Any communications cable being buried in the right of way within the City of Natchitoches must receive a no-cost permit from the Utility Department. To obtain a permit, please call GIS Manager Renee Bennett at (318) 357-3850.

The Louisiana One Call program is a free service to help locate buried utility lines and help excavators and demolishers dig safely.

The Louisiana Damage Prevention Law requires excavators and demolishers to call at least 48 hours before they begin their work.  The law also requires owner/operators of underground facilities to mark locations or supply information that will enable excavators and demolishers to locate underground utilities and facilities.

Call 811 or (800) 272-3020 before you dig or visit:

www.laonecall.com

The City of Natchitoches is a member of LEPA, consisting of 18 Louisiana cities and towns, each maintaining its own independent municipal power system.

www.lepa.com

The City of Natchitoches Utility Department is responsible for transforming Natchitoches into the “City of Lights” each holiday season.  Work is done nearly year round in preparation for the transformation of our city into a wonderland of lights.  Utility crews begin installation in early fall of more than 300,000 Christmas lights in the Natchitoches Historic District, which serves as the heart of the Annual Natchitoches Christmas Festival and Festival of Lights.  The lights are officially turned on in mid November and remain on through the first week of January.

The Natchitoches Christmas Festival began in 1927 when Max Burgdorf, superintendent of utilities for the City of Natchitoches, built the first “set piece” and started a tradition that continues to this day.  The lighting display now consists of approximately 100 set pieces, many of which are animated.  Each set piece and design has been done in house by the utility department so our lighting exhibit is entirely unique and exclusive.  The lighting displays have also progressed from the simple 10 watt bulb to using the brighter LED bulbs.In addition to the brightness of the LED bulbs, they are more energy efficient and last longer keeping with the city’s efforts to conserve energy and be cost proficient.  Mr. Burgdorf’s very first set piece was a star and in tribute of that, a star set piece is always included in our yearly display.  In January, all of the set pieces are removed from the riverbank, all of the strings of lights are taken down and plans are already underway for the next spectacular Christmas celebration.

Natchitoches is a proud member of the Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights.  The Holiday Trail of Lights offers millions of lights, fireworks, live entertainment, Christmas musicals and parades. Made up of eight Louisiana cities:  Shreveport, Bossier City, Minden, Monroe, West-Monroe, Alexandria, Pineville and Natchitoches; each is within a 1.5 hour drive of each other via Interstate highways.  

For more information on the Christmas Festival, please visit www.christmasfestival.com.