• Photo Courtesy of Natchitoches Convention & Visitors Bureau
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    Festival of Lights, Natchitoches, Louisiana

    Louisiana's oldest town morphs into a winter wonderland of more than 300,000 sparkling holiday lights during its extraordinary Festival of Lights, a holiday tradition since 1926. Now one of the state's most popular festivals, the event began when the town's chief electrician decided that stringing up lights on the main street would thrill residents. 

    Today, the six-week festival features thousands of lights around the town and along Cane River Lake. The festival features regular fireworks displays and draws more than 150,000 visitors. Special events and activities include a holiday parade, carnival rides, river cruises, a marketplace featuring craft vendors, and carriage and trolley tours of the town.