Shreveport, LA – The Red River Revel is set to return for its 49th year, bringing with it an exciting theme, stellar music lineup, and revised schedule for the community and beyond to enjoy. The 49th Annual Red River Revel Arts Festival will now take place over two weekends, from September 25 – 28 and October 2 – 5, 2025, promising a vibrant celebration of art, music, and food in Downtown Shreveport’s Festival Plaza. “This announcement comes after many months of hard work by our team and we are overjoyed to finally share it with the public,” said Logan Lewis, Executive Director of the Red River Revel. “We believe that transitioning to a two-weekend format is going to be much more convenient for festival attendees, volunteers, vendors, and artists while still offering 8 exciting days of visual art, performances, and dynamic family entertainment.”
The 49th Annual Red River Arts Festival will host a diverse range of musical acts, featuring national, regional, and local artists across various genres and styles. The festival’s four stages will be alive with the sounds of some of the most talented musicians, ensuring that there is something for everyone’s auditory enjoyment. Headliners for the festival include:
September 25 – 28th (Weekend One)
- Pam Tillis – Acclaimed country singer, songwriter, and performer
- The Rumble ft. Chief Joseph Boudreaux, Jr. – Energetic band, blending Cajun and Zydeco music with contemporary sounds
- Howard Hewett – Talented R&B singer and songwriter
- Mariah Dawne – Rising R&B chart-topping songwriter from Shreveport
- James LeBlanc – Versatile singer-songwriter with roots in country and rock genres
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- Squonk – Rock opera group with boisterous outdoor spectacles of fantastical visual design, playful staging, and high-energy original music.
- The Hollow Decks – The region’s premier all ’90s Band, performing a first ever set of two classic 90’s records in their entirety: “Dookie” by Green Day and “Self-Titled” by Third Eye Blind
October 2 – 5th (Weekend Two)
- Galactic ft. Jelly Joseph – Dynamic musical collaboration known for their fusion of funk, jazz, and New Orleans rhythms
- Tab Benoit – Acclaimed Blues guitarist and soulful vocalist
- J & the Causeways – Modern Soul/Americana/Rock band from NOLA
- Mia Borders – Renowned singer-songwriter and 2025 Music Prize winner with a soulful voice, electrifying performances, and diverse musical style.
- Zach Edwards & the Medicine – A Blues and Outlaw Country Jam Band
- Taikoproject – Award-winning group that continues to define a modern American style of taiko, blending traditional forms with an innovative and fresh aesthetic.
- Front Cover Band – Versatile band covering old and new school, along with Top 40 music
A full musical performance lineup is available at www.redriverrevel.com. Additional performing artists, including dancers, theatre groups, and children’s programing will be announced at a later date, along with the music performance schedule.
The official poster artwork is derived from a soft sculpture created by Revel artist, Nichól Brinkman of Pink Cheeks Studios. The soft sculpture, made of a variety of patterns, textures, and techniques, is a one-of-a-kind piece named “Monsieur Paradiddle”. “It was such an honor to be selected as the poster artist. I had so much fun creating something that embodies the charm and joy of the Red River Revel and I hope everyone loves Monsieur Paradiddle,” Brinkman said. Brinkman is a multidisciplinary artist whose vibrant, whimsical art captures the joy of everyday moments, celebrates imagination, and encourages a playful perspective on life. More information about Brinkman and Pink Cheeks Studio can be found at Pink Cheeks Studios.
The 49th Red River Revel Arts Festival will embrace the energetic theme “The Beat Goes On,” celebrating the rhythmic essence of music and drumming. The festival will feature special grant-funded programming, including engaging workshops led by renowned drummers Staton Moore, Brady Blade, John Hoffman, Nikki Glaspie, and Sam Shahin. Attendees will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the art of drumming, learning techniques and styles, while enjoying the festival’s lively atmosphere.
The Red River Revel is excited to announce the transition to the Billfold method of payment for all food, beverages, merchandise, and activities during this year’s event. This innovative cashless system will streamline transactions, reduce wait times for attendees, and enhance the overall festival experience by allowing festivalgoers to link their credit card to their wristband and only purchase items and experiences of their choosing. “The overwhelming benefit of this awesome technology is that there will be no balances to add, cashouts to request, or coupons to keep up with. Revelers will only have to link the wristband one time, keep more of their money, and never have to visit the booth again. In short: a game changer,” said Logan Lewis, Executive Director.
The Primary Sponsors for the Red River Revel are Chase Bank, City of Shreveport, The Alta and John Franks Foundation, Pepsi, Eagle Distributing-Shreveport, Ambetter Health, and the Junior League of Shreveport-Bossier. Sponsorships and 76 Club memberships are still available by contacting the Revel office at 318-424-4000. For more information about the Red River Revel, please visit www.redriverrevel.com and follow our social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
ABOUT THE RED RIVER REVEL
Red River Revel is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving the region around Shreveport, Louisiana with cultural programming in the areas of “Art, Music, Food.” Program events include Shreveport Farmers’ Market, CORK: A Red River Revel Fundraiser, and the Red River Revel Arts Festival. The Red River Revel is a multi-arts festival—a Celebration of the Arts—bringing to the people of the Ark-La-Tex quality in visual and performing arts, seminars, workshops, children’s aesthetic education and a variety of creative experiences. The goal of the festival is to provide the general populace with a Celebration of the Arts, which brings the finest in visual and performing arts experiences. The Revel is designed to be primarily educational in nature, entirely non-commercial, non-political, non-partisan and non-sectarian.
