Enjoy a day of family-friendly Mardi Gras fun in historic Natchitoches on Saturday, February 18th with lots of great free things to do!
On festival day, the streets of Natchitoches will be swarming with purple, green and gold. The Krewe of Wag-uns Parade, featuring children, pets, Mardi Gras music and costumed interpreters will kick-off activities at 1:00pm.
Anyone interested in participating in the Krewe of Wag-uns parade should meet at the Bank of Montgomery parking lot, located at 814 Washington Street, at 12:00pm. Pets should be on a leash and owners must be present at all times. No ATVs are permitted. Golf carts are permissible if driven by an adult. Children may ride scooters, bicycles, wagons, etc, and must be accompanied by an adult. Decorations and candy will not be provided. Some throws will be provided and participants are encouraged to bring their own; however, they are not required.
For more information on the Krewe of Wag-uns Parade call Arleen Mayeaux at (318) 352-5834 or the Natchitoches Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at (800) 259-1714.
The Krewe of Dionysos, one of the local Mardi Gras Krewes, will host their annual Mardi Gras Parade. The parade will begin on the east side of Natchitoches in the River South Commons Shopping Center at 5:30pm, and continue throughout downtown Natchitoches ending at the intersection of Second Street and Church Street. The parade consisted of approximately 40 units. The floats carry costumed riders who throw trinkets, beads and candy. Lights and music add to the excitement of the parade. Grand marshal for the parade will be former New Orleans Saints quarterback, Bobby Hebert.
Downtown businesses will be open for meals and shopping. So stop, shop and say hello to all the shop owners and staff.
For more information about Mardi Gras events or other upcoming events, contact the Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau at (800) 259-1714 or log on our website at www.natchitoches.net.
Industry partners across Natchitoches have joined together to celebrate the State’s Bicentennial. A kick-off reception was held in January and during the reception a special exhibit was unveiled. The exhibit titled “1812-2012 Louisiana Statehood Bicentennial Natchitoches: Paths to Statehood” will be housed at the Cammie Henry Research Center on the Northwestern State University campus. The exhibit will run through mid-June. The Center is open Monday-Friday. For hours call (318) 357-4585.
Other Bicentennial events include small celebrations, speakers, open houses, exhibits, concerts and more. For a complete list of all Bicentennial events in Natchitoches contact the Natchitoches Area CVB at (800) 259-1714.
