Louisiana Resort Unveils Six-Mile Mountain Bike/Hike Trail

Cypress Bend Resort, set on 600 acres along the shores of Toledo Bend Reservoir in northwest Louisiana, will celebrate the grand opening of its new mountain bike and hike trail on Sunday, May 23.

Appropriate for most skill levels, the new trail is designed with elevation changes up to 190 feet and features five possible loop distances ranging from one to six miles. Moreover, several loops can be combined to create longer distances. Winding through tight and open-forest sections, the trail also runs along Toledo Bend Reservoir providing great views with every turn. Hikers are welcome to enjoy the trail but must yield to riders.

Resort guests have free access to the trail while non-resort guests pay $10 per day. Or, for $20 per day, non-guests can access the resort’s fitness center, indoor/outdoor pool, sauna and showers.

As part of the grand opening, Cypress Bend Resort is hosting a free Fast Lap Challenge event for mountain bike enthusiasts to officially establish the fastest lap time.

Starting at 12 noon, the Fast Lap Challenge will allow mountain bike enthusiasts to race the clock along six miles of grueling climbs, wicked downhills and a diverse mix of land characteristics and elevation.

Participants must register for the Fast Lap Challenge by May 16, 2010 at www.cypressbend.com/trails. Bikes and helmets will not be provided.

These new mountain bike and hike trails complement the resort’s existing amenities including 18-holes of world-class golf (the course is part of Louisiana’s famed Audubon Golf Trail), guided fishing excursions, a full-service day spa and indoor/outdoor pool.

For reservations, call 877-519-1500 or visit www.cypressbend.com.

About Cypress Bend Resort

Located 73 miles south of Shreveport in Many, Louisiana, Cypress Bend Golf Resort is an intimate, full-service resort nestled in a forest of oak and pine trees on the shores of Toledo Bend Lake. Features include 18-holes of on-property, championship golf; a full service spa and fitness center; heated indoor/outdoor pool; and a restaurant and bar.

Cypress Bend’s 95 guestrooms and suites include a large desk with data ports, an ergonomic chair and complimentary high-speed Internet service. The resort also offers fourteen spacious Golf Suite condominiums overlooking the driving range with 1,250 square feet of pure luxury. Each Golf Suite contains a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace and whirlpool tub.

Photo Credit and Submitted by: Cypress Bend Resort

The Public is invited to attend rose show and educational seminars

The American Rose Society's 2010 Spring National Convention

The American Rose Society Spring 2010 National Convention & National Rose Show will take place in Shreveport, Louisiana, April 29-May 2. The public is invited to attend the Rose Show, a display of hundreds of spectacular blooms, on Saturday, May 1 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Shreveport Convention Center. The National Rose Show is a free event.

The public is also invited to attend various educational seminars on how to grow great roses from the ground up, beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 1. Topics include: “Soil… the lowdown on Dirt!”; “New Notions of Good Fertilizing Practices”; “Integrated Pest Management, including Chilli Thrips”; “Landscape Design and Healthy Roses, the Earth-Kind Way”; “Companion Planting in the Rose Garden” and “From the Ground the Vase: Arranging your Roses.” It is $10.00 to attend any or all educational seminars.

NATIONAL ROSE SHOW FAST FACTS:
WHAT: American Rose Society, 2010 Spring National Convention, National Rose Show
WHEN: Saturday, May 1, 2010, 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 10:00 a.m., Ballroom B
WHERE: Shreveport Convention Center, 400 Caddo Street, Downtown Shreveport, LA

EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS FAST FACTS:
WHAT: American Rose Society, 2010 Spring National Convention, Educational Seminars
WHEN: Saturday, May 1, 2010, Red River Board Room
WHERE: Shreveport Convention Center, 400 Caddo Street, Downtown Shreveport, LA
TIMES:
10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m. “Soil… the lowdown on Dirt!”
11:00 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. “New Notions of Good Fertilizing Practices”
1:00 p.m. – 1:50 p.m. “Integrated Pest Management, including Chilli Thrips”
2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. “Landscape Design and Healthy Roses, the Earth-Kind Way”
3:00 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. “Companion Planting in the Rose Garden”
4:00 p.m. – 4:50 p.m. “From the Ground the Vase: Arranging your Roses”

