Mid-October sets the stage for one of the most anticipated event weekends of the year, when downtown Shreveport and Bossier Parish Community College will be buzzing with Prize Fest, the iconic festival that has invited the world to our doorstep for the last 15 years.
“I’m a very nostalgic person,” says Gregory Kallenberg, executive director of the Prize Foundation and founder of Prize Fest. “I feel very deeply about what Prize Fest has become and the people who got me here. In the beginning, with Film Prize 1, I didn’t even know how to shut down the streets. People were running across busy streets to get to theaters,” he laughs. “I always cling to that first Film Prize; standing in front of Artspace, which was a theater then, watching people coming to get their passes, watching them come out of the theater happy. Film Prize has embedded itself in me; this crazy idea. I was joking the other day that in the first Film Prize we sold 416 tickets. I’m convinced my mom bought a hundred of them. Watching these people support an idea and gather around to put our arms together, knowing this could be something to last and grow and be super special. Today I stand in the same space, with 4,000 tickets for Film Prize alone, and think how lucky I am to be leading this organization, because people are still smiling. It is important to note where you’ve come from and where you’re going, hopefully to last forever.”
This year’s lineup includes Film Prize, along with other fan favorites, Music, Food and Comedy Prizes, and an inspiring new attraction with Photo Prize. In addition to these exciting competitions, there are countless opportunities to celebrate and enjoy the energy that this multiday extravaganza brings to our corner of Louisiana. This festival is sure to have something for everyone, so start planning now to fit it all in!
Prize Fest, featuring Film Prize, Music Prize, Comedy Prize, Food Prize and Photo Prize, runs from Wednesday, Oct. 14, through Sunday, Oct. 18, in downtown Shreveport and at Bossier Parish Community College in Bossier City. Ticket passes, which come with a collectible Festival Badge, include single-event passes for each of the Prize competitions, as well as a variety of VIP packages.
Visit Prizefest.com to purchase passes and map out your schedule.
Once you’re all set, be sure to share it, adding our light to this annual beacon to Northwest Louisiana. Don’t miss it!
Pruchase tickets at www.prizefest.com.
Film Prize 2026
“Everything began with Film Prize,” Gregory says. “I feel that Prize Fest is one of the most unique festivals on planet Earth. It is the largest film prize for short films. In the film world, money is considered the small prize. The connections we create for our artists by connecting them with a group of mentors who help elevate and transform careers is the big prize. After 15 years, we have mentor judges requesting to be here. Film Prize is about short films, but for a filmmaker, it is also about making feature films. Once a feature film is made, the world changes for that person.”
This vision for a stronger community began with a bold idea: create the largest cash prize for a short film in the world and tie it directly to a place. Filmmakers are invited to produce their films in Louisiana for a chance to win up to $25,000, with the top prize doubling to $50,000 for projects filmed in Caddo and Bossier parishes. Twenty finalist films are selected and screened at Prize Fest, where both the audience and a panel of judges help determine the winner.
“Here at Prize Fest, the expectation is to connect and do business in the future. It is a highly engineered event for artists, performers and mentors; a biosphere of creativity,” Gregory says. “My favorite description of Prize Fest is that it is likened to Creative Summer Camp, where people reconnect with colleagues and co-workers. Participants have not only gotten things from The Prize, but they also want to give back. If we can leave that legacy, we have succeeded.”
The importance of connection and networking is woven throughout the entire Prize Fest model. Filmmakers are encouraged to connect with local cast and crew through a Prize Artist Directory, which has postproduction experts as well. Everything a filmmaker needs to create a masterpiece is right here in Caddo and Bossier parishes.
This year’s Film Prize kicks off on Thursday, Oct. 15, with Film Prize University and Film Industry Panels at Robinson Film Center. Mentor judges from Film Prize will be hosting panel discussions, as well as Q&As regarding the independent film industry, the next steps to grow your filmmaking career and more. This event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is free to the public.
Thursday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. is the Film Prize Red Carpet Event at Prize Island in the 700 block of Texas Street in downtown Shreveport. Join the filmmakers and the stars of this year’s Louisiana Film Prize on the red carpet. This not-to-be-missed celebration is open to all and will feature photographers, a filmmaker speed date, a big toast with special drinks and more. This event is free with your Festival Pass.
Take a breath because the party doesn’t stop after the red carpet cameras stop clicking! Thursday’s celebration continues from 9 p.m. to midnight at the Red Carpet Afterglow Party, also free with your Festival Pass. Join us into the night with special drinks and mocktails just steps away from the red carpet!
