All year long, we celebrated a number of various kinds of occasions proper right here in Shreveport and Bossier. From the mass marriage ceremony on the Bakowski Bridge of Lights to the biennial Christmas within the Sky gala, here is a glance again at among the enjoyable we have had this yr.

The Bakowski Bridge of Lights

We kicked off the yr with a brand new addition to downtown Shreveport and a novel occasion to have a good time it. On Tuesday, February 22 the Bakowski Bridge of Lights on the Texas Street Bridge made its big debut with its first lighting, dedication and a mass marriage ceremony.

The Shreveport Regional Arts Council together with Broadway lighting designer Jason Lyons labored alongside the neighborhood to create this new inventive staple in downtown Shreveport.

Most Influential Girls Awards

The Virginia Okay. Shehee Most Influential Girl and Most Influential Younger Girl Awards have been created to acknowledge the ladies who’re devoted to creating Shreveport a greater place by enterprise management, civic engagement and philanthropic spirit.

This was the sixth year for the Most Influential Woman Awards and the first year for Most Influential Young Woman Awards and the proceeds from the luncheon and sponsorships profit the unbiased, nonprofit group Holy Angels.

Nominations for the 2023 awards will open quickly.

StorytellHERS

In March the Robinson Film Center and local filmmaker Kristi J. Woodard worked together to create an event that allowed local female filmmakers to showcase their talents and tell their stories.

This particular occasion screened eight brief movies made by native girls filmmakers and have been shot in Shreveport. The night ended with a Q&A the place the administrators have been in a position to go extra in-depth about their movies and the alternatives they made in making them.

Taco Wars

Some of the anticipated occasions of the yr made its return after taking two years off because of COVID. Taco Wars had a record-breaking turnout from the neighborhood and is the area’s largest taco and salsa pageant.

The free event brought the heat with 10 local taquerias battling it out for the coveted Golden Taco and Golden molcajete awards for greatest taco and salsa of the day.

Artbreak

This native occasion options the assorted skills of the children in Caddo Parish with over 95,000 sq. ft of paintings of every kind.

From drawing and painting, to fashion, writing, filmmaking and more there was a lot of talent on display showcasing the skills the students have mastered.

GLO Fest

The start of the summer season kicked off with the first official “Glo Fest” put on by the Shreveport Regional Arts Council at the new Bakowski Bridge of Lights on the Shreveport Riverfront.

Music, meals vehicles and an artist market arrange on the riverfront as soon as a month for an evening of free household enjoyable for all the Shreveport-Bossier neighborhood.

Subject Homosexual

One in every of ShrevePride’s most cherished occasions returned to A.C. Steere Park and Field Gay was created as a way to bring the community back together after the COVID-19 quarantine in 2020.

The day was crammed with basic area day video games and actions like hula hooping, tug of conflict, a three-legged race and way more.

ARTini

The Bossier Metropolis Arts Council’s annual ARTini occasion is a enjoyable manner for the neighborhood to expertise totally different themed martinis from a few of Shreveport and Bossier Metropolis’s greatest eating places.

Attendees might seize a novel hand-painted martini glass and take a stroll by the Civic Middle to taste 19 different martinis all competing for the Judge’s Choice, People’s Choice and Most M’ARTisanal.

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Q-Promenade

This promenade occasion for adults was the occasion of the season after a two-year hiatus and it got here again with a Y2K theme.

As an ode to the 90s lady group the Spice Women, the theme was “Spice Up Your Life” and every level and section of The Supper Club in Shreveport was dedicated and decorated to represent each Spice Girl.

Geek’d Con

This yr Geek’d Con had followers “Scream”-ing over a few of its visitor stars. The Shreveport Conference Middle was brimming with cubicles promoting geeky crafts, comedian books, uncommon Pop! Figures, customized paintings and extra.

Along with including to your nerdy assortment, guests had the opportunity to mingle with storm troopers, the kids of Stranger Things, superheroes and more while getting to meet the original stars of the film “Scream”.

TASTE

This distinctive occasion hosted by Holy Angels offers the neighborhood a chance to get a “style” of Shreveport and Bossier Metropolis eating places whereas supporting an vital trigger.

The night was filled with food, music, local art and an online silent auction that goes towards supporting the Holy Angels programs including residential, supported employment and more.

Highland Jazz and Blues Fest

The 18th annual Highland Jazz and Blues Fest made its solution to Columbia Park and the community came out to enjoy a day of live music from local and national jazz and blues artists, food and local art.

Crimson River Revel

Since 1976, the Red River Revel Arts Festival has been offering the community a chance to try local cuisines, enjoy and purchase local art and be entertained by an array of musicians from throughout.

Prize Fest

The annual Prize Fest is 2 weekends of showcasing native and nationwide expertise in numerous inventive classes to win high honors, bragging rights and money prizes.

Throughout weekend one, musicians and fashion designers from Shreveport and beyond competed for the coveted grand prizes.

Weekend two noticed comedians, chefs and filmmakers from all over the country battle it out for their respective top honors.

Christmas within the Sky

Our last occasion of the yr was the return of the biennial Christmas within the Sky arts fundraiser gala for the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.

This distinctive black-tie occasion brought the community out for a night of glitz and glam with a fairytale theme to participate in silent and live auctions where the proceeds help fund the SRAC programs for the next two years.

Meredith G. White is the humanities and tradition reporter for the Shreveport Occasions. Yow will discover her on Facebook as Meredith G. White, on Instagram and Twitter as @meredithgwhite, and e mail her at [email protected]