New events related to the Christmas season were the main topic for discussion at the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission (NHDDC) meeting Thursday, Nov. 17. Perhaps the most exciting news was the Rockin’ Louisiana Christmas Concert, which will be held Wednesday, Dec. 21 at the Events Center.
The NHDDC agreed to sponsor the event, which is being organized by the Jazz Fest Committee. The concert will feature performances by James Burton, Wayne Toups, Jo-El Sonnier and Estelle Brown. Proceeds from this fundraising event will benefit the Jazz Fest Committee for future events and the James Burton Foundation. More details will be released soon.
Cathy Seymour with the Natchitoches Historic Foundation announced that the NHF will host a Christmas on Poete event Dec. 9 and 16 during its Christmas Tour of Homes. The event will offer games and activities for children along with singing, dancing and music. More details will be released soon.
Partnering with the NHDDC and the City, Sandra Dickens with the Historic District Business Association (HDBA) said this year the strings of lights over front and second street were expanded to include Jefferson and Poete Streets and Second Street all the way to its intersection with University Ave.
Also new are DJs on the riverbank on Friday nights during the Christmas Festival season. While the fireworks aren’t new, a slight change was made in their schedule. Fireworks will light up the sky Friday, Dec. 23 instead of Saturday, Dec. 24.
In other news, Cynthia Sutton with the Cane River National Heritage Area (CRNHA) presented the Commission with a marketing proposal. While attractions including Fort St. Jean Baptiste, the Grand Ecore Visitors Center, the National Parks (Oakland and Magnolia Plantations), Los Adaes Historic Site, the CRNHA and the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail receive federal funding, they are restricted from spending any of it on advertising. The NHDDC unanimously approved the marketing plan (with Cynthia abstaining from the vote), which will provide for a full-page ad in the state’s tourism guide. The ad will feature some of the attractions that don’t come readily to mind when people think of Natchitoches. The ad is a package deal that includes a digital component. This will make it easier to gain an insight into the visitors that come to Natchitoches.