On April 23rd and 24th, Winnfield, in neighboring Winn Parish, will host the Louisiana Forest Festival at Fairgrounds Road in Winnfield. The festival is a celebration of the timber industry, which is the top industry in Bienville Parish as well as Winn Parish.
The festival encompasses a wide variety of timber related activities. There are numerous forestry equipment displays and related exhibits. Professional lumberjack sports competitors come from throughout the United States to participate in the show. There will be 13 lumberjack events to cheer on with 6 different chainsaw events. The festival will represent both historical and modern forestry and logging practices. In addition, the festival will host a wide variety of vendors, contests, prize drawings, children’s activities and games, and live music.
Schedule of Events
FRIDAY, APRIL 23rd
8:00am: Family Train Rides @ Festival Grounds (all day)
9:00am: 2-Wheel Drive, Trailer Driving Course, and Mower Event
10:00am: Festival Gates Open
10:00am: Bear Hollow Carving Event
11:00am – 2:00pm: Jurassic Kingdom Dinosaur Exhibit
11:00am: Cooking Contest
12:30pm: Bear Hollow Carving Event
3:00pm: Bear Hollow Carving Event
5:00pm: Dinosaur Show @ Jurassic Kingdom
5:30pm: Amphitheatre Gates Open, Opening Ceremonies: Queens, Senior Scholarship Winners, Sponsors, In Memory of Logger, In Honor Logger, Lt. Governor @ Amphitheatre
5:30pm: VIP Meet & Greet Begins.
7:00pm – 8:00pm: Spencer Brunson @ Live Music Amphitheatre Stage
9:00pm – 10:00pm: Ashton Shepard with Corbin Pickard @ Live Music Amphitheatre Stage
10:00pm – 11:30pm: Jeff Bates @ Live Music Amphitheatre Stage
**Alcoholic beverages available for sale after 8:00 PM. (Big Easy Drive Thru)
SATURDAY, APRIL 24th
8:00am – All Day: Interactive Kid Zone Opens. Vendor Booths Open. Axe Throwing Opens. Equipment Exhibitors Open.
8:00am: Family Train Rides @ Festival Grounds
8:00am: Professional Timber Sports @ Competition Hill
8:15am: St. Jude Fun Run Registration @ Festival Grounds (near arena)
9:00am: Festival Grounds (near arena)
9:00am – 12:00am: 4-H Woodmen Skills Comp (Location TBA)
10:00am: Petting Zoo @ Festival Grounds
10:30am: Bear Hollow Carving
10:30am – 12:00pm: Dear Parents Band (more info at gate)
11:00am – 2:00pm: Jurassic Kingdom Dinosaur Exhibit
12:00pm – until: Professional Timber Competitions @ Competition Hill
1:00pm: David Procell & Mike Roberts (live music)
2:30pm: Auction at Bear Hollow Carving
5:00pm: Dinosaur Show @ Jurassic Kingdom
**All food vendors are located inside the midway. Drinks and Festival Shirts are available for sale at the Coca-Cola trailer.