Shreveport - Bossier, Louisiana's Other Side

The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau was named "Outstanding CTB of the Year" for budgets $750,000 and above. The organization was recognized by the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association during a luncheon, today.

"We are humbled to receive the high honor of CTB of the Year and to be recognized by the state and our peers for our hard work and dedication to growing tourism in northwest Louisiana," said Stacy Brown, tourist bureau president. "Our efforts have strengthened tourism overall and generated increased revenue in taxes for Caddo and Bossier parishes, as well as the state of Louisiana."

Brown accepted the award at the annual tourism conference, which was held in Monroe, Jan. 26-28, during LTPA’s Louey Awards Luncheon. Tourism professionals from all across the state convened annually at this tourism event for professional development.

The tourist bureau’s success can be attributed to leveraged partnerships, fiscal responsibility, consistent branding and marketing, and positive sales efforts. As a result, Shreveport-Bossier: Louisiana’s Other Side has outperformed state and even national tourism trends.

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Crappie USA Inc., "America's Premier National Crappie Fishing Tournament Organization" will hold a local qualifying event at Louisiana's Caddo Lake, February 13, 2010. Anglers will be fishing for a seven-fish limit of crappie, which could net them a check along with the opportunity to advance to the regional event and the Cabela's Crappie USA Classic, the most prestigious event in crappie fishing today.

A pre-tournament seminar will be held on Friday, Feb. 12 at Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum in Oil City. Sign-up will begin at 5 p.m. with the meeting and a national sponsor field test product drawing starting at 7 p.m. This seminar is open to the public. For those not fishing the event, we encourage you to come out to the seminar and meet the top crappie anglers in the region.

In conjunction with the professional event, Caddo Parks and Recreation Director Larry Raymond is hosting the Crappie Kids Fishing Rodeo for children 12 and under at Earl Williamson Park in Oil City.

The entry is free and every young angler will receive a gift. All participants will be eligible to win one of six $2,000 scholarships to be drawn at the Crappie USA Classic. Sign up is from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 13. The kids' tournament is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The major tournament weigh-in will be that day starting at 3 p.m. This is the perfect opportunity for non-competitors to come and learn how the big ones are caught. Interviews of the top five teams will be held after the weigh-in. For more information call 270-395-4202.

Also that same weekend is the FLW Tournament and consumer show, Feb. 12-13. The fishing tournament will be held at the Red River South Marina. Take-offs are daily at 7:30 a.m. The Family Fun Zone and Outdoor Show will be held at the Shreveport Convention Center. The first 300 kids 14 and under get a rod and reel combo. Admission to the show is free. For more information call 270-252-1000.

If you are a part of a group and are interested in attending a Mardi Gras Bash during either of the two major Mardi Gras parade weekends - Feb. 6, Krewe of Centaur Parade or Feb. 13, Krewe of Gemini Parade - contact the Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau today. Erica Howard, leisure sales manager, would be happy to share the group deals for the Mardi Gras Bash. The Bash is an event sponsored by the convention and tourist bureau and it includes food, music, and entertainment under a covered and heated tent located at the start of each parade. It is the best party in town. You can reach Erica by calling 800-551-8682 ext. 116 or by emailing her at ehoward@sbctb.org.

Mardi Gras in Shreveport-Bossier: Louisiana's Other Side is elaborate, it's zany and it's just plain fun!

More than 400,000 parade-goers come out for one of the largest Mardi Gras celebrations in the state. The thing that sets Mardi Gras in Shreveport-Bossier apart from other celebrations is that it is a family affair. There are portions of the parade route on Clyde Fant Parkway that are no alcohol zones so that everyone is welcome to have a safe and fun time.

The parade weekends — Feb. 6 or Feb. 13 — both start the major parades in downtown Shreveport at 4 p.m. Floats line up on the corner of Lake Street and Clyde Fant Parkway and proceed south down Clyde Fant Parkway to Shreveport-Barksdale Boulevard, west to East Kings Highway and finally ending at Preston Street.

If you've never been to Mardi Gras in Shreveport-Bossier check out our video. To get a full schedule of Mardi Gras parades and events check out www.shreveportbossierfunguide.com Make plans to visit today. Book your hotel stay on our website at www.shreveport-bossier.org.  Also, here are some Mardi Gras terms you need to know:
• BAL, (Bal Masque, Tableau Bal) A masked ball in which scenes representing a specific theme are acted out for the entertainment of club members and their guests, Krewe royalty is traditionally presented during the bal.
• CARNIVAL, From the Latin "Carnivale", loosely translated as "farewell to the flesh"; the season of merriment which begins on Twelfth Night (the feast of Epiphany), January 6, and ends at midnight on Fat Tuesday; the carnival season leads up to the penitential season of Lent in which fasting replaces feasting.
• DOUBLOONS, aluminum coin like objects bearing the Krewe's insignia on one side and a theme logo on the other side; first introduced in the 1960 Rex parade in New Orleans; doubloons are also minted and sold as souvenirs in silver, bronze and choisone versions.
• KINGCAKE, an oval-shaped, sugared pastry that contains a plastic doll hidden inside; the person who finds the doll is crowned king and buys the next cake or throws the next party.
• KREWE, The generic term for a carnival organization; first used by the Mystic Krewe of Comus which coined the word in 1857 to give its club's name an Old English flavor.

Prints of Maxfield Parrish open first of four exhibitions at R.W. Norton Art Gallery

Four major exhibits; four new works on permanent display, including one by a Louisiana artist; special speakers and tours; a new arts classroom; a water-wise garden entering its first spring; and the sweet buzz of honey bees all highlight 2010 at R.W. Norton Art Gallery.