By: Maria Scott, Director of Communications,

Spring Herb Day at Kent Plantation House in Alexandria

Spring Herb Day, April 10, 2010 from 8:00 - 12:00 noon. Because of the unusually harsh winter here in Central Louisiana, our herb order has been increased. In addition to the additional good quality herbs always featured, there will be plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. We have also been able to locate something just a little different this year such as artichoke, asparagus fern and the very popular and much requested rose geranium plants. The Central Louisiana Rose Society will be selling cuttings of Kent House roses as well as other varieties. The Kent House Gardeners will be selling plants and the Colonial Dames their delicious home-made desserts.

Presentations:
Growing Old Garden Roses 9:00 a.m.
How to Use the Herbs You Grow 10:00 a.m.

Kent Plantation House
3601 Bayou Rapides Road
Alexandria, Louisiana 71303
318-487-5998

By: Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Cane River Green Market coordinator named

Farmers Market begins April 24

Shelton Meacham has been named the coordinator of the Cane River Green Market for the 2010 season.

Meacham will be the onsite coordinator each Saturday at the market to assist customers, vendors and patrons. He will also assist the Main Street Office in promotions, special events and educational programs during the market season.

Meacham is originally from Shreveport but has resided in Natchitoches for over six years. He obtained a bachelor of arts degree from Centenary College and a master of arts degree from Northwestern State University. Meacham also taught as an adjunct professor in the NSU Creating and Performing Arts Department.

"I really like the farmers market and I am excited to be a part of the 10 year anniversary," Meacham said. "I hope that I can assist in moving the market into the next decade."

The 2010 season of the Cane River Green Market will begin on Saturday, April 24 and will run through Saturday, July 31. The Green Market will be open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. on the downtown riverbank. This will mark the 10 year anniversary of the farmers market.

Vendors will have a variety of fresh produce including fruits, vegetables and eggs in addition to plants, herbs and eggs. Shoppers can also find homemade items such as breads, jams and jellies and honey products.

Craft vendors are selling handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry, woodwork, pencil drawings and stained glass. There will also be birdhouses, candles, soaps and much more.

Vendors are being sought to participate in the 2010 Green Market season. Vendors pay a booth fee of $15 for each market day they attend. All vendors must grow their own produce or make their own products.

Applications may be picked up at the Main Street office located at City Hall or by visiting the web site at www.canerivergreenmarket.com. For more information, please call the Cane River Green Market at 352-CRGM.

Alexandria Spring Artwalk April 16

The City of Alexandria along with the Arts Council of Central Louisiana will host the Fall Artwalk on Friday, April 16, 2010 from 5:00-8:00 pm.

The Artwalk is a free, family-oriented walking tour that features visual art and live entertainment. Downtown sidewalks, green spaces, and the alleys will come alive as local artists display and demonstrate their works of art. Artists will have booths set up in the Alexander Fulton Mini-Park. Qualifying sale items may be purchased free of state municipal tax under the guidelines of Alexandria’s designated cultural district.

Visitors can tour our various museums, studios, and galleries to view exciting exhibits and live music within a few city blocks. Kid Merv, a New Orleans jazz band, will play on the steps of City Hall.

Local businesses open for Artwalk include: Alexandria Museum of Art, River Oaks Square Arts Center, Finnegan’s Wake, Diamond Grill, Tamp and Grind Coffee House, T.R.E.E House Children’s Museum, and many, many more. The Tom Peyton Memorial Arts Festival will open on the night of the Artwalk as well.

For more information on the Artwalk, please call (318) 449-5051.

By: City of Alexandria

Stroll Front Street this Friday at the Alive After 5 Art Walk

The Natchitoches Main Street Program will continue the Alive After 5 program on Friday, April 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a downtown art walk.

