Culture in Jonesboro Louisiana

When you make a list of all the unique things Louisiana has to offer visitors, you quickly see the long-lasting influences of our French, Spanish and African ancestry. Our past is well-preserved in our architecture, music, food and lifestyles—which include our amazing festivals—and of course in our museums of history and fine arts.

It is not an accident that Louisiana clings to the phrase "Laissez les bons temps rouler," meaning "Let the good times roll". Let yourself get lost in the traditions passed down through generations. Come visit us during Mardi Gras when costumed riders parade and magnificent balls are thrown from New Orleans and Baton Rouge to Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Shreveport and beyond. Peek back across the centuries, as you walk under lavish ironwork and through the lush courtyard gardens of a meticulous French Quarter hotel. Touch history with a tour of a plantation where the daily activities of the past are recreated. Let nature's mysteries inspire and awe you via a boat tour through a cypress studded bayou.

Here, in Louisiana, history and lore don't merely live in books on a shelf; they're reflected in our everyday lives.

The family spirit of Jonesboro seems to shine most brightly during the holiday season when millions of tiny Christmas lights transform downtown into what locals have dubbed "Christmas Wonderland in the Pines." A community parade is held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and visitors will find carriage rides and audiences with Santa each evening during the season. Jonesboro is also known for the family legacy of the "singing Governor,” the late Jimmie Davis, who penned the official state song, You Are My Sunshine. During his life, Davis returned to Jonesboro for a homecoming party each year; it is a tradition still honored with a Southern revival-style gathering on the last Sunday of October at the Jimmie Davis Tabernacle, built on the site of his family home. His memory is also honored at nearby Jimmie Davis State Park where outdoor activities abound and the Big Bass Tournament is held each June.