Shreveport is an interesting city to live in and visit. Bordering the states of Texas and Arkansas, it has taken on many of the traits of three areas. I have been a resident of Shreveport for approximately five years and would encourage people to come and take in Louisiana’s other side.
Shreveport has the luxuries of a big city; however it functions as a close community. There are many organizations, charities, and clubs that accept you with open arms. One of its big city functions is the entertainment. Superstars of all calibers come to Shreveport to perform and shoot movies, so it is likely that while living here you can catch a glimpse of a celebrity in the supermarket at least once.
My favorite place in Shreveport is the Municipal Memorial Auditorium. It was once home to the radio program the Louisiana Hayride, where the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, and many more got their professional starts. Its Art Deco architecture is completely unique to Louisiana and the intricacy of its building is extraordinary. I have, off and on, for the past five years, helped give historic and haunted tours of the building and it truly has something for everyone.
My friends and I frequent the Robinson Film Center in downtown Shreveport. It is a classy, modern meets vintage movie theater that shows new independent films as well as classics. Films range from To Kill A Mockingbird, Dirty Dancing, A Streetcar Named Desire, to The Road and changes weekly. It holds various contests and festivals that bring in crowds from all walks of life.
Especially during crawfish season, my family enjoys relaxing or celebrating at the restaurant/bar The Blind Tiger just steps from the Texas Street Bridge in downtown Shreveport. It is one of the oldest buildings left in the downtown area and was once a popular speak-easy during Prohibition. It’s original wooden floors and dark wooden interior provides a warm, comfortable atmosphere for casual dining. The wait staff has had the opportunity to watch my daughter grow from a baby to a little girl and welcome us with happy smiles each time we walk through the door. We enjoy sharing large piles of fried crawfish tails, warming up with cups full of spicy crawfish etouffee, and crunching on ears of fried corn on the cob. For a juicy Cajun steak, The Blind Tiger is hard to beat.
Mardi Gras season is a special time in Louisiana and Shreveport is not without its celebrations. The Highland Mardi Gras Parade is one of the more family-oriented parades in town but still has the pomp and circumstance of a large parade. The floats are always fun to watch as they slowly move through the historic Highland neighborhood and the area children scramble to catch handfuls of sparkly beads. My husband always waits with anticipation for the Krewe of BBQ to roll by so that he can catch a hot dog or barbecue sandwich wrapped in warm foil. We usually catch just enough throws to weigh us down without feeling overwhelmed. Seeing that it rolls through during the day, it is a safe way for families to enjoy the Mardi Gras festivities.
The Municipal Memorial Auditorium is located at 705 Elvis Presley Ave. in downtown Shreveport. Guided tours are available on Saturdays from 11:00am-3:00pm. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under. Don’t forget to check out the historic Oakland Cemetery just across the street! The Robinson Film Center is located at 617 Texas Street in downtown Shreveport and is open on daily. Find out which movies are being shown by visiting their website. The Blind Tiger is at 120 Texas Street in downtown Shreveport and is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week. Visit them online. Information about the Krewe of Highland parade can be found at the Krewe's website.
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