There’s live music and even a little bit of dancing (especially when the wine kicks in). Cork usually takes place in April.
RED RIVER REVEL
The Red River Revel is personally one of my favorite Shreveport festivals. The festival celebrates everything that makes Shreveport awesome – food, art and live music. One thing Louisiana does right is food, and there’s plenty of different places to choose from at the Revel. There’s also tons of art vendors with work to admire and purchase, and in the kids area, you can even make some artwork for yourself. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Shreveport festival without live music. There are several different stages placed throughout festival plaza, and the artists are eclectic, so there’s a little something for everyone. The Revel takes place during the fall around September and October.
MUDBUG MADNESS FESTIVAL
Crawfish is one of my favorite foods, so of course, Mudbug Madness is one of my favorite Shreveport festivals. They serve a box of crawfish with corn and potatoes for $10. There’s also several other food vendors available for those that don’t like crawfish or prefer something else. As with all Shreveport festivals, there’s plenty of live music to enjoy throughout the day. Mudbug Madness takes place during Memorial Day weekend every year.
HIGHLAND JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL
If you’re a fan of jazz and blues music, you will love the Highland Jazz and Blues Festival. It takes place in Columbia Park in the historic Highland area. There are multiple stages with bands playing throughout the day. There are also several food trucks to choose from every year. Since it’s at the park, it’s a dog-friendly event, so don’t forget to bring your furry friend! The Highland Jazz and Blues Festival takes place around September.
HOLIDAY IN DIXIE
I always say the Holiday in Dixie is like a mini fair. There are plenty of rides, especially for the kids. The food is remiscent of what you would find at the State Fair of Louisiana. They also have live music! The event takes place over a 10-day period around April.
INDEPENDENCE BOWL
Shreveport is host to the annual Independence Bowl football game that takes place around Christmas every year. Whether you’re a fan of the teams or not, it’s fun to be a part of the crowd and watch a live football game.
318 RESTAURANT WEEK
If you’re a fan of food, you will love 318 Restaurant Week. Throughout the week, restaurants in Shreveport and Bossier City have $10 lunch and $20 dinner specials, some with specialty items that you can only get that week. It’s a great excuse to put down your spatula and go out around town to enjoy the incredible cuisine that Shreveport-Bossier has to offer. 318 Restaurant Week takes place around March each year.
ASEANA SPRING & AUTUMN FESTIVALS
Year-round, you can visit the Asian Gardens in downtown Shreveport to see the beautiful tribute to Asian cultures. During the spring and fall, the Aseana Foundation puts on a festival to celebrate these cultures. You can enjoy entertainment that honors these countries and enjoy Asian street food provided by a number of vendors. My boyfriend and I went for the first time this year, and we went crazy trying out so many different foods. The food alone makes it worth it. It’s affordable, and everyone is super friendly. The spring festival takes place in March, and the autumn festival takes place in October.
PATTY IN THE PLAZA
For those of you that celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, Patty in the Plaza is the place to be on St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Don your green and head to Festival Plaza to enjoy tasty food provided by local vendors, crazy and fun games and, of course, live music. Naturally, it wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without beer, and there’s plenty of that to enjoy at Patty in the Plaza as well.
GEEK’D CON
A festival that’s relatively new to the area is Geek’d Con. There are so many proud geeks that live in north Louisiana, myself included, so it’s about time Shreveport-Bossier got its own con to celebrate all things geek. No matter what you geek out about, there’s sure to be something for you to enjoy at Geek’d Con. The guest list continues to get more exciting each year as the convention grows. Geek’d Con takes place around August every year.
These are only ten of the festivals and annual events that happen in Shreveport-Bossier, and trust me when I say there are so many more. So even if none of these tickled your fancy, I’m sure you could find another festival that’s exactly up your alley.
What are some of the best festivals and events you’ve attended? What kind of festivals and events would you like to go to?
Even though I grew up in many cities around the world, I’ve been calling Shreveport/Bossier City, Louisiana home since 2006. When people visit the city, they’re often underwhelmed by the amount of things to do, but as the third largest city in Louisiana, there’s a lot more to the area than meets the eye. In my series, Shreveport Sunday, I’m excited to share some of my favorite things about living (and eating) in Shreveport/Bossier City. To see all of the posts in the Shreveport Sunday series, click here.
