2008 Guide to the Louisiana Peach Festival in Ruston, Louisiana

Anyone from the south knows that with spring and summer comes the great treat of sweet peaches. For this reason, Ruston, Louisiana holds the Louisiana Peach Festival. The Louisiana Peach Festival is the State of Louisiana's celebration of the fuzzy, sweet fruit that reaches it's peach in the summer and is a staple in the creation of many tasty favorites. Strangely enough, the Louisiana Peach Festival is more than just a celebration of the peach. This Peach Festival includes a Rodeo, the Louisiana Peach Festival Arts & Crafts Show, an antique car show, the Peach Jam (a dance), and a pageant.

For those that enjoy something a little more upscale, the Louisiana Peach Festival Dinner-Dance may be an option. This affair allows attendees to dress up and enjoy an evening of dinner and dancing to the sounds of the Harmon Drew Super Group. Ticket prices are $50 per person.

No Louisiana Peach Festival would be complete without having items made with the guest of honor, the peach. The Peach Cookery Contest will have different divisions for adults and children and will feature pies, salads, cakes, tarts, entrees, and any other items that are made using peaches.

How about a taste of those Louisiana Peach Festival peaches? You can have your chance at the Peach Eating Contest. This competition will allow entrants the opportunity to each as many pounds of peaches as humanly possible in two minutes. This event happens on Sunday, June 29 at 4 p.m. at Railroad Park.

Another big focus of the Louisiana Peach Festival is the inclusion of kids. Though the event is for the entire family, there are also events geared towards child visitors. Along with the pageant, the Louisiana Peach Festival features a Kids' Fishing Tournament, Family Day in the Park, Diaper Derby, and a Pet Show. The pageant held on June 13-14, 2008, and will queen the Princess Peach, who must be between the ages of 4-5, as well as queening the Queen Dixie Gem, who must be between the ages of 17-25. This pageant takes place at the Howard Auditorium on the Louisiana State University campus. The Kids' Fishing Tournament is on Friday, June 27 at 8 a.m. at the Lincoln Parish Park. An adult must escort all children attending the tournament. The Diaper Derby takes place on June 28 at 11 a.m. at the Trinity Center, of the Trinity United Methodist Church. Babies crawl and toddlers will toddle to the finish line for a chance to reign at the Diaper Derby Champions for 2008. The Pet Show will include prizes in certain categories for animals and their young pet parents. Some of these competitions include best dressed and best trick.

There are many more events happening during the Louisiana Peach Festival in Ruston, Louisiana. Some events are free of charge and there are plenty of crafts to view and great food to eat and the Downtown Food Court just over from Railroad Park.

Daily admission on Friday and Saturday is $5 for ages 12 and up; $3 for ages 7-12; children age 6 and under are free. Sunday admission is free at Railroad Park; $5 for the Civic Center.

For more information, please visit the Louisiana Peach Festival's website at www.louisianapeachfestival.org or call 1-800-392-9032.