The art walk will take place on the south end of Front Street from Church Street to Trudeau. Over 15 artists will be displaying demonstrating and selling unique works of art such as pine needle art and baskets, batiks, pottery, paintings, photography, wire art and much more.

Children will also have the opportunity to create their own finger painting master piece at the art walk. In addition, there will be a wine tasting by On Cloud Wine and live jazz music by Luke Brouillette. Of course, downtown shops and restaurants will be open for the public’s enjoyment.

The Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District has been designated as one of Louisiana’s Cultural Districts, which means qualifying art work will be tax exempt to buyers at the Alive After 5 Art Walk.

Artists’ exhibit spaces are available at no cost but must be reserved in advance by contacting the Main Street Office at 352-2746. Exhibit forms are also available at the Natchitoches Art Guild and Gallery located on Front Street.

All events are free to the public and tourists and residents alike are encouraged to become more engaged in downtown arts and culture. Additional Alive After 5 events will be held on May 22, June 12 and July 4.

Alive After 5 is supported by a grant from the Louisiana State Arts Council, the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council. Additional funding is provided by the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission.

For more information about Alive After 5, call the Main Street Office at (318) 352-2746 or toll free at (866) 941-MAIN.

By: Leslie Smith, Main Street Manager, City of Natchitoches

BAFB AIR SHOW

Barksdale Air Force Base presents the Defenders of Liberty Air Show
on
April 24 and 25, 2010
Gates Open: 9 a.m. • Show Time: 10 a.m.
Free Admission • Free Parking

www.barksdaleafbairshow.com

Tracy Lawrence to entertain at DeltaFest on April 14-18

It's festival time in Louisiana! Actually Louisiana is home to so many festivals that on any given weekend there is a party somewhere. The party is happening in Monroe, Louisiana at the DeltaFest on April 14-18 at the Monroe Civic Center.

This year's DeltaFest promises to be a crowd pleaser with musical entertainment by Tracy Lawrence, LC Smoove, Rachet and more. DeltaFest a family-friendly festival that has a little something for everyone -- carnival rides, food, shopping, entertainment and more.

2010 DELTAFEST EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Gates are open from 5 - 11 p.m.
Stone Cold Country from 6-10 p.m.
Family Night Wristband Special 5:00 p.m. - close

Thursday, April 15, 2010
Gates are open from 5pm - 11pm
LC Smoove: 6 - 10 p.m.
Family Night Wristband Night Special 5:00 p.m. - close

Friday, April 16th, 2010
Gates are open from 5 p.m. - 12 midnight
Ratchet: 7 - 7:45 p.m.
Tracy Lawrence: 8:15 p.m.

Saturday, April 17, 2010
Gates are open from 10 a.m. - 12 midnight
Crawfish Scramble at Chennault Golf Course: 8 a.m.
Little Miss & Mister DeltaFest Crowning in Kid's World: 11a.m.
Kids Day: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Delta Kids Community Stage: 12 noon - 3 p.m.
Mason Creek Band: 2 - 7 p.m.
Frankie Beeze
Mike Epps, Comedian
Monica

Sunday, April 18th, 2010
Gates are open from 11a.m. until 10 p.m.
Rockin Dopsie: 2:00 p.m.
Keith Franks: 6:30-10:30 p.m.
Last Blast: 12 noon - close

Source: Information from DeltaFest Festival

24th annual Franklin Parish Catfish Festival

Wanna have some fun and sample some great food too? Then head out to Historic Downtown Winnsboro, Louisiana to the 24th annual Franklin Parish Catfish Festival on Saturday, April 10 in.

Enjoy the sounds of the Christian Contemporary group 33 Miles, featuring Gilbert native Jason Barton; the Bluz Boys; festival newcomer, Janice Bell; and Christian rap artist, B. Reith.

Also performing are Mason Granade, Blues artist YZ Ealey, local favorite Mike McKenzie, local rapper Big Al, Lil Nate, and the Franklin Parish High School Band.

There will be thousands of pounds of fried, pond-raised catfish, as well as vendors with different products, an antique car show, flower show, and more.

The festival is sponsored by Franklin Parish Tourism along with Delta Glass and Trim and Verizon, as well as the Louisiana Department of Tourism.

