Lake Charles Hosting Free Veterans Fest This Weekend
Lake Charles, Louisiana - Halloween is right around the corner, and while plenty of folks around Southwest Louisiana will be getting ready for trick-or-treating, there's another event happening in Lake Charles that families might want to check out... This weekend there will be a special event honoring our local veterans, and the best part is that it won't cost you anything to attend.
The Southwest Louisiana Veterans Fest will take place on Saturday, October 31, at the Lake Charles Event Center. The event will run from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. and will feature live music, free food, a car show, and plenty of activities for the entire family.
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The event is being put together by the Mayor's Armed Forces Commission of Lake Charles, the Alexandria Vet Center, the Phillips 66 Veterans Network, and the LyondellBasell Veteran Employee Network. They want to give back to the men and women who have served our country while also helping veterans and their families learn about services available to them.
There will be plenty of stuff going on throughout the day, and this isn't just an event for veterans. Their families are invited to come out and enjoy the festivities as well.
There are expected to be around 75 vendors on hand, including groups that help veterans with benefits, health care, and other services. Some of those services may require paperwork, so veterans are encouraged to bring things like discharge papers, medical records, or identification if they plan to take advantage of those resources.
Families can also enjoy free food and drinks, a classic and retro car show, and activities for the kids. Since the event falls on Halloween, there will even be trick-or-treating for the little ones. There will also be a BBQ competition featuring teams from participating vendors. Food from the competition will be served inside the Coliseum.
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Entertainment Schedule for SWLA Veterans Fest
You can't have a festival in Southwest Louisiana without a little live music, and organizers have a pretty good lineup planned for the day. Here's a look at the entertainment schedule:
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.: Taylor Fillion and Brian Racca Jr.
2 p.m. - 4 p.m.: The Flamethrowers
When and Where Is the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Fest?
If you're planning to attend, here's what you need to know.
- Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Location: Lake Charles Event Center, 900 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles
- Admission: FREE
- Who Can Attend: Southwest Louisiana veterans and their families
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CLICK HERE
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