Marksville festival seeks to be state's July 4th 'destination event'

      The 2015 Avoyelles Arts & Music Festival is shaping up to be one of the biggest yet.

      The Avoyelles Arts & Music Festival takes place between Main and Washington streets in downtown Marksville and is situated on the grounds surrounding Fresh Catch Bistreaux and Broken Wheel Brewery. There will be a festival kickoff party Friday night featuring Jonathan Bettevy and Parish Wide at 7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

     The BCA-sanctioned Avoyelles BBQ Cook-off will also begin on Friday. Grill masters from as far away as Texas and Mississippi, compete for $4000 in cash prizes. 

     Opening ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with dignitary speeches and a performance of “The National Anthem” by Crisdensa Compton. 

     Headlining on the Detel Main Stage will be Grammy Award winning artist Wayne Toups, who will close out the day. In addition to Toups, this year’s stellar line-up features Grammy-nominated Lil Nathan & The Zydeco Big Timers, the critically acclaimed Grammy-nominated alternative Cajun Indie band Feufollet, Grammy-nominated Hot 8 Brass Band from New Orleans, Shreveport native and Americana roots chanteuse Amy Lavere with special guest Will Sexton of the Sexton Texas musical dynasty, Cenla’s rising country music artist Mitch Attales & The Burn House Band and Avoyelles’ popular rock cover band Anxiety. 

      The smaller BBQ stage will host revered Cajun fiddler and story teller Gerard “The Stump Jumper” Dupuy, Lafayette’s Dustin Dale Gaspard and Pineville rockers When All is Lost, providing entertainment for the crowds.

     There will also be plenty for the whole family to enjoy, including arts and crafts vendors, food vendors from all over the state, fun and games for the kids and art tents where children can create their own crafts. A welcome booth selling this year’s commemorative t-shirt and poster created by board member and artist Leah Moreau Morace of Effie.

     Festival grounds will close at 8 p.m. 

     Security will be enforced and no ice chests or golf carts/ATVs are allowed on festival grounds.

    For general information call Van Roy at 240-3495. For vendor information and registration call Ayneka and Mary Bruno at 253-6868. For BBQ cook-off information and registration call Lexi Leger at 359-2906.

 

     The theme for this year’s parade will be “Sweet Land of Liberty.” The parade is sponsored by the city of Marksville and the Marksville Chamber of Commerce and is Louisiana’s longest running Independence Day parade at over 63 years.

     The grand marshal for the parade will be U.S. Congressman Ralph Abraham.

     All parade participants must arrive on Mark Street, between Washington and Ogden Streets, at 5 p.m. Line up will be in the Avoyelles Parish parking lot, located behind the Red River Grill. 

     The parade will begin promptly at 6 p.m. from the corner of Ogden and Washington streets. It will turn south on to Main Street, through the Avoyelles Arts & Music Festival and proceed to Tunica Drive, then turn left on Acton Road, left again on Preston Street and finally back to Mark Street where the parade will end at the line up parking lot.

      For more information on the parade contact the Marksville Chamber of Commerce at 253-8599

 

      Following the parade, there will be a fireworks display at 9 p.m. near the rear of the Childress Eye Center on Tunica Drive, across from the old Wal-mart. The fireworks event is sponsored by the Marksville Fire Department and City of Marksville. Call 253-7776 for more information.