Paddlefish Festival
National American Paddlefish Day is March 9
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
It’s official. National American Paddlefish Day is now recognized and certified as a National Day!
To celebrate this historic proclamation, we are having a festival and will be releasing the Shreveport Aquarium paddlefish back into the Caddo Waterways where they belong.
Did you know that Paddlefish, a 300 million year old species, once common in Caddo lake, had completely disappeared from the lake after the construction of the dam at Lake O' the Pines? Through extensive habitat restoration and historic agreements with the Corps of Engineers, Caddo Lake is now prime habitat to restore the this prehistoric species, the paddlefish.
Shreveport Aquarium, in partnership with Caddo Lake Institute are rearing and releasing this threatened species to help repopulate Caddo Lake. Come celebrate and learn all about these extraordinary creatures and how we can all help them survive during our first annual Paddlefish Festival. Help us send-off the Paddlefish to their new home.
Schedule of Events:
9 am - 5 pm: Crafts, face painting, educational displays
11 am - 5 pm: Music and crawfish boil
1 - 2 pm: Guest speakers
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Robert Shadoin, LDWF
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Laura Ashley Overdyke, Caddo Lake Institute
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Mike Montagne, USFWS
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Nate Carpenter, Shreveport Aquarium
2:30 pm: Paddlefish send off
3:30 pm: Paddlefish release in Mooringsport
5 pm: Art contest winner announced
Price: Included in daily admission fee