Photo note: The featured photo for this post is being used for promotional purposes and was downloaded from the Wayne Toups Facebook page. If you own this image and would like it replaced or removed, please e-mail cjay@sbctb.org.
The 110th edition of the State Fair of Louisiana will be held in Shreveport, Oct. 27-Nov. 13, 2016. One of the things that I’ve always enjoyed about the fair is the fact that live concerts by well-known artists are included in the price of admission. In addition to being free with your ticket, the concerts featured at the State Fair of Louisiana are also wildly diverse – there’s a little something for everyone. This year, there’s new-school country (Frank Foster, Oct. 29) and old-school country (Joe Diffie, Nov. 11), R&B (Cupid and SILK, Nov. 12) and Norteño (La Energía Norteña, Nov. 6). You can see the full line-up of free concerts here.
As someone who collects Cajun records and enjoys learning about the history and culture of Southwest Louisiana, I was also really pleased to see that there are several opportunities to hear and learn about Cajun music. On Sunday, Oct. 30, Cajun fiddler Waylon Thibodeaux will host a free workshop on Cajun culture at 4 p.m. followed by a concert at 6 p.m. On Saturday, Nov. 5, “swamp pop” pioneer and Lil’ Band of Gold member Warren Storm will perform with Willie Tee and Cypress at 6:30 p.m. followed by Grammy winner Wayne Toups at 9 p.m. That one-two punch of Warren Storm and Wayne Toups is like a little dose of Lafayette’s world famous Festivals Acadiens et Créoles, but it’s right here in Shreveport. Louisiana music fans should not miss it.
For complete details on the State Fair, visit their official website. For more information on things to do in Shreveport-Bossier, browse SBFunGuide.com or, if you’re old-school, call (800) 551-8682 and request that a free visitor guide be mailed to your home.
