Just a couple of weeks ago, an incredible editorial hit the shelves and mailboxes in the latest issue of Southern Living magazine, their Christmas issue to be exact. Natchitoches was featured in a six page spread entitled "A Creole Christmas"! What a feast for the eyes as gorgeous pictures covered the pages and a truly great editorial was written. The writer and her family traveled to Natchitoches last year on Christmas Festival day...yes, the busiest day of the year...which was one of the happiest for this family; and so the story began. The family experienced the parade, dined on Front Street, and cuddled together that evening on the riverbank gazing upwards at the fantastic firework show display. Shortly after their visit, Southern Living photographers traveled here to take pictures for the article and covered quite the territory photographing plantations, B&B's, area restaurants, and created a 'must see and do' list.

The publication graced Natchitoches' presence last week and the Natchitoches Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau has received countless phone calls and in-office visits regarding the magazine spread. Certainly, it is a great privilege and honor to be featured in the premier Southern magazine. "As a subscriber myself, I was absolutely thrilled to receive my very own copy, Southern Living is a favorite of mine and seeing Natchitoches featured is a treat", said Madeline DeBlieux, Marketing and Public Relations Manager. Arlene Gould, Executive Director, Madeline, and Jeff Richard, Public Research Officer with the Louisiana Office of Tourism, researched the value and were ecstatic to learn that the six page feature was worth roughly over $3 million in publicity value.