PRIZE FEST IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
Find out why we say the words: "You are the Prize!"
Prize Foundation hosts annual creative contests in filmmaking, culinary arts, music, and stand-up comedy. We seek to not only exhibit the work of rising creatives, but to elevate their craft through mentorship, and engage audiences in new experiences that they can only find at Prize events.
Deadline to Enter Film, Music, and Comedy Prize
Explore the Prize Competitions
Film Prize: 20 Short Filmmakers compete for up to $50,000 cash!
Filmmakers from all over the world travel to Louisiana to make short films to win the world’s largest cash prize for a short film: $50,000 cash! Many will enter, but only twenty finalists are selected to play the festival. Do you have what it takes to win it all?
Music Prize: Talented musicians take the stage and $10,000 cash!
Musicians take the stage to perform and take a seat to gain mentorship from industry professionals. From the entries, 30 musicians are selected for the semi-finals which will be streamed online. From the streaming vote, the finalists will emerge and play at Prize Fest this fall!
Comedy Prize: best standup set wins $2,500 and more!
Standup comedians sling their best material live on stage to win laughs and votes as they try to grab the $2,500 cash grand prize from a panel of celebrity comedy judges!
Louisiana Food Prize: Chefs create unique dining experiences!
This spring and summer, local chefs create original dishes for the Society of the Golden Fork which votes on their favorites to advance to Louisiana Food Prize Prize Fest in the fall. Don’t miss your chance to meet our community’s next great culinary artists!
Taco Wars: Taquerias Battle for the Best Taco and Salsa!
We love Latino culture and we know you do too. To celebrate amazing local businesses and culture, Louisiana Food Prize recruits local taquerias who will sell tacos and compete for the coveted Golden Taco and Best Salsa. Taste as many salsas as you like, and pick your favorite!
Film Prize Junior: Student Film Competition for Middle and High School
Film Prize Junior is a statewide youth film education program and competition that allows students to tell their own stories through the exciting art of filmmaking. Since 2016, Film Prize Junior has transformed the lives of thousands of Louisiana students, making them more skilled, confident, and engaged learners, and your students could be next!
Food Prize: Come and Get It Culinary Experience!
SOLD OUT!
Wednesday, October 16
6:00-10:00pm
Remington Suite Hotel & Spa
Six local chefs will team up with 6 celebrity chefs from across the country. Together, they will create amazing bites for you! Taste their dishes and then sip specialty drinks by three of our community’s best cocktail artists, then vote for your favorites during this high-end event culinary event!
Comedy Prize: 10 Standup Comedians Across Two Shows!
Thursday, October 17
(7:00pm and & 8:30pm)
Prize Garage (211 Market St)
Ten standup comedians take the stage across two shows at the Remington Garage to make you laugh your ass off as they try to win $2,500 cash from a panel of celebrity comedy judges! This event will have two shows, 7:00pm and 8:30pm. Each will have five comedians. Go to both shows to see all ten!
Film Prize: 20 Short Filmmakers compete for up to $50,000 cash!
Thursday-Saturday, October 17-19
Screenings All Day Across Four Venues
Various Venues Across Downtown Shreveport and Bossier City.
Filmmakers from all over the world traveled to Louisiana to make short films, now they will premiere their work and vie for your vote to win the coveted Louisiana Film Prize of $50,000 cash! See all 20 films and then vote for the winner!
Music Prize: 10 Musicians play for $14,000 in Prizes!
Friday-Saturday, October 18-19
6:00pm-midnight
Prize Garage (211 Market St)
10 musicians of all genres compete for $10,000 cash. Six acts play on Friday night and another five acts play on Saturday night. Enjoy two nights of music, dancing, drinks, food and fun. Plus vote for the Audience Choice winner!
Food Prize: Battle for the Golden Fork Final Cookoff
Saturday, October 19
3:00pm-5:00pm
700 Block of Texas Street
Three finalist chefs, which were selected at Wednesday’s Come and Get It event will face off Chopped-style, live and in-person right in the heart of downtown Shreveport. Cheer on your favorites.
Parties and Celebrations
There’s even more to do!
Prize Fest has plenty of competitive events, but it also has lounges, parties, a red carpet, live entertainment, and so much more to explore. Many of the events are free to attend!
Prize Fest Special Events and Parties
This festival is more than creative competitions, it’s a celebration of community. Join us for these free events throughout the festival.
Film Prize Red Carpet Event sponsored by Fly Shreveport
Thursday, October 17
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Prize Island, 700 Block of Texas Street
Join the filmmakers and the stars of this year’s Louisiana Film Prize on the red carpet. This event, open to all, will feature photographers, a filmmaker speed date, big toast with special drinks and more, all in the middle of Texas Street in downtown Shreveport.
Red Carpet Afterglow Party
Thursday, October 17
10:00 p.m. – midnight
Prize Island, 700 Block of Texas Street
The party doesn’t stop after the red carpet cameras stop clicking! Join us into the night with special drinks, mocktails just steps away from the red carpet!
Prize Fest Friday Night Party
Friday, October 18
9:00 p.m. – 2:00 a.m.
Stray Cat Bar
The infamous Prize Fest Halloween-themed party is back — complete with a live DJ and decorations! Costumes are highly encouraged. Festival pass holders enter for free. All others will pay cover.
Viva la Body Yoga at Prize Island
Saturday, October 19
9:00 a.m. – 10:00am
Prize Island, 700 Texas Street
Wake up your body and soul with morning yoga at Prize Island with guru Chessi May! Then there’s just enough time get ready to start your Saturday Prize Fest experience with a coffee and conversations starting at 11:00am! Read on for more amazing events.