Sleep fast because Friday morning film screenings begin bright and early at 9 a.m.! Pick one of the amazing theaters on tap for this year’s screenings and settle in to watch the Top 20 films competing for the up to $50,000 cash prize! You must watch all 20 films to vote. Theater locations include Robinson Film Center, Central Artstation, Prize Fest at BPCC Theater, as well as the endearing Capri Theater, which is returning this year as a venue. All Film Prize screenings for Friday, Oct. 16, and Saturday, Oct. 17, have the first screening beginning at 9 a.m., and the last screening at 10:15 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 18, will feature the Film Prize Awards Brunch, an invite-only affair, but anyone can find out the scoop while streaming online at Prizefest.com, where you can hear the announcement of the grand prize winner and best performers for Film Prize 2026!
Film Prize alumni have gone on to screen at major festivals, earn national recognition and achieve Oscar qualification, reinforcing Film Prize’s role as a launchpad for serious filmmakers and lasting creative impact. In 2025, Film Prize launched its yearlong film workforce development program in collaboration with Louisiana Economic Development with nearly 100 participants. They also collaborated with the Fort Worth Film Commission to offer the winning film a path to the Oscars, and nine filmmakers have relocated to our community!
Year after year, since its inception, Film Prize, along with the other Prize Competitions, continues to break new attendance records. What started as 80 film teams at the inception of Film Prize has had a domino effect over the years, leading to a whopping 1,200 short films as of 2025, not to mention the economic impact to our area every year. “Bands will bring their friends; filmmakers will bring their crew. We have groups from cities like Austin or New Orleans, who just truck in for Prize Fest,” says Gregory. “We’re putting on a world-class festival in Shreveport, Louisiana. This is incredibly important. The people in Shreveport-Bossier are the kindest I’ve ever met in my life; that is what makes it special; that is what keeps bringing people back. Watching the support of the artist film community, the chef community, the music and comedy community; everyone is enabling each other to advance and be better.”
“Part of my background was working with South by Southwest, and literally how to put more interactivity into an experience for 35,000 people,” says Gregory. “Film Prize was built to be a highly interactive model, so the other prizes naturally evolved in that way. We saw the benefits for Film Prize, so we incorporated them into the other prizes.” Film Prize does more than bring creative entrepreneurs to Northwest Louisiana to make a film. It helps them imagine a future here.
Food Prize 2026
You can’t have a festival in Louisiana without mouth-watering, delectable food showcasing what this area has to offer. The 2026 Food Prize has you covered with two opportunities to sample the latest and greatest in the culinary world and another to watch chefs battle it out for the Golden Fork right here in Shreveport!
Food Prize has provided a platform for our local chefs and restaurants to reach larger audiences, build community with one another and to further expand their opportunities for connection with talented chefs from around the country. This nationally unique program continues to lead to delicious results! Gregory Kallenberg reflects on how they incorporated the mentorship of Film Prize into other areas. “With Food Prize, we asked ourselves, how do we make these local chefs better? We bring in celebrity chefs as mentors, and it grew up in a way that I didn’t expect at all.”
Competing chefs stretch their culinary talents hosting elaborate dinners in spring and summer through the Society of the Golden Fork dinner series. The top-scoring chefs advance to compete at Prize Fest. Food Prize, established in 2015, attracts nationally renowned chefs to our city. Food Prize was designed to energize, educate and activate our restaurant and chef community through mentorship programs, events and competitions. Food Prize has helped establish Northwest Louisiana as a food capital on the rise, including six local restaurants started by Food Prize chef alumni, and local chefs vaulted into the national spotlight on TV shows and in articles. Last year’s Food Prize showcased 12 Golden Fork chefs, six Golden Shaker competitors and seven Top Chef alumni.
Since 2015, Food Prize has focused on cultivating and evolving the culinary culture of our region.
The result of this effort has put our region on the map as a burgeoning hotspot for food and drink, with accolades such as the first Golden Fork chef to be named a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2023. Food Prize is dedicated to providing opportunities for collaboration, inspiration and professional growth while shining a bright light on the incredible culinary talent we have here in our own community.
During the finals, each of the chefs will be paired with a national celebrity chef. The chef teams will compete during Prize Fest at the Come and Get It! Dining Experience on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at the Remington Suite Hotel & Spa, 220 Travis St., from 6 to 10 p.m. Come and Get It! is the premier food event at Prize Fest, which features chef finalists creating one-of-a-kind dishes where the audience has the opportunity to judge the winners! At this year’s “Come and Get It!” event, the finalist chefs will create amazing dishes for you to taste and compete for prizes! Your goal: Taste each dish and cast your vote for your favorite chef. Then cocktail artists will pour unique drinks, which you can sample and then cast your vote for the best drink to win the Golden Shaker Award! As if that wasn’t enough to tempt your taste buds, enjoy wine tastings, charcuterie, desserts and more to round out your evening. It’s heating up to be a night to remember! Tickets for the Food Pass, as well as all passes, are available online at Prizefest.com.
On Friday, Oct. 16, the Food Prize BBQ, which was introduced in 2025, is back! Stop by Prize Island in the 700 block of Texas Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., where BBQ expert Chef Lewis “Sweet Lew” Donald is stirring up an authentic, down-home BBQ feast with slow-cooked favorites, homestyle sides and a sweet dessert prepared just for you. Your ticket gets you five food tickets to exchange for dishes. Nonalcoholic drinks are included, and a cash bar will be available. Tickets are limited. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!
