CHURCH HAT EXHIBITION TAKES PLACE THIS WEEK IN LOUISIANA

The North Central Louisiana Arts Council and the Lincoln Parish Library are partnering up to host “Our Hats: Our Crowns” Exhibition, Nov. 6-21 at the Library.

The exhibition of women's historic and contemporary church hats will be curated by Dr. Susan Roach, folklorist for the Regional Folklife Program at Louisiana Tech University. Roach collected and documented stories about hats for the exhibition.

"Wearing hats for church on Sunday morning is an important tradition that reaches back into the 1800s. Most of us in the South grew up in churches where hats were worn, although the tradition is less strong today,” said Roach.

Dr. Roach will also document hats and develop an online photo essay of hats and narratives for the Louisiana Regional Folklife Program website. The library, located at 919 N. Trenton St., is open to the public during the library hours: Monday - Thursday: 9 a.m.- 8 p.m.; Friday - Saturday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Sunday: 1 - 5 p.m. There is no charge for viewing the exhibit.

The library will also host two free two-hour hat-design workshops; one for children on Nov. 16 at 4 p.m. and one for teens on Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. The two free workshops will be presented by Jennifer Purdy, coordinator of the Webster Parish Library's Children's Department. Refreshments will also be available. The hats made by the children will be displayed after the workshop in the children's area of the library also (if the artists consent).

These activities are being held in conjunction with the NCLAC performance of Crowns by Mahogany Theatre on Nov. 17, at the Dixie Center for the Arts in Ruston; call 255-1450 for tickets and information.