Admission to the festival is $3 per person.

Off The Wall Fundraiser

Hosted by the Twin City Art Foundation to benefit the Masur Museum of Art. The event includes cocktails, hors d'oeuvres and a silent art auction of over 40 works of art by Northeast Louisiana's finest artists and selected national artists.

Friday, April 9, from 7 - 9 p.m.

$35 individual tickets / $50 couples
at the Masur Museum of Art, 1400 South Grand, Monroe

Please call 329-2237 for tickets and more information.

By: Masur Museum of Art

Jazz on the River 2010: A Continuum of New Orleans Jazz

The Arna Bontemps African American Museum will present its 15th Annual Jazz on the River, Saturday, April 17, 2010, at the Alexandria Amphitheatre in downtown Alexandria. Jazz on the River 2010, which is being held in conjunction with the South West Athletic Conference (SWAC) Tennis Championship Tournament April 15-17, will feature award winning international entertainer Kathy Wade “The First Voice of a New Era” of Cincinnati and The Nile Rhythm Band featuring Maynard Batiste in a free evening concert (6-10 PM) on the banks of the scenic Red River.

Also performing will be the Bontempian Big Band, a 16-20-piece jazz ensemble comprised of outstanding Central Louisiana high school students who participate in a jazz residency under the direction of noted music educator Wilmer Christophe.

Kathy Wade, #1 Jazz and Blues Vocalist on MP3.com; #1MP3.com Jazz Vocal Time to Say Good-bye featured on Sci-Fi network’s First Wave sound track and featured in Essence Magazine, March 1999 (Teaching With Music). Kathy is an award winning international entertainer whose “rich interpretative skills as a song stylist extraordinaire” capture the imagery of emotion on her recording, You Got The Magic and upcoming release, Kathy Wade, Klassic. (DAKA Music) “Magic,” recorded in Los Angeles, accents Kathy’s “multi-octave contralto of effervescent energy” with world-renowned musicians including Gerald Albright, Harvey Mason and GRAMMY nominated arranger, Producer/Pianist, Bill Cunliffe. Kathy has opened for Dionne Warwick, Cleo Laine, Nancy Wilson, Diane Schuur, Shirley Horn, Anita Baker, Kenny G, Whitney Houston, David Sanborn, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Stephanie Mills, Jonathan Butler, Frankie Beverly and Maze, Will Downing, Najee and Ramsey Lewis.

The Nile Rhythm Band featuring Maynard Batiste, Jazz pianist and composer, “taking Jazz and Rhythm to another level.” Mr. Batiste is the son of the late, great Alvin Batiste, Jazz clarinetist.

Jazz on the River is a free outdoor community jazz concert sponsored by the Arna Bontemps Museum every year since 1996. The organization has three major reasons for producing and presenting this program:

• to provide audiences outside of New Orleans and the “Jazz Corridor” a chance to experience live jazz, one of Louisiana’s richest art forms and arguably its greatest gift to the world;
  
  
• to cultivate more venues for the performance of jazz in Central Louisiana, of which there are very few;
  
  
• to showcase the art form which profoundly influenced Arna Bontemps and other artists of his era – the Harlem Renaissance and the Jazz Age – including Langston Hughes, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, James Joyce, and Ernest Hemingway. Over the past ten years, Jazz on the River has evolved into Central Louisiana’s premiere jazz event, each year featuring an impressive line-up of internationally acclaimed jazz artists and local talents. Past performers include Ellis Marsalis, Alvin Batiste, Kathy Wade, the Ed Perkins Quartet, the Quamon Fowler Quintet featuring Grammy®-nominee Maurice Brown, Kent Jordan, and Grammy®-winner Nicholas Payton.

Jazz on the River 2010 is a continuum of New Orleans jazz, the birthplace of jazz.

Jazz on the River is sponsored by the Arna Bontemps African American Museum and co-sponsored by the City of Alexandria.

Tables with a seating for ten will be available for reservation at $200.00 to help offset the cost of the concert. For more information, contact the Museum at 318-473-4692 or 318-448-4697.

