Articles from Explore Louisiana

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Aug. 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser today unveiled the design of Louisiana`s float and announced the headlining entertainer who will represent the state at the 138th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, on New Year`s Day. The 2027 parade theme, "Welcome," celebrates inclusivity, community, and the spirit of bringing people together.Louisiana`s float, "Bienvenue en Louisiana" - "Welcome to Louisiana," will showcase the traditions, culture, and natural beauty that make our state unlike anywhere else."I don`t know any other place in the world more welcoming than Louisiana," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "We may be unique in a lot of ways, but our greatest asset has always been our people. When you come to Louisiana, you`re not just a visitor, you`re going to make a friend for life. Whether you`re sitting down for a meal, checking into a hotel, shopping in one of our stores or enjoying a festival, you`re going to meet some of the most genuine and welcoming people anywhere in the world."The float will celebrate the many traditions that bring Louisianans and visitors together, including festivals, food and music. It will feature a majestic pelican surrounded by Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold, along with alligators, crawfish, Spanish moss, and elements inspired by the charm of the French Quarter. The float will be decorated with approximately 25,000 roses, orchids, coconuts, and other natural materials, transforming Louisiana`s unique character and culture into a spectacular floral display.Once again, Louisiana will provide the parade`s mid-parade entertainment, this year featuring the "Songbird of New Orleans," Robin Barnes. Barnes is an award-winning vocalist, songwriter and Louisiana State Music Ambassador whose music celebrates both the rich traditions and evolving sounds of her hometown. Her debut full-length album, Louisiana Love, released in May 2026, is a love letter to her home state and the people and traditions that make it special, celebrating the people, places, traditions and cultural experiences that shaped Barnes` understanding of home."To perform at the Rose Parade and represent my home state of Louisiana is truly a dream come true," said Robin Barnes. "As a New Orleanian, I am so proud of where I come from and feel honored to have the opportunity to share my music, along with the culture and spirit of Louisiana, on a stage this iconic. A special thanks to Louisiana Tourism for trusting me to serve as their culture bearer. I look forward to making my home state proud!"The Rose Parade is televised around the world, providing Louisiana with an opportunity to showcase its culture and tourism offerings to millions of potential visitors. The 2027 parade marks the sixth time since 2022 the Louisiana Office of Tourism will sponsor a float in the iconic event. Over the first five years, coverage of Louisiana`s float reached more than 1.6 billion people and earned $192.5 million in media value, representing a 45:1 return on investment."Louisiana knows how to make an impression, and every year people tell us how excited they are to see our float," Lt. Governor Nungesser said. "They see the colors, hear the music, and get a taste of what makes Louisiana so special. And, of course, they love the food we share from our home state whether it`s jambalaya or delicious beignets. Louisiana knows how to Feed Your Soul, and once you experience our state and its people, you`re going to want to come back for more."Louisiana has a strong history of success in the Rose Parade. In 2022, the state`s float received the Wrigley Legacy Award for the most outstanding display of floral presentation, float design and entertainment. Louisiana earned Showmanship Awards in both 2023 and 2024 for outstanding showmanship and entertainment. In 2025, Louisiana received the Director`s Award for the most outstanding artistic design and use of floral and non-floral materials.The 138th Rose Parade presented by Honda will roll through Pasadena on January 1, 2027, and will be broadcast live around the world and on streaming services beginning at 10 a.m. Central through Rose Parade broadcast partners, including ABC, NBC and Univision. For information on how to join Louisiana to decorate the 2027 Louisiana float in Pasadena, visit the Louisiana Office of Tourism`s Rose Parade webpage.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism announced the float riders and performers chosen to represent the state in the 2025 Tournament of Roses® Parade in Pasadena, California. For a fourth year in a row, Louisiana will parade across the national and international stages for this annual tradition. This year's parade theme is "Best Day Ever!"  “Once again Louisiana is a great fit for the Rose Parade theme. We’re going to show the world your best day ever is definitely a day in Louisiana,” said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. “Our float’s theme is Louisiana Saturday Night and we’ll bring all that food, fun, and music to transform a Wednesday in Pasadena.”  Louisiana’s 2025 Tournament of Roses Parade® float features a giant playful alligator wearing a crown and Mardi Gras beads while clutching a second-line umbrella in its tail. Riding on its back is a Cajun dance hall and porch, along with cypress trees, Louisiana musical instruments, seafood, and wildlife. Performing his rendition of “Louisiana Saturday Night” will be rising country star Timothy Wayne.  Six premier sponsors of Louisiana’s float represent convention and visitors bureaus and tourism boards from across the state including Explore Houma, Lafayette Travel, Tangipahoa Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau, Visit Baton Rouge, Visit Shreveport-Bossier, and Visit The Northshore.  “I’m thrilled to be joined by this year’s new and returning sponsors as we show the world how you can Feed Your Soul in every corner of Louisiana,” added Lt. Governor Nungesser. “This year’s riders represent everything that makes a Louisiana Saturday night special – great music, delicious food, our celebratory spirit, and even a little visit to LSU’s Tiger Stadium.”  The sponsored riders will be joined by Cajun fiddler and former festival queen Leiton LeBlanc, the 74th Ozone Camellia Festival Queen Catherine Elizabeth Owen, and Emmie Addamus from the Office of the First Lady of Louisiana.  Louisiana’s 2025 Tournament of Roses Parade® float riders include: 

