Near the end of T.S. Eliot's classic 1915 poem, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, the narrator utters the famous words, "Do I dare to eat a peach?"  The line is often quoted at parties by pretentious people when they are describing a big decision they are wrestling with.

If you're trying to wrestling with trying to decide what to do this weekend, you should definitely dare to eat a peach at the 67th Annual Louisiana Peach Fest in Ruston.  The event began in 1951 when Lincoln Parish peach growers developed the festival to promote their delicious wares throughout Louisiana and surrounding states.  The event was a rousing success, and after it's third year the newly crowned Queen Dixie Gem III presented a box of Lincoln Parish Peaches to Vice-President Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C.

Today the Louisiana Peach Fest still features the Dixie Gem Peach Pageant and has added events including a Peach Art Exhibit, a $500 Peach Hunt, and a $1000 Peach Cobbler Eating Contest.  There are myriad activities for kids like an interactive dinosaur display, games, rides, and a kids' fishing tournament.

Oh, and if you dare to eat a peach, we're sure you can find one or two somewhere.

 

 

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