Festivals & Events

With springtime events that celebrate the great outdoors, food and heritage festivals, and holiday parades that make you feel like a kid again, Sabine Parish is chock-full of lively gatherings you won’t want to miss. Friendly and welcoming, Toledo Bend Lake Country always has something fun on the calendar to show off its rich, inviting culture.

January or February

Town of Many Mardi Gras Parade
Witness the sea of purple, green, and gold and the cry of “Throw me something, mister!” as colorful festival floats pass by Many’s always fun Mardi Gras parade. Following the parade, enjoy live music, a street party with dancing, and great food from local vendors.
965 San Antonio Avenue
Many, LA 71449

April

Bloom on Main Street
Count on this plant-centric festival in downtown Many to get you growing! The Saturday gathering features outdoor plants and gardening equipment along with fresh produce and artisan food items grown by local farmers. Enjoy food trucks and live entertainment, too.
965 San Antonio Avenue
Many, LA 71449

Battle of Pleasant Hill
Watch 400 reenactors from Louisiana and around the country mark the anniversary of one of the final battles of the Civil War, the Battle of Pleasant Hill. The reenactment takes place on the actual battlefield of the conflict. The weekend festivities also include a parade, pageant, dance, church services, food, and much more.
23271 Highway 175
Pelican, LA 71063

Choctaw Apache Tribal Powwow
Experience Sabine Parish’s fascinating Native American heritage at this bi-annual gathering held on tribal grounds. The festival features arts and crafts, a wild game cook-off, and cultural demonstrations including gourd dancing and drumming. Guests are invited to join in the fun.
217 Gene Knight Road
Noble, Louisiana 71462

Zwolle Loggers and Forestry Festival
Celebrate the long and important history of Sabine Parish’s logging and forestry industry at this lively festival where everyone’s a lumberjack! Professional and amateur logging and forestry competitions take place, along with delectable food, live music, and a carnival midway.
1100 S. Main Street
Zwolle, LA 71486

May

Sale on the Trail
Welcome to 111 miles of shopping! The annual Sale on the Trail is a two-day pickers paradise in which shopping opportunities for new and vintage items line the historic road known as El Camino Real. Travel along the scenic highway linking Natchitoches, Louisiana and Nacogdoches, Texas to find clusters of shops and booths. Don’t miss several spots in the town of Many.  
San Antonio Avenue
Many, LA 71449

June

Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom
Celebrate the anniversary of Juneteenth, when enslaved people finally heard they’d been emancipated. Coordinated by the Black Heritage Festival, Many’s Juneteenth festival champions the African American experience with a parade, praise and worship music, storytelling, games, a pig roast, and a car show.
850 Highland Avenue
Many, LA 71449

September

Sabine Parish Fair & Rodeo
From adorable 4H livestock to a carnival midway filled with rides and games, the annual Sabine Parish Fair & Rodeo is one of the area’s most beloved gatherings. Hobnob among vendor booths, grab a caramel apple, board the Ferris wheel, and dance to live music. Later, watch cowboys and cowgirls demonstrate their grit at the rodeo, held at the Benton Johnson Arena.
115 Fairgrounds Road
Many, LA 71449

October

Zwolle Tamale Fiesta
Zwolle is known for its unique tamales, which stem from the region’s powerful Spanish and Native American traditions. The annual Zwolle Tamale Fiesta celebrates this heritage with much fanfare. Thousands come out for live music, a mud bog, arts and crafts, tamale-making demonstrations and, of course, fresh tamales to munch on in the cool fall weather. The tamale eating contest shows you how serious Zwolle residents are about their signature dish.
1100 S. Main Street
Zwolle, LA 71486

November

Choctaw Apache Tribal Powwow
Hear the drum beat and watch rhythmic gourd dancing at the bi-annual Choctaw Apache Tribal Powwow, a family-friendly gathering that celebrates Sabine Parish’s Native American traditions. Enjoy indigenous crafts, a wild game cook-off, and cultural demonstrations. The festival takes place rain or shine.
217 Gene Knight Road
Noble, Louisiana 71462

Sabine Freestate Festival
Between 1806-1822, the western border of Sabine Parish was part of Louisiana’s notorious Free State, an ungoverned strip of land due to a boundary dispute between Spain and the United States. Learn more about the infamous characters who lived here at the Sabine Freestate Festival in Florien, a family-friendly gathering featuring a parade, treasure hunt, pioneer demonstrations, western shoot-outs, live music, a BBQ contest, old-time photos, and much more.
237 West Port Arthur Avenue
Florien, LA 71429

Winter Wonderland of Lights
Beginning the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the town of Many’s Winter Wonderland of Lights in Cypress Bend Park is something to behold! See a wide variety of festive light displays, including Disney characters and the 12 Days of Christmas on Toledo Bend. Be sure to make time for a visit with Santa. The annual event continues on Saturdays through December.
3462 Cypress Bend Drive
Many, LA 71449

December

Zwolle Christmas Festival
Don’t miss the merriment as the town of Zwolle gets ready for Santa with its annual Christmas Festival, held on the town’s festival grounds and featuring a parade, visits with Santa and his helpers, tasty food, a bicycle giveaway, kids’ activities, and evening fireworks. It’s a holly jolly good time!
1100 S. Main Street
Zwolle, LA 71486

Winter Wonderland of Lights
Cypress Bend Park comes alive with thousands of twinkling lights at the annual Many Winter Wonderland, opening the Saturday after Thanksgiving and continuing on Saturdays through December. Experience the lights on foot and by car—displays are everywhere! Santa Claus is here, too, ready to hear your Christmas list.
3462 Cypress Bend Drive
Many, LA 71449

Many Christmas Parade & Fireworks Show
Part of Many’s annual Home for Christmas series of events, the annual Christmas parade and fireworks display is a family favorite. Kick things off with the parade in downtown Many, followed by entertainment, food, and vendors a’plenty at the Many fairgrounds—a great place to do some holiday shopping. As darkness falls, watch brilliant fireworks light up the night sky. 
San Antonio Avenue
Many, LA 71449