The annual arts festival is back with a Latin flair

The leaves are changing color, the days are growing cooler, and blue-and-white striped tents are springing up at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport.

It’s Red River Revel time again. The annual celebration of the arts returns to the Riverfront for its 48th edition from Sept. 28 through Oct. 6.

This year’s Revel theme is “Vamonos Riendo,” which means, “We all go together laughing.” And why not? The Revel puts a smile on visitors’ faces every year.

“It’s kind of a colloquial saying that people use as a positive affirmation amongst friends to go and do fun things together,” said Revel Executive Director Logan Lewis.

This year’s poster by New Orleans-based artist Jason Rodriguez illustrates the theme. The artwork combines images related to Louisiana and the Mexican Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead Festival, and indeed, this year’s festival will reflect a bit of a Latin flavor.

The Latino community has grown significantly in the last 10 years or so. In addition to the diverse assortment of art, music and food for which the Revel is famous, the Revel will also highlight the music, art and culture of the Latin community. “There’s going to be a lot of Day of the Dead influence in the art installations that we’re doing on-site to beautify Festival Plaza. And, of course, then we have a whole celebration on Saturday, Oct. 5, that is part of that as well,” Lewis said.

The Red River Revel began in 1976 and has since grown into one of the largest arts festivals in the South. It celebrates not only paintings and sculptures but also music and the performing arts and food and the culinary arts.

The classic rock band Jefferson Starship will kick off the festival on Sept. 28 as part of its 50th-anniversary world tour, showcasing songs from the band, as well as its former and later iterations as Jefferson Airplane and Starship.

“I would say we have big acts every single year,” Lewis said, “but they’re exciting for different groups of people.”

The stars aligned just right for the band’s appearance in Shreveport. “This is going to be awesome!”

Other musical acts at this year’s Revel will be country artists Frank Foster, Chapel Hart and Trea Landon, Southern soul artists T.K. Soul and L.J. Echols, songwriters Dylan Leblanc and Dan Smalley, Afro-Mexican pop group Las Cafeteras and Cajun/zydeco rockers Lost Bayou Ramblers.

The Revel attracts a roster of artists from around the country who work in varied media. Visitors can find pieces utilizing an assortment of mediums, including oil and acrylic paintings, jewelry, wood, mixed media, glass, fiber, photography and more.

Revel Executive Director Logan Lewis and Kathy May Ross present the 2023 Best of Show award to Nichol Brinkman aka Pink Cheeks Studios.

The Revel is designed not just for people who want to buy expensive works of art but also for the common person. “There’s an entry point for both types,” Lewis said. “It’s not just a festival of exhibitors who only have eight pieces of original art for $6,000 each … but at the same time, we want to have artists that have smaller representations of their work that are original … that allow the common man to access their arts and support artists at the same time. I want us to have that type of representation where you can say there really is something for everybody there.”

Food has always been a popular attraction at the Revel, which will feature a couple of new vendors in addition to the popular funnel cakes and seafood mac and cheese. Mother Kluckers serves food like street tacos, a taco dog, a Big Mac dog and more, while Bergeron’s Boudin and Cajun Meats will also serve some of their delicious offerings.

Revelers can also enjoy VIP treatment with the all-new ’76 Club, whose membership includes Revel passes, VIP tickets and public recognition.

Lewis said that parking is always a hot topic when it comes to festivals downtown. Getting to the Revel from your parking space and back will be a little easier this year with the introduction of pedicabs, which will take you places downtown for a small fee. “The pedicab is something you see in other cities, and people love them. They’re fun, they’re fast — it’s actually faster to ride a pedicab than it is to ride an actual cab — because they can do other things that cars can’t do. There’s a lot more mobility in that.” Austin-based company Movemint will provide the pedicabs, and six drivers will be available to take you where you want to go.

Getting to the Revel from your parking spot will be a breeze with Movemint pedicabs.

In its earliest days, the Revel only lasted a couple of days and was limited to just a few designated blocks in downtown Shreveport. Today, it has its own home in Festival Plaza and lasts for 10 days. What is the secret to the Revel’s growth and success?

Arts, music, food and people will fill Festival Plaza for 10 days at Red River Revel 48.

“I would call it one of a handful of hallmark events that happen here that are not necessarily a replication of a festival or event done elsewhere,” Lewis said. “It’s unique to Shreveport. I would also throw Mardi Gras in that category because our Mardi Gras is very different than other Mardi Gras. I think the Independence Bowl is in that category. Mudbug Madness is in that category. When you really think about the events created here that are unique to us, the Revel is one of those things, so when you think about the Red River Revel, It is so ingrained in your memories or thoughts about Shreveport. That’s why it’s extraordinary: it is one of our calling cards. This is what we’re about.

“At the same time, we’re one of only two arts festivals in the state. It’s us and Three Rivers in Covington. … You have to go to Dallas or Gulfport to find the next one. So, it’s unique to this region as a whole.”

The Revel attracts artists and artisans from across the country every year. Is the festival well known in the arts community? “Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, an artist is going to apply to our festival because they heard about it from another artist,” Lewis said. “The artist is going to tell them the good and the bad. … If they get a positive review from another artist, then they’ll apply and come.”

Over the years, the Revel has had to adapt to the changing times. How has the festival managed to keep itself fresh without stagnating? “I think there have been times when the Revel has gotten stagnant because it got used to doing the same things over and over again. But for our team, we are just not satisfied with anything. We always want to do better. We always want to go bigger. We always want to do more,” he said. “All these arts education opportunities that we offer come from the heart, and they help inspire us annually to do more for the community.

“You have to not be satisfied with anything, but at the same time to be able to change and be relevant; I think what has to happen is you have to start from a place of understanding that you yourself do not know everything and you never will. It’s important to surround yourself with people who have different perspectives, that have seen different things.”