By: Alexandria/Pineville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau

Bottles & Brushes at Masur Museum

Join us in the Masur Museum's Carriage House to create your own work of art under the instruction of artist Lou Davenport Kavanaugh while enjoying wine with friends.

Think you can't paint? Don't worry! Our professional artist instructor will teach you step by step how to create the featured work of art!

Bring your favorite bottle of wine or other beverage. We provide all the art materials, bottle openers, glasses, and instruction! At the end of the evening you will leave with your very own work of art!

The class is Thursday, April 22,from 6 - 8 p.m. Cost is $35 for museum members and $40 for non-members. Contact 329-2237 to register, space is limited and payment is required in advance. Masur Museum of Art is located at 1400 South Grand in Monroe, Louisiana. Visit www.masurmuseum.org.

Alive After 5 Art Walk in downtown Natchitoches on April 9

On Friday, April 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the Natchitoches Main Street Program will present an art walk as part of the Alive After 5 series of events. The art walk will take place on the south end of Front Street where area artists will be displaying artwork for sale and providing artist demonstrations.

Children will have the opportunity to create their own finger painting master piece at the art walk. In addition, there will be a wine tasting, live jazz music by Luke Brouillette and friends and downtown merchants will be open late for shopping.

The Natchitoches National Historic Landmark District has been designated as one of Louisiana’s Cultural Districts, which means qualifying art work will be tax exempt to buyers at the Alive After 5 Art Walk.

Artists’ exhibit spaces are available at no cost but must be reserved in advance by contacting the Main Street Office at 352-2746. Exhibit forms are also available at the Natchitoches Art Guild and Gallery located on Front Street.

Alive After 5 is a six month series of evening events taking place in the Natchitoches Historic District. The series includes art events, concerts, theatre and other cultural activities.

All events are free to the public and tourists and residents alike are encouraged to become more engaged in downtown arts and culture. Additional Alive After 5 events will be held on May 22, June 12 and July 4.

Alive After 5 is supported by a grant from the Louisiana State Arts Council, the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Office of Cultural Development, Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council. Additional funding is provided by the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission.

For more information about Alive After 5, call the Main Street Office at (318) 352-2746 or toll free at (866) 941-MAIN.

By: Leslie Smith, Main Street Manager, City of Natchitoches

The Gardens of the American Rose Center opens for 2010 season

Experience more than 20,000 roses in bloom as the Gardens of the American Rose Center. The Gardens are open from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $5 for ages 12 and older, $4 for seniors 60+, $3 for children 6 - 12, 5 and younger are free. For more information, 318-938-8051.

The Gardens of the American Rose Center is the home of the American Rose Society, created in 1974 through the contributions of rose lovers around the world. The 118-acre park contains more than 65 individual gardens with each bed and planting specially designed to demonstrate ways roses can be grown in the average home garden. It is conveniently located just off of I-20, Exit 5, in Shreveport, LA.

By: Maria Scott, ARS

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Green Thumb Seminars at The Gardens of the American Rose Center

The Gardens of the American Rose Center is hosting a Green Thumb Seminar with former Shreveport Rose Society President Charlotte Haring on Saturday, April 10 at 10:00 a.m. in the Klima Rose Hall, the American Rose Society Education & Visitor Center. Haring will be discussing “David Austin and his English Roses.” The seminar is free and open to the public. For more information 318-938-8051.

Charlotte Haring is a former President of the Shreveport Rose Society, a Consulting Rosarian of the American Rose Society and a Past President of the Louisiana State Museum Landscape and Grounds Advisory Board.

Green Thumb Seminars are held each month at the Gardens of the American Rose Center and features a new gardening topic and speaker. Gardens of the American Rose Center
It is the home of the American Rose Society, created in 1974 through the contributions of rose lovers around the world. The 118-acre park contains more than 65 individual gardens with each bed and planting specially designed to demonstrate ways roses can be grown in the average home garden. It is conveniently located just off of I-20, Exit 5, in Shreveport, LA.

By: Maria Scott, ARS