Gilliam’s Sunflower Trail & Festival

By Kimberly Wallis
E

very year on the third Saturday in June, the Red River Crossroads Historical and Cultural Association proudly presents the Sunflower Trail & Festival in Gilliam, La. This year’s festival takes place on Saturday, June 18.

On the outskirts of the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area, the quaint little village of Gilliam measures its population in the low hundreds. Even so, they manage to organize and staff both the annual festival and its companion trail route through volunteer efforts put forth by community members and outlying area farmers. Farms along the trail voluntarily contribute by planning their planting with the express intention of having their fields bloom at the same time the festival is being held.

 

Both features of the event are family friendly and you are welcome to bring your pets too, as long as they are properly leashed. The festival is wheelchair friendly, and if you’re up to a bit of a rough ride, some of the sunflower fields may be accessible as well. The outdoor event includes food vendors offering a variety of delicious local cuisine. Featured food vendors this year include the Main Street Restaurant, James Country Store & Restaurant, and the D&I Café and Deli. There will also be arts and crafts activities for children, live music, vendor booths, and a photography contest. Be sure to take a break from the summer sun long enough to cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award. These photos are displayed in the Gilliam Library. While at the library, you might want to tour the Crossroads Museum housed inside of it as well.

 

The Sunflower Trail partners with the festival. The scenic country drive (approximately 20 highway miles) showcases different sized fields, all open to the public as long as the flowers are in bloom. Visitors are encouraged to stop and take photos and to bring a pair of scissors to take a few of those sunflowers home.

 

Such a small community, consistently working together on multiple levels to promote the common good, deserves to be acknowledged for such a massive amount of coordinated effort. 

 

You can show your appreciation by attending this year’s event on June 18.  For more information, visit the Red River Crossroads Historical & Cultural Association website at www.redrivercrossroadshistorical.org or visit the Sunflower Trail & Festival page on Facebook.