Natchitoches, LA - In celebration of the 100th Natchitoches Christmas Festival, the Cane River National Heritage Area (CRNHA) is inviting the public to help preserve the history of this beloved tradition by sharing their personal Christmas memories. CRNHA will host two community scan days offering residents the opportunity to have photographs, films, and memorabilia professionally digitized. 

Community members are encouraged to look through photo albums, storage boxes, and family collections for items that capture Christmas celebrations in Natchitoches over the years. Materials from a variety of formats are welcome, including:

• Printed photographs and photo albums
• 35 mm slides and photographic negatives
• 8 mm and Super 8 home movies
• VHS, camcorder tapes, DVDs, and CDs
• Scrapbook pagers, programs, posters, and other printed memorabilia

Even items that may seem ordinary - family photos under the Christmas lights, snapshots of the parade, old festival programs, or home movies of fireworks - can help tell the story of how generations of families have celebrated Christmas in Natchitoches.

The community scan days will take place Friday, March 20 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum.

Participants simply need to bring their items. CRNHA staff will digitize on-site, allowing originals to be returned the same day. No appointments are necessary.

Materials collected will become part of a larger preservation project, ensuring that these treasured memories are not only preserved but shared with the wider community and festival visitors. Those who already have digital copies of photos or videos are encourages to submit them by email to jessica@canerivernha.org.

This event is hosted by Cane River National Heritage Area with support from the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum.

For more information about the community scan days or the Natchitoches Christmas preservation project, call the Cane River National Heritage Area at 318-356-5555 or email Jessica Mullican at jessica@canerivernha.org.

About the Heritage Area:
Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc. (CRNHA) is a non-profit organization that preserves, promotes, and presents the nationally significant heritage of the Cane River region. Located in Natchitoches, Louisiana, CRNHA works with regional partners to provide high-quality educational, cultural, and recreational experiences in the area's unique historical settings through a linked system of attractions and historic districts within the Cane River National Heritage Area.