NATCHITOCHES, LOUISIANA- Calling all artists!  You can register online to take part in the largest arts and crafts festival in Natchitoches Parish.  Vendors are invited to display and sell their original, creative items at the 39th annual Melrose Arts and Crafts Festival this spring. The premier event will be held on Saturday, April 13 and Sunday, April 14 on the grounds of historic Melrose Plantation, located 15 miles south of Natchitoches.  In years past, the festival was held in June, but due to the extreme heat during the summer months, organizers have decided to move the festival to a much cooler month in the spring. The event features quality hand-crafted items such as pottery, jewelry, baskets, original works of art and fine foods from homemade recipes. More than one-hundred artists and craftsmen travel from several states to Melrose to display their work for sale to the public. The festival brings in nearly 5000 tourists over the two-day event.  Festival Director Adam Forman said the annual event is recognized [caption id="attachment_1644" align="alignright" width="300"] Vendor Application Deadline
March 22, 2013[/caption] as one of the oldest and longest running arts and crafts festival in  Louisiana. Application forms are due by Friday, March 22, 2013.  For more information on submitting an application, visit www.aphnatchitoces.net. Or, you can email festival organizers at info@melroseplantation.org or call 318-581-8042. The Melrose Arts and Crafts Festival is sponsored by Association for Preservation of Historic Natchitoches. Melrose is open for tours from Noon to 4 p.m. daily.  It's located 15 miles south of Natchitoches on Highway 119. Melrose is accessible from I-49 exit 127 from the north and exit 119 from the south.  For more information call (318) 379-0055.

Spring time is here again and with the birth of spring comes the explosion of bright color and life along Front Street and the Riverfront. Flowers of every color and plants of the brightest greens will line the cobble stone streets as warm weather opens its arms and welcomes visitors with a gentle embrace. People visiting Natchitoches can expect a welcoming environment that will showcase the beauty and celebration of life that happens with the closure of winter and with the birth of spring. On March 24th 2012, Natchitoches will celebrate the tenth annual Bloomin on the Bricks garden festival. Bloomin on the Bricks is organized by the Natchitoches Main Street program and the City Beautification Department and is a wonderful celebration of the beauty of gardening. This festival will be held on the riverfront in downtown Natchitoches within the Historic district. The festival will showcase a vendor area that will allow merchants to sell garden related items as well as beautiful seasonal flowers, fruit trees and even patio furniture. There will also be live music, a children's tent and a series of speakers and demonstrations on gardening related topics that will prove to help homeowners and gardeners alike. The event will start at nine o'clock in the morning and run through until three o'clock in the afternoon. Another program running in conjunction will be the Art Along the Bricks. This event is put on by the Natchitoches Art Guild and will showcase local artists in an outdoor art show that will run along Front Street during on Bloomin on the Bricks. Visitors will be able to see the colorful local flowers that bloom along Front Street as well as the beautiful hanging flower pots that line the streets. Visitors will also be able take in the local stores long Front Street as well as sample local cuisine in the many local restaurants that can be found in the historic district. Visitors can truly experience all that Natchitoches has to offer and be in the comfort of warm inviting weather during the month of March. Also happening in March, NSU baseball and tennis games open up with a BANG. If you're planning that spring wedding, the Blush and Bashful Bridal Affair will be happening at the Natchitoches Event center. This event will showcase over forty five exhibitors, photographers, caterers, florists, and wedding coordinators. Food samples will also be available along with a photo booth to showcase that special moment in your lives. This event takes place March 11th 2012 from one o'clock for four o'clock. The NSU theater department will also be presenting ‘As it is in Heaven’ in A.A. Fredericks from March 14th to the 17th, admission will be $15. Lastly to wrap up this month of fun and excitement, on March 31st Natchitoches will be holding the Jazz and R&B festival with this year's headliner The Family Stone and a tribute to the Rolling Stones. Another special guest will be the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame Bayou Bicentennial Caravan. The Caravan will feature ‘House Band’ Johnny Earthquake and the Moondogs with several other great artists from around the state. This event will also highlight local musicians in various genres of music ranging from country to jazz and even R&B and highlights Louisiana's greatest renewable resources, culture and talent. Food vendors and other attractions will be on site so visitors can not only come and listen to the smooth sounds of Louisiana sensations, but also come and immerse your taste buds in local foods and delicacies. For more information please visit http://www.natchjazzfest.com. This event will happen from five o'clock in the afternoon to ten o'clock that evening. March will bring warmer weather, beautiful scenery, and a whirlwind of events that showcase the true warmth that Natchitoches holds. Visitors can come and experience the life, color, and culture that Northern Louisiana holds while experiencing the beautiful weather that can only be found within our borders. So as the skies clear, as the wind gently blows, and as the temperature warms, jump in the car and make the drive to experience the beauty is Natchitoches.