Brought To You By Arts Council of Avoyelles, Paragaon Casino Resort, Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
The planning committee for the Avoyelles Arts & Music Festival (AAMF) and the executive teams of Paragon Casino Resort and the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana met to begin work on making Louisiana’s July 4th Destination Festival the best it can be for its debut at Paragon.
“In our 30 years of operation, Paragon Casino Resort has always supported the organizations that make up our beloved community,” said Paragon General Manager Marshall Ray Sampson, Sr. “We have always been a proud supporter of AAMF, and we are beyond excited to join forces with the Avoyelles Arts Council to host one of the biggest festivals Central Louisiana has to offer.”
After 11 years on the grounds surrounding Broken Wheel Brewery in downtown Marksville, the festival organizers, Arts Council of Avoyelles, made the decision to relocate the event. “We have loved being at the Brewery and are so grateful for their support over the years. But with production costs increasing each year, we knew we had to look at doing things differently if we were going to continue to host the festival,” said Allison Ravare-Augustine, President of the Arts Council of Avoyelles.
“We are honored to have been tapped to host the Avoyelles Arts & Music Festival this year,” said Tunica-Biloxi Chairman Marshall Pierite. “As a Tribe that has been in this community for many generations, we always jump at any opportunity to give back and contribute the resources we are so fortunate to have.”
The festival features a host of attractions that visitors have come to know and love, including a stellar line-up of music from Louisiana artists. Headlining in Paragon’s Mari Showroom will be the “Line Dance King” himself, Cupid and Zydeco superstar Lil’ Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers. The artist behind the “Cupid Shuffle” will close out the festival just before the dazzling fireworks display. Other artists performing include Louisiana ambassador and firecracker fiddler Amanda Shaw, up and coming zydeco trailblazer Rusty Metoyer and southern rock and country with the Chase Tyler Band, one of the most in demand bands touring the Gulf Coast.
The festival will also feature a kids’ area with lots of interactive games and rides, vendors in the grand concourse by the buffet, a children’s art exhibit, car show, food trucks and more! As is tradition, the day will begin with Louisiana’s longest running Fourth of July Parade, which will start at 10:00 a.m. and end on the festival grounds by Paragon Casino Resort.
Find more information online at www.avoyellesarts.com/
For sponsorship opportunities and vendor registration, please call (318) 264-9392 or (318) 240-3495.
About the Arts Council of Avoyelles
The Arts Council of Avoyelles has been committed to developing and providing quality arts programming to the citizens of Avoyelles Parish for over four decades, enriching the lives of people of all ages. The community’s support ensures that we can continue to bring events such as the Avoyelles Arts & Music Fest to the community, promoting our culture and hospitality to the fine people of Avoyelles, Central Louisiana and beyond.
About Paragon Casino Resort
Since opening its doors in 1994, Paragon Casino Resort has strived to become one of the top gaming destinations in Louisiana. The property features an impressive lineup of amenities and attractions, including over 1,000 slot machines and over 30 tables, including live poker and sports betting; three hotel towers with more than 500 well-appointed rooms; full-service spa and salon; Topgolf Swing Suite game simulators; 18-hole championship golf course with a pro shop and restaurant; indoor tropical pool & two outdoor pools; a bayou-themed atrium featuring a live alligator habitat; a three-screen movie theater; several bars & restaurants, including a steakhouse and a buffet; full-service RV resort & cabins; Cyber Quest arcade & Kids Quest supervised play center; and over 75,000 square feet of meeting space, including an expansive showroom for concerts and conventions.
To learn more, visit www.paragoncasinoresort.com or call 800-946-1946.
About the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana
The Tunica-Biloxi people first appeared in the Mississippi Valley. In the late 1700s, they settled near south of Marksville in east-central Louisiana. Today, the Tribe has more than 1,600 members throughout the United States, primarily in Louisiana, Texas, and Illinois. The modern Tunica-Biloxi Tribe is composed of Tunica, Biloxi (a Siouan-speaking people from the Gulf coast), Ofo (also a Siouan people), Avoyel (a Natchezan people), and Choctaw. Although ancestry is typically intermixed through marriages, tribal members typically identify either as Tunica, Biloxi or Biloxi-Choctaw. The tribe owns and operates the Paragon Casino Resort, the largest employer in Central Louisiana. For more information about the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, visit https://www.tunicabiloxi.org/
