A weekend full of activities in Central Louisiana!

      There are many activities from which to choose this weekend in Central Louisiana.  My daughter and I chose to attend the Gone Wild Safari park near where we live Saturday afternoon.  I've been promising her a visit ever since they opened last year, and yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day.  At this park, you will see animals that are not available in our local zoo (although our zoo is wonderful).    You feed and pet some and then board either a tour bus or a tractor-pulled wagon for a slow trip through the grounds where others will come right up to be fed.  Admission is currently $12 for adults and $8 for children. 

Here is Jerry the giraffe.  He'll eat right out of your hand--loves carrots to the point his diet has to be limited!

This is the camel that gave birth last month (Feb., 2011).

     We really enjoyed our visit and will certainly go again.  I highly recommend it to people living and traveling in Central Louisiana.

Other activities this weekend include:

1. Central Louisiana Living History Days at Stuart Lake Recreational Area Friday and Saturday, March 18 and 19. This was a free event with about 25 groups demonstrating old time crafts, Civil War encampments, Native American dancers, etc.  Kent House was to host a booth, along with 20 others, including the Louisiana Political Museum, Southern Forest Heritage Museum and the Military Museum.   Booths and demos on Central Louisiana's rich rural customs, music, and food completed this event, the first Cenla History Days.
2. 'Que-in on the Red - You've seen the big barbeque cookoffs on television, I'm sure.  This is one of them hosted by Central Louisiana on the Alexandria levee side of the Red River at the North Levee Park.  It is sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network.  The public is welcome at an admission charge of $10 for adults and $5 for children, plus you get to taste the barbeque.  There are twenty teams competing in this year's event.  According to an article in our local newspaper, teams are judged on their cooking process, spices they use and presentation to judges.  And, of course, there are some good musicians playing throughout the event--Zydeco, Cajun, country, etc.
3. The Louisiana Nursery Festival is a three-day event in Forest Hill, the nursery capital of Louisiana.  Thousands of people were expected to attend this year, and with the weather sunny and in the low 80s temperature-wise, I imagine they met if not exceeded the goal.  People are in the mood to plant gardens--both vegetable and flowers--and Forest Hill nurseries are the place where professional landscapers throughout this state travel to get their plants.  A parade, arts and crafts as well as food vendors, and carnival rides all round out this huge annual event.

     So if you were in Central Louisiana and were bored this weekend, it's your own fault.  There was plenty to do and plenty of fun!