90th Annual Christmas Festival December 3rd
Samantha BonnettePhone: (318) 352-2746E-mail: sbonnette@natchitochesla.gov 11/23/16 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE90TH ANNUAL NATCHITOCHES CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL DECEMBER 3610 STOMPERS FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS PARADE GRAND MARSHALS NATCHITOCHES – The 90th Annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival will take place Saturday, December 3 in downtown Natchitoches. The Natchitoches Historic District Business Association and the City of Natchitoches will usher in the holiday season with the Festival of Lights parade, live entertainment, food vendors, and fireworks. New Orleans favorites, The 610 Stompers, will serve as parade grand marshals while Joe Stampley will headline entertainment for the day. The Christmas Festival of Lights parade will begin at 1:00 p.m. at the corner of Jefferson Street and University Parkway. The parade will feature floats of reigning queens such as Miss Merry Christmas and the Christmas Belles as well as commemorative floats celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Miss Merry Christmas and Belles program. Also featured in the parade are marching bands, dance lines, Santa Claus and parade Grand Marshals, the 610 Stompers. The 610 Stompers are “Ordinary Men with Extraordinary Moves.” Hailing from New Orleans, they strive to return the ordinary man to the glory of dance. The parade will travel along Jefferson Street to Front Street, turning left onto Lafayette Street and Second Street, and ending at University Parkway. Musical entertainment begins at 3:00 p.m. with a performance by Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs, followed by headliner Joe Stampley. Stampley is a Nashville recording artist and member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. For over four decades he has performed at Country Music Award shows, concert halls, casinos, clubs and festivals, and his musical career includes over 60 charted records. Stampley will perform from 4:45 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. At 6:00 p.m., the festivities will be capped off by a spectacular fireworks display over beautiful Cane River Lake and the lighting of thousands of Christmas lights. Admission to the festival is $10 for adults 12 years and older. Children under 12 are admitted free to the festival. Armbands may be purchased day of the festival from ticket booths located throughout the Downtown Historic District beginning at 6:30 a.m. Discount armbands may be purchased in advance online at www.NatchitochesChristmas.com and select Natchitoches businesses. All festival vendors inside the gated area will require tickets to purchase food and/or merchandise. Tickets may be purchased from all ticket booth locations as well as at automated ticket machines on festival day. Tickets may be purchased in advance at any pre-sale armband locations. For more information on the 90th Annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival, please visit www.NatchitochesChristmas.com.