2026 campaign promotes Louisiana’s natural beauty nationally and worldwide

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Oct. 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Louisiana Office of Tourism is launching its new Louisiana Hot Sauce Trail. The trail features factory tours such as the iconic Tabasco on Avery Island, restaurants, and attractions offering unique takes on hot sauce. Featured stops on the trail can be found all over the state and will continue to expand with new locations."Louisiana's food is famous around the world, and for good reason," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "From gumbo and jambalaya to the hot sauces that kick everything up a notch, our flavors tell the story of who we are. We have featured Louisiana hot sauces in several promotional events around the world, and the response has been amazing as people learn more about the flavors that make our cuisine so unique. People can't get enough of that authentic Louisiana taste. The new Louisiana Hot Sauce Trail is a fun way for visitors to explore those flavors and experience a little more of what makes Louisiana such a special place."The trail can be downloaded digitally on LouisianaHotSauceTrail.com. Users can check in at different stops along the trail to earn points they can redeem for prizes. The development of the new trail is part of the state's Year of Food campaign, showcasing Louisiana food as a top reason for traveling to the state.To launch the trail, the Louisiana Office of Tourism is bringing extra heat to its National Gumbo Day celebrations. National Gumbo Day falls on Sunday, October 12, and over the coming weekend four different food trucks will be handing out samples of Louisiana gumbo as well as a special Louisiana Hot Sauce Trail bottle of hot sauce. Trucks will roll in Washington DC, Philadelphia, Dallas, and Santa Monica, CA. To learn more about the events, visit the Explore Louisiana National Gumbo Day webpage."This trail is a great new way to share every corner of Louisiana with visitors. From Panola Pepper in north Louisiana to the Abita Mystery House and New Orleans' Great American Alligator Museum there are a lot of fun opportunities to experience Louisiana's hot sauce culture," said Assistant Secretary of Tourism Doug Bourgeois.To learn more about Louisiana's culinary scene, visit ExploreLouisiana.com and download your trail pass at LouisianaHotSauceTrail.com.

Baton Rouge, LA, Oct. 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Explore Louisiana announced 2025 will be its Year of Food, celebrating all the unique cuisine, culture and traditions that make the state a food lover’s paradise. To support the launch, Explore Louisiana sponsored the New York City Wine & Food Festival by hosting a jazz brunch featuring Chef Justin Girouard of The French Press in Lafayette, Louisiana.