The Lights of Christmas: Historic Natchitoches draws holiday visitors

One of America’s oldest community-based holiday celebrations, the Christmas Festival in picturesque Natchitoches has been held the first weekend in December for the past 84 years.

More than 500,000 people gather to celebrate the joy of the Christmas season with a visit to Louisiana’s oldest town, founded in 1714. Natchitoches is a partner with the Holiday Trail of Lights that includes six cities in Louisiana and Texas. Shreveport and Bossier City are among the participants in the December festivities.

In Natchitoches, all events take place in the National Historic Landmark District. More than 300,000 Christmas lights are turned on daily at dusk, illuminating downtown and the Cane River Lake. Adding to the holiday cheer, it is snowing in Natchitoches through December 18. The “Snow Fest” and carolers performing holiday tunes grace Front Street every Friday and Saturday night in celebration of the annual Festival of Lights. The snow and caroling are among several new attractions in 2010.

This year promises the most exciting fireworks shows to date, according to tourism officials. Free live entertainment, more than 100 displays, and fireworks occur every Saturday through the first week of January. From parades to candlelight tours of homes, carriage rides, and pageantry, Natchitoches is a memorable place to celebrate and shop with the family during the holiday season.

Known as the “Bed and Breakfast Capital of Louisiana,” Natchitoches boasts a remarkable 31 bed and breakfast inns, five private guesthouses, and a dozen hotels and motels for those in search of overnight accommodations. Some of the charming, historic bed and breakfasts are within walking distance of the Christmas activities (recommended are the Judge Porter House, the Jefferson House, the Queen Anne, the Levy-East House, and the Steel Magnolia House).

The Natchitoches Christmas Festival, which was featured in the 1989 award-winning movie Steel Magnolias, kicks off the morning of Saturday, December 4. Food and craft vendors are set up and the shops stay open late. A junior parade strolls through the area at 11 am, and the two-mile main parade begins at 2 pm. Entertainment is available throughout the day. Fireworks and a light show, coordinated to high-energy Christmas music, start at 6 pm. After the fireworks and laser show, a Tribute to Tina Turner is held until 9:30 pm.

Hollywood Records recording artist and rising Disney star Anna Margaret serves as the grand marshal of the 2010 Natchitoches Christmas Festival. The 14-year-old singer also performs on the downtown riverbank stage on December 4. Margaret is the youngest person to ever reign over the parade. The Alexandria native has become one of the shining stars among emerging teen celebrities. Her hit songs include “Something About the Sunshine” from the Disney Channel’s original movie Starstruck. A video of her performing the song has had more than 1.5 million hits on YouTube to date. Margaret also recorded the title track “Girl Thing” from another Disney Channel original movie, Den Brother.

Alexandria native Taylor Mathews also appears in the December 4 parade and performs on the downtown riverbank stage. He was a finalist in the national television show America’s Got Talent.

On Friday, December 3 (the night before the Christmas Festival), a Christmas Flotilla is staged with a parade of lighted barges on the Cane River Lake at 6 pm. It is a stunning sight, watching the barges sparkling on the lake. A performance by Hardrick Rivers and Rivers Revue at the Fleur de Lis stage, and the Natchitoches/Northwestern Christmas Gala at A.A. Fredericks Auditorium on the NSU Campus follows the barge parade.

The Christmas by Candlelight Holiday Tour of Homes event consists of three separate tours, which take place during the second and third weeks in December. These tours offer wonderful opportunities to view festive holiday decorations and historic architecture. The annual tour, which features around a dozen homes, is presented by the Natchitoches Historic Foundation, and proceeds from the tour benefit restoration of properties in the Natchitoches Parish area (visit historicfoundation.com or call 800-259-1714 for more details).

On Saturday, December 11, Fete d’Hiver (Winter Festival) is held at Fort St. Jean Baptiste celebrating Christmas 18th-century-style with historians, reenactors, and period merchants. Another attraction on December 11 is the Les Amies Christmas Treasures Arts and Crafts sale at the Natchitoches Event Center on Second Street. A children’s Christmas party welcomes little ones from 1-3 pm at the Natchitoches Parish Library, also located on Second Street. Photos with Santa are offered on the south end downtown riverbank December 6-23 from 6-8:30 pm nightly. Those who enjoy history and storytelling should explore the Saturday, December 18 Cane River Creole Christmas at Badin Roque House when the St. Augustine Historical Society hosts special tours. Creole holiday stories are told by costumed docents (free).

Carriage tours are available each evening through Natchitoches’ historic district. The shops are selling festive decorations, unique gifts, and clothing, including the festival T-shirt. All shops stay open late. It is always fun to bundle up and take a romantic ride through town and hear carolers as the clip-clopping of the horse and buggy echoes throughout the streets. The Christmas Festival of Lights is highly anticipated each year by residents for hundreds of miles. The cobblestone streets, picturesque storefronts, and historic homes enhanced with thousands of sparkling lights bring merriment and joy to the season. It is a Christmas tradition beloved by many Louisiana families. For more information about the Natchitoches Christmas Festival, visit christmasfestival.com. ✦