Experience the beauty of springtime in downtown Natchitoches at the Bloomin’ on the Bricks spring garden festival Saturday, March 19th from 9 a.m.-2p.m. on the downtown Riverbank. The is no charge to attend Natchitoches’ spring garden festival that was named a Southern Travel Treasure by AAA’s magazine AAA Southern Traveler.

Bloomin’ on the Bricks, organized by the Natchitoches Main Street Program, is a celebration of spring throughout the City’s Historic District. Visitors will be able to see the beauty of springtime in downtown Natchitoches through its hanging flower baskets and thousands of daffodils and tulips planted along the riverbank. The event will feature lawn and garden vendors, live musical entertainment by the Luke Jazz Trio, children’s activities and food booths. Vendor spaces are available for $50 per each 10×10 space.

Children of ages will be able to take Easter pictures with live bunny rabbits from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Photos are $5 for emailed photographs and $6 for printed 4×6 photographs. The Easter Bunny photo shoot is sponsored by the Natchitoches Parish 4-H Junior Leaders.

In conjunction wit the spring festival Les Amies Service Organization will host the Ann Williams Brittain Butterfly Release. The release is held in honor of the First President and founding member of the Les Amies Service Organization, Ann Williams Brittain, who passed away in 2003 after a courageous battle with cancer. The release will take place at the Fleur de Lis Stage on the downtown riverbank at 1 p.m. Participants can purchase an individual butterfly to be released at a cost of $30 per butterfly or choose to have a loved one honored during the mass butterfly release at a cost of $5 per honoree. All proceeds from the Butterfly Release will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

In addition, the Natchitoches Art Guild and Gallery will host Art Along the Bricks on front Street above the downtown riverbank from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. along Front Street. Art Along the Bricks serves to provide visitors to the Natchitoches Historic District opportunities to see the latest offerings in fine arts and crafts as local and area artists display their work in an outdoor art show. Vendors and artists of fine arts and crafts (defined as hand-made) are encouraged to participate. Spaces are $50 per 10×10 space. For information on Art Along the Bricks, contact the Natchitoches Art Guild and Gallery at (318) 352-1626.

For information on Bloomin’ on the Bricks or to become a vendor, please contact the City of Natchitoches Main Street Office at (318) 352-2746.