The Norton, set on forty acres of botanical gardens and grounds, displays seven centuries of art in twenty-four galleries, all from the museum’s 3,723-piece permanent collection. The museum, gardens, and grounds are free of charge to the public.

Those four special exhibits begin with “Fantasies and Fairy Tales: Maxfield Parrish and the Art of the Print,” January 26-April 11. The exhibit concentrates on Parrish’s explorations in the printed media, with 147 examples of his work in lithographs, advertisements, illustrations, books, and magazine covers.

April 27-August 1 brings “Alex Dzigurski (1911-1995): Poet of the Land and Sea,” showcasing eighteen paintings of his depiction of America’s coastline. Fifty tiny, finely executed paintings are revealed in “Under the Magnifying Glass: Exquisite Miniatures by Wes and Rachelle Siegrist,” May 4-July 25. The Siegrists, who live in Townsend, Tennessee, are exemplary in their work in the Revival Period of miniatures.

“Ansel Adams: The Masterworks,” comes August 17-December 32. Forty-seven photographs celebrate the drama and splendor of America’s natural environments. Adams (1902-1984) considered these images as a succinct representation of his life’s work.

The R.W. Norton Art Gallery and Gardens is located at 4747 Creswell Avenue, Shreveport. The gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and weekends, 1 to 5 p.m. There is no charge for admission. Group tours of 10 or more may be scheduled by appointment. Each month features a First Saturday Tour and a Saturday Speakers Series. Both are held at 2 p.m. and free to the public.  No reservations are needed. For more information and a calendar of events, see www.rwnaf.org or call (318) 865-4201.

On next Friday, actor Matthew Broderick and writer/director Joshua Goldin will host two screenings of their new film, Wonderful World.

There will be post-screening Q&As with audience members – at 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Broderick and Goldin are traveling to Shreveport spec...ifically to participate in this very special evening, with all proceeds benefiting the cultural and educational programs of The Robinson Film Center. All tickets are $75.

Tickets are available ONLY by phone or by visiting the Robinson Film Center box office at 617 Texas Street. Tickets will not be available online. A portion of the purchase price of these tickets ($66.25) may be claimed as a charitable donation. Get your tickets now.

The film was shot in Shreveport, so check out this link to see if you can recognize any aerial shots. http://www.apple.com/trailers/magnolia/

The Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureua is excited about the roll out of our new website.

Some of the highlights include but are not limited to: a new booking engine and partnership with BookDirect, a search engine and a music player that highlights local musicians.

So no more delay, go and visit www.shreveport-bossier.org. We would love to hear what you think about our new site! 

Dining in Shreveport-Bossier: Louisiana's Other Side is as varied an experience as the destination itself. There is so much to choose from in and around the area. The historic Line Avenue Shopping District in Shreveport features many of today's popular chains, home-grown eateries and locally-owned shops such as the Glenwood Village Tea Room - known for its authentic British tea.

The experience starts the moment you enter the doors as you're greeted with an overwhelming collection of tea pots, jewelry, aromatic teas and a warm smile. Once you have gazed at all the offerings, sit and partake in the restaurant's array of entrees sure to satisfy a hearty appetite.

Glenwood Village Tea Room, which has been featured in Southern Living, Destinations Magazine, Fodor's Travel Guide to the South, and Travel Channel, offers an exceptional breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea at reasonable prices, and in a comfortable, yet refined environment.

The tearoom specializes in Victorian Era recipes dating from 1860 to 1903 and in the presentation of traditional afternoon, cream and high teas. You will find scrumptious items like crepes, gourmet sandwiches, specialty salads, desserts and of course a large assortment of teas and coffee. Even the most discriminating tastes will not be disappointed with any of the selections.

The tearoom houses four separate rooms - The Victorian, The Albert, The Tea Shoppe, and The Cottage. Each room is uniquely decorated with antique furniture, vintage accessories, and is perfectly arranged to provide a few hours of relaxation for both locals and tourists. Drink it all in while you are here...the ambience, the quiet, the beauty, and most importantly, the tea!

If you go the Glenwood Village Tea Room is located at 3310 Line Avenue in Shreveport. Also check out their website at www.glenwoodvillagetearoom.com or give them a call at (318)868-3652.

Mardi Gras in Shreveport-Bossier is one of the largest celebrations in the region attracting some 400,000 parade-goers with an economic impact of $17 million in direct revenue to the sister cities, according to the latest economic impact study released in 2008 by the LSUS Center for Business and Economic Research.

This year, for the first time, the tourist bureau has created and will be displaying 125 Mardi Gras banners welcoming people to the celebration. The Downtown Development Authority and Bossier City were integral partners. Some 100 banners will be placed throughout downtown Shreveport and the remainder in Bossier City.

One of the tourist bureau’s biggest events is the annual Mardi Gras Bash to attract group tour buses, media and meeting planners. The Bash will be held Feb. 6 and 13. This is the fifth year to host the event. The media coming will represent publications such as Queen’s Times, USA Travel Magazine and La Voz Latina to name a few. The meeting planners will be representing various clients and have the potential to generate future conferences for Shreveport-Bossier. The Mardi Gras Bash has an economic impact of $130,000.

Multiple group tours will take advantage of the Bash over the two weekends bringing between 200 and 400 participants each weekend. Not only do the groups attend the bash, but they visit several local attractions including the Louisiana Boardwalk, Mardi Gras Museum, float-loading parties, Spirit of the Red River Cruise, and Stage of Stars Museum.

Patti Harrell of Patti Tours said, “The Shreveport-Bossier Mardi Gras Bash is a great way to experience Mardi Gras. I really enjoyed the comfort of the private event.”