Peach Festival planned for June 4 in Ruston

The annual Louisiana Peach Festival is set for June 4 in downtown Ruston with more than 10 hours of live music, along with food, arts and crafts, interactive kids’ events, and other family-oriented activities.

The single-day celebration runs from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. Admission is free until 5 p.m. After that, tickets are $10 for adults and youngsters ages 12 and over, and $5 for children ages 5 to 11. Kids ages 4 and under get in free all day.

The theme for this year’s festival is “Throwback to Our Roots.”

“We just want to keep the messaging alive that we’re trying to refocus on local talent, art, agriculture, and that this is a homegrown festival,” Tori Davis, marketing director for the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau, said. “We’re focusing on everything that’s local and the authenticity the festival has created over the years.”

The 72-year-old festival is the longest running agriculture-based festival in Louisiana.

It’s organized by the CVB and Downtown Ruston Main Street, in partnership with the city of Ruston. The trio took over the event last year from the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce.

They immediately shortened the festival to one day, rescheduled it for early June, eliminated daytime admission, and sought to reintroduce the event’s original hometown flavor.

Last year’s event drew more than 16,000 attendees — more than double the average of the last 10 years, Davis said.

Organizers say the attendance showed the new approach appealed to both locals and visitors.

“I think our efforts to refocus the festival back on the area’s unique culture and talent were really felt and embraced by the community,” Amanda Carrier, the CVB’s president and CEO, said. “We’re taking the feedback we received after last year’s event and expanding on those elements that attendees enjoyed most.”

The festival extended its free admission to 5 p.m. Kids Alley activities will spread out onto East Park Avenue, as in Esma’s Alley. That will allow for more activities and entertainment for children, all offered free of charge, Davis said.

The festival continues to add more than a million-dollar economic impact to the area annually. Festival organizers said they hope local businesses and vendors will see a substantial impact again during this year’s event.

“The Peach Festival is not only a wonderful celebration of our local culture, but it is a huge economic driver for our small businesses downtown and beyond,” Ruston Main Street Director Amy Stegall said.

Here’s the schedule of festival events so far. More events are in the works.

9 a.m. – 5 p.m.: Peach Arts Market - Discover art, handmade items, and homemade goods from local artists, artisans, and makers. Located in Sexton Lot across from Railroad Park.

9a.m. – 5 p.m.: Kids Alley: An Art Experience — Kids of all ages can enjoy hands-on art activities and crafts on East Park Ave., along with interactive performances and demonstrations on the Kids Alley stage in Esma’s Alley.

9 a.m. – 11 p.m.: Live Performances on the Railroad Park Stage including Fifth Sunday, Hali Brown, Jarett Bailey, Katelyn Fajardo, Cal Presley Band, Derrick McLendon, The Joanitones, Dead Reckoning String Band, Cold Canyons, Johnny Earthquake & the Moondogs, and J.A.M. Brass Band.

Other offsite peach events will also be taking place during the week leading up to the festival. Those include: Peach Hunt, Peach Restaurant Roundup, Peach Art Exhibit, Peachy Sidewalk Sales, Queen Dixie Gem Peach and Princess Peach Pageant, and the Peach Rodeo.

Official 2022 Peach Festival merchandise will be available for purchase at the Ruston Visitors Center two weeks before the festival. This year’s merchandise includes t-shirts, posters, and stickers. All festival merchandise will also be available at the festival.

Davis said the festival is still seeking volunteers. Those interested in volunteering can view the volunteer slots that are still open and sign up at lapeachfest.com/volunteers.

For more information on the Louisiana Peach Festival, visit www. lapeachfest.com or call the CVB at 255-2031.