WEST MONROE – Members of the community came together Wednesday to celebrate a very special milestone for Ouachita RiverFest.
Special guest Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser joined West Mayor Mayor Staci Mitchell Wednesday afternoon for a special press conference at Alley Park in downtown West Monroe to celebrate Ouachita RiverFest being named as the 2026 Louey Tourism Award for Festival/Event of the Year by the Louisiana Travel Association (LTA).
The LTA evaluated the festival based on its year-over-year growth, promotional efforts, impact on the local economy and strong community involvement. Ouachita RiverFest was launched in 2023 and is held every April in downtown West Monroe.
Lt. Governor Nungesser congratulated Ouachita RiverFest organizers on the tremendous honor of being named Festival of the Year after just three years of existence. That accomplishment, he said, is due to the hard work and dedication of city leaders and volunteers who “get it” and understand the important role cultural events play in a community, particularly when it comes to enhancing tourism and economic development efforts.
The 2026 Ouachita RiverFest will be held on Friday, April 24 and Saturday, April 25. This year’s festival will include several fan favorites including the Rubber Duck Drop where thousands are ducks are dropped and race along the Ouachita River, Live Duck Race and the Roper Romp, a themed gathering where participants dress up as Mrs. Helen Roper from the 1970s sitcom “Three’s Company.”
Some of this year’s musical headliners include:
Friday, April 24 –
• Dwayne Doopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
• Roper Romp with DJ Daryl
Saturday, April 25
• Calhoun native and country artist Chancie Neal
• Dustin Gale Gaspard and His Rockin’ Babines – Dustin is a four-chair turn on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2025 and three-time Grammy considered songwriters
• Alexey Marti – He will conduct a jazz clinic with ULM’s Sound of Today Jazz Ensemble, and the ensemble will join him in Saturday’s performance at the festival. His performance is supported by a Louisiana Projects Grant for art programming that was awarded through the
Northeast Louisiana Regional Arts Council and the Louisiana Division of the Arts.
New additions to this year’s festival include:
• Miss Ouachita RiverFest Pageant to be held on Saturday, March 14 at the West Monroe Convention Center. Online registration can be found at www.cityofwestmonroe.com
• Three large-scale carnival rides will be featured at the festival, sponsored by Duck Commander.
• The 5
the Annual Full Blown Pink Car Show will take place in conjunction with Ouachita RiverFest this year. Sign up online at www.themufflershopmonroe.com/full-blown-pink-carshow
To learn more about this year’s festival, follow Ouachita RiverFest on social media on Facebook or Instagram and at www.ouachitariverfest.com