Zwolle Tamale Fiesta

The Zwolle Tamale Fiesta celebrates the rich Spanish and Indian heritage of the people of the town. Held each year at the Zwolle Festival Grounds, The Zwolle Tamale Fiesta offers a fun-filled weekend of reliving the area's heritage with plenty of delicious hot tamales, a wide variety of food trucks, entertainment ,arts and crafts, dancing, parades, carnival, and children's activities. Always held the second full weekend in October, the Fiesta is fun for the entire family!

To fully appreciate the Fiesta, a little background on the history is in order: Zwolle was originally an Indian village. It was for many years occupied by the Spanish Province of Texas, and was settled by the descendants of French and Spanish adventurers, who intermarried with the friendly Indians as well as English- speaking settlers from Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolina's along the outskirts of the current town.

In the late 1800s, the community came together after news of the railroad being built near. Several prominent land owners provided the land to bring the railroad to the area, that was turned into a whistle stop along the Kansas City Southern Railroad. The depot station would grow into the current town that was named for a town in Holland, in honor of a prominent Dutch visitor in 1896. 

The Fiesta itself stems from a combination of the Indians and Spaniards culinary efforts to produce the most delectable hot tamale in the country.

In 1975, the idea for some type of festival was suggested by Zwolle native Rogers P. Loupe, who was then a member of the Sabine Tourist Commission. Mr. Roscoe Carruth, the director of the Sabine Tourist Commission at the time, legitimized the idea for a Tamale Fiesta by incorporating the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta as a non-profit organization.

The Tamale Fiesta calls the attention of many to the social and political influences of the Spanish culture upon Louisiana's history since the 18th century. For his contributions towards founding the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta, Rogers Loupe has been dubbed "The Father of the Fiesta" and has been honored as a member of the publicly sanctioned Sabine Parish Hall of Fame.

No Fiesta is complete without delicious tamales!! Each year, tamales can be purchased at the Zwolle Tamale Fiesta, one at a time or by the dozen. Join in on the tamale eating contest, tamale making contest, or any of the fun activities offered. Come check it out in October. Until then, try your hand at making some tamales or enjoying some!!