74th Annual Louisiana Peach Festival to Feature Free Admission

Written by: Tori Davis

For the first time in more than 30 years, the Peach Festival will be a free event, with no admission charged for daytime activities or the evening concert.

The single-day festival will span from 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. and feature 12+ hours of live music, more than 80 food and art vendors, interactive kids' activities, peachy treats and eats, and more festivities.

"Since taking over coordination of the festival in 2021, it has remained our mission to make the Louisiana Peach Festival a celebration of local culture and talent to be enjoyed by residents and visitors alike," said Amanda Carrier, President & CEO of the Ruston Lincoln Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We are thrilled to be extending free admission to the entire day and hope this will enhance the festival experience for our attendees."

In 2023, the festival drew 24,000+ attendees from all over the region and provided more than 2 million dollars of economic impact to the area. This impact is felt by local businesses, restaurants, and hotels, as well as area makers and artists that set up vendor booths at the event.

"Making the festival free is a powerful way to share our local culture and talent with a broader audience," said Amy Stegall, Ruston Main Street Director. "This event wouldn't be possible without the generous support of our loyal sponsors or community partners who show up every year to help continue this long-standing Ruston tradition."

Peach Festival would like to thank b1BANK, the 2024 presenting sponsor, for sharing our vision to expand the festival and make it even more accessible for our residents and visitors.

Additionally, the festival appreciates the loyal support of its early commit sponsors: Century Next Bank, Origin Bank, Louisiana National Bank, and The Cleaner's of Ruston.

The festival is currently accepting vendor applications for both food and arts market vendors, as well as poster design contest submissions. Poster designs will be accepted through March 1. Vendor applications and poster designs can be submitted online at www.lapeachfest.com.

More festival announcements will follow in the coming weeks, including the headliner and music lineup for the event, volunteer opportunities, and the full schedule of events. To stay up to date on festival info, follow Louisiana Peach Fesival on Facebook and Instagram, or visit www.lapeachfest.com

About the Louisiana Peach Festival

The Louisiana Peach Festival is the longest running agricultural festival in the state of Louisiana, dating back to 1951. The festival was created by area peach farmers as a way to promote their industry throughout the south. Over the years, the Peach Festival has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Lincoln Parish and pumped millions back into the local economy. The festival is produced in partnership by the City of Ruston, Downtown Ruston, and Experience Ruston.