Southeast Tourism Society (STS) has named the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival as one of the STS Top 20 Events in the Southeast for July 2019.

This year’s Folk Festival is July 26-27 inside Prather Coliseum on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. The STS Top 20 Festival and Event Awards have highlighted programs around the Southeast since 1985.

Travel industry experts select 20 events per month, and STS publicizes them throughout the United States. The complete list is published on two websites: Southeast Tourism Society and Travel Media Press Room.
The annual Folk Festival will give you the opportunity to witness authentic Louisianian life, whether it be learning about pottery or chowing down on some regional cuisine. By the end of the festival, you’ll be shouting, “Vive la Louisiane!”

The festival will include a wide variety of traditional crafts, folk foods, 3 stages of live music, narrative sessions, music performances, a Cajun accordion workshop, the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship, Cajun dance lessons, and a silent auction. There is something for the whole family, even crafts and activities for the kids at KidFest. Children ages 12 and under are admitted free of charge.

“The Top 20 Festival and Event Program is celebrating 34 years of spotlighting the best festivals and events in the Southeast. Our goal is to provide well-deserved accolades for the dedicated event organizers and additional media exposure for their events,” said Monica Smith, president and CEO of the Southeast Tourism Society. “The Southeast offers so many unique, year-round, opportunities for attendees to create memories and support an industry that is an economic generator for its community.”

“We are deeply honored that this year’s festival has been selected as one of the STS Top 20 Events,” said Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the festival and NSU’s Louisiana Folklife Center. “The festival showcases Louisiana’s rich folklife traditions, from crafts such as blacksmithing, flint knapping, and basket weaving, to musicians playing Cajun, zydeco, and country. Our audience returns year after year because they are able to engage with genuine folk traditions, such as eating world class gumbo, or dancing to the music of bluesman Tab Benoit, this year’s honorary festival chair. Join us for a rousing celebration of Louisiana’s heritage, past and present!”

Learn more about the 40th annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival and purchase your tickets online at http://louisianafolklife.nsula.edu/2019-natchitoches-nsu-folk-festival/.

Events considered for the STS Top 20 recognition must be at least three years old and have attendance of at least 1,000. The online nomination link and submission deadlines are available at SoutheastTourism.org or by calling 770-542-1523.

STS, founded in 1983 and headquartered in Roswell, Ga., is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting travel and tourism within 12 states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Support for the Festival is provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the City of Natchitoches, the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.

Photo Credit: Russell Vaughan