Film Prize University: Industry Panel Discussions sponsored by Louisiana Economic Development
Saturday, October 19
10:00 a.m. — noon
Robinson Film Center, 617 Texas Street
Mentor Judges from Film Prize will host panel discussions and Q&As discussing the independent film industry, next steps to grow your filmmaking career, and more. This event is free and open to the public.
Coffee and Conversastions at Prize Island
Saturday, October 19
11:00 a.m. – 1:00pm
Join live conversations with these amazing individuals as they share their journeys!
11:00am – Celebrity Chef/Olympian Dawn Burrell
11:30am – Playwright Brandon Armstrong
12:30pm – Author Jennifer Moorhead
Food Prize Battle for the Golden Fork Finals!
Saturday, October 19
3:00pm — 5:00pm
Shreveport Bar Association, 500 Louisiana Avenue
Three finalists chefs will battle it out on the streets of Downtown Shreveport in a LIVE cooking contest, Chopped style. The finalist chefs will have just 45 minutes to cook a brand new dish from scratch with a secret ingredient in front of a cheering crowd and discerning Food Prize judges.
Live DJs at Prize Island
Saturday, October 19
5:00pm — 9:30pm
Live DJs spin the ones and twos live throughout the afternoon and evening at Prize Island!
1:00pm – DJ Chris
5:30pm – DJ Rob Real
7:30pm – DJ Yoshi
8:30pm – DJ Rob Real
Cocktail Demonstration with Golden Shaker Mixologists!
Saturday, October 19
6:30pm — 7:30pm
Want to know the secrets to making a great cocktail? Look no further than this live demonstration by Food Prize Golden Shaker competitors where they share their tricks and tips on a special creation before your very eyes!
Prize Fest Closing Party with Picket Line Coyotes
Saturday, October 19
9:00 p.m. – 2:00am (Coyotes at midnight)
The Noble Savage, 417 Texas Street
Close out Prize Fest in style with a special closing party event featuring food and drink — both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. Plus the Picket Line Coyotes return to Shreveport and take the stage after the Big Exhale Toast at midnight! You won’t want to miss this event!
Prize Fest "Big Exhale" Closing Toast!
Saturday, October 19
at midnight
The Noble Savage, 417 Texas Street
Close out Prize Fest in style with a special closing party event featuring food and drink — both non-alcoholic and alcoholic. Plus a special musical guest will return to Shreveport and take the stage after the Big Exhale Toast! You won’t want to miss this event!
Golden Lens Photography Competition Sponsored by Bossier Parish Commmunity College
September 28th thru October 20th
This exciting photography competition invites photographers of all levels, from beginners to professionals, to capture the unique essence of Shreveport and Bossier City. Through your lens, we invite you to explore our vibrant community, iconic landmarks, and the spirit of our festivities.
Prize Fest is more than contests.
We love a good contest. We love a good festival. Prize Fest are both of these and so much more. Throughout the preparation period in the spring and the festival in the fall, the Prize Team attracts creative individuals who desire to elevate their craft and create opportunity for themselves to realize their artistic and economic dreams. The festival is not just an exhibition for adoring audiences, it’s also a space for learning, networking, and so much more.
Root for these creative individuals, they are an important spice in our community!
Big Cash Prizes
Sure, we have some of the largest prizes for our creative competitions in the world. One major difference between Prize Fest and other competitions is that we speak green. All of our grand prizes are cash money. You can take that to the bank. Our commitment to prize money doesn’t end at cutting a check, however. Our mentors are available to offer you advice on how to invest your winnings back into your creative endeavors. After all, “it’s called show business, not show art” as actress Jean Seberg would say. Building a successful career doesn’t stop at winning — in fact, it’s just the beginning
An Engaged Audience
Between 6,000 and 10,000 people attend Prize events throughout the year, culminating in our largest event — Prize Fest — which takes place in Shreveport, Louisiana each October. People from across the world come to (and stream) Prize Fest events. But it’s not just about the size of the audience, it’s about how they interact with the artists. Each attendee gets to vote in the competitions, meaning they have a direct impact on the outcome of the festival. And because each audience member has attendance requirements they have to meet in order to vote, they are incentivized to get to know you work better than any festival audience on the planet.
Industry Mentorship
Lots of festivals and competitions have judges and panel discussions with guests. Sometimes those panels are disconnected from the competitors, seated high up on a stage and available only for short conversations afterward. Not at Prize. We have built a network of working industry professionals who have been where you are and want to see you succeed. We make our mentors available to the creative competitors before, during, and after the competition so that you can not only ask them questions, but so you can get to know them and they can get to know you. When you put in the work, who you know can be an incredibly powerful tool.
Real Community
One of the biggest parts of building a career and making moves in this world is building a community around you. Yes, our audience is engaged in your success. Yes, we bring mentors and we write big checks. The biggest thing you can take from Prize, however, is a connection with other artists like you who are driven to succeed. Prize is like summer camp: You will make friendships, find collaborators, and raise glasses screaming to the heavens in celebration of what you have all accomplished individually and together. Beyond all of that, you will carry it forever. In the end, the Prize gives to you what you put in, just like life.
Elevating creatives, building community.
At the Prize, we make opportunities for creatives to grow and elevate their careers in filmmaking, culinary arts, music, and standup comedy. Every Prize competition is a chance to meet working professionals in your industry and to make the very connections that could change the trajectory of your life.
After competing at Prize events, our creatives have started companies, signed deals, opened retail businesses, and traveled the world — you could be next. The only question is: Are you in?