The Louisiana Peach Festival helps Lincoln Parish stand out in a southern state full of agriculture-themed festivals. Even if you haven’t heard of Ruston, LA, you’ve probably heard of the Peach Fest, and that speaks to the power of peaches in this town. It’s also why we call it ‘PeachTown.’
In this guide, we’re going to give you a comprehensive overview of the Louisiana Peach Festival and all the juiciness contained therein. You’ll learn about its origin, its purpose, and what you can expect on your next visit. Ready to go full-blown peachy? Here we go!
What is the Louisiana Peach Festival?
The Louisiana Peach Festival is an annual summer festival held in Ruston, LA that highlights peaches grown in north Louisiana, specifically Mitcham’s Peach Orchard.
Peach Fest consists of numerous events, activities, and vendors, usually during its traditional time slot–the 4th weekend in June. Though not the only festival in Lincoln Parish, it is by far the largest, with people from all over Louisiana (and out of state) visiting to participate in area events.
Peach Fest activities
Peach Festival activities vary from year to year, but the setup is fairly consistent. You can expect to see downtown Ruston, LA parking lots roped off and populated with booths, games, and performers. There are things to do everywhere, and you can stop in at the Civic Center for relief from the summer heat and a fresh serving of homemade peach ice cream.
Here are a few activities you might expect to see at the Louisiana Peach Festival:
- Downtown Ruston sales
- Craft and trade booths
- Bouncing houses
- Carnival games
- Face painting
- Talent show
- Pet show
- Parade
- Rodeo
- Art exhibits
- Beauty pageant
- Scavenger hunt
- Antique car show
- Peach eating contest
- Live music (Peachstock)
Each year is different, but many of these activities can be experienced throughout the course of the festival. Either way, there’s lots of fun to be had, and it’s worth checking out if you’re in the area.
Louisiana Peach Festival history
During the late 1930s, Lincoln Parish was home to many commercial peach farms. The success of the orchards and subsequent organization of the Louisiana Fruit Growers Association (LFGA) in 1947 provided good reason to promote the parish using the peach industry, and marketing began in 1951–the year of the first Louisiana Peach Festival.
Louisiana Fruit Growers Association president J.E. Mitcham along with Walter Smith, the first Peach Fest chairman, spearheaded the event planning, and the original festival took place on June 27-28, 1951.
Many events from the first Peach Festival, including the beauty pageant and art show, still take place today. Others have fallen by the wayside (‘Peaches for Posies’ flower show, cooking contest, etc.), but there’s always hope they may return in the future.
PEACHtober
The pandemic in 2020 resulted in the Louisiana Peach Festival being cancelled and PEACHtober taking place in its stead. PEACHtober offered a condensed one-day ‘Peach Fest-like’ event in October 2020. Though it paled in comparison to the scope of festivals in previous years, it was received positively and provided hope for the community in a year that was wrought with event cancellations.
Peach festivals worldwide
There are currently 25 different peach festivals held in the United States as well as festivals in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and Japan. Some are areawide events, similar to the one in Ruston, LA, while others are market events that focus in on the titular fruit. You can learn more about Peach Fest events worldwide at PickYourOwn.org.
New 2021 Peach Festival, June 5. https://www.lapeachfest.com/