Take a breath because Friday is not finished. Once you’ve experienced the BBQ, caught a few films, actually 20, and lost yourself in the Friday Night Music Showdown, there is still time to dance the night away at Prize Fest’s Friday Night Party beginning at 9 p.m., complete with DJ and decorations! Festival Pass holders enter for free.
Saturday, Oct. 17, marks the culmination for this culinary extravaganza with the Battle for the Golden Fork Final Cookoff! Join us in the 700 block of Texas Street from 6 to 8 p.m. as the three finalist chefs, selected from Wednesday’s Come and Get It! event, face off Chopped-style, live and in person right in the heart of downtown Shreveport. Competitors will be given a pantry of kitchen staples, a cooking station, a special mystery ingredient and 40 minutes to deliver a stunning dish to the Food Prize judges. This event is free and open to the public, so arrive early to secure the best view for cheering on your favorite chef!
Comedy Prize 2026
The Comedy Prize, introduced in 2021, is a nationally recognized comedy competition, with 2026 being on point to deliver even more high-caliber performances, so get ready to laugh! Comedy finalists have an opportunity to not only perform in front of a live audience on Thursday, Oct. 15, they also have a chance to network with a panel that includes acclaimed comedians and influential industry figures.
Comedy Prize serves as a springboard for rising talent, offering a rare chance to network with professionals who have the expertise and connections to elevate careers in the world of stand-up comedy. The winner will take home a prize of $2,500. The Comedy Prize has become a cultural highlight, drawing attention from media and audiences across the region while positioning Northwest Louisiana as a hub for emerging comedic talent and entertainment excellence. Just last year, Comedy Prize winner Peter Revello was featured on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, who referenced both Prize Fest and Shreveport, Louisiana.
The Comedy Prize Standup Showdowns will be in the Prize Garage at 211 Market St. Shows are at 6 and 8 p.m. This event is uncensored and not recommended for younger Prizers. Arrive early to get your drinks and get in line to enter because seating is first-come, first-served! The Standup Showdown has been a sold-out stand-up event for five years in a row. The winner will be announced at the end of the 8 p.m. show.
Photo Prize 2026
Photo Prize is an innovative and exciting addition to this year’s Prize Fest. Thirty finalists, from novices to professionals, will have their work printed and displayed in an exhibition at Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC). Work will include the vibrant communities of Caddo and Bossier parishes, whether that is a crafted session or hitting the streets for candid shots. “Jennifer Robison, who has been a longtime photographer for Prize Fest, came up with the idea of Photo Prize,” says Gregory. “What we settled on with the collaboration of Jennifer Lawrence and Jen Wasserman from BPCC is for participants to take photos around Shreveport-Bossier, showing our community in a different light, the architecture, the wildlife, however they see it.”
The Photo Prize exhibition will be held at BPCC, Building A, and is free and open to the public. Attendees can cast their vote on Oct. 16 and 17 for the People’s Choice Award, which comes with a $500 prize, while judges will select the grand prize winner of the Golden Lens Award, a $1,000 cash prize. The winners will be announced Monday, Oct. 19, at BPCC, and the exhibit will run through Dec. 4, giving extended exposure to this amazing talent showcasing our diverse corner of the state to the community.
Like all good things, there has to be an end, or let’s just say a pause until next year. Pop on over to the Capri Theatre, 630 Milam St., Saturday night from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. for the Prize Fest Closing Party featuring food and drink, both nonalcoholic and alcoholic, which you will need to be a part of the Prize Fest Closing Toast with the biggest, baddest, barbaric YAWP ever as we bring home the final night with the Big Exhale Prize Fest Closing Toast.
As with any endeavor of this magnitude that involves planning year-round, it takes a village to make it happen. “We are a nonprofit and for me to watch the Shreveport-Bossier community rise up to support something like this,” adds Gregory, “makes us super special. It allows us to connect with the community who want cool things to happen and who will support it. I have a deep appreciation for the people who support us with their finances, wisdom and guidance. We have 15 years of experience and volunteers who are second to none, and I’ve never worked with a staff this passionate and focused on creating something super special because of their care and love. It is a joy. I’ve hit the jackpot with my staff and this community and beyond.”
Prize Fest and Gregory Kallenberg have both garnered attention and awards for the heart and growth of this festival, including being a Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Champion of Culture Awardee and the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Cleveland International Film Festival. “Recognition is great, real change is what moves me,” says Gregory. “I want Shreveport and Bossier to be welcoming to innovation. If I can leave a legacy, it is to inspire people to embrace, to continue to create a better city, a better conscience and a better attitude for their city. At the end of the day, I truly feel like this is something that can help us look at ourselves in a different way.”
“I harken back to one of my favorite moments from Prize Fest that I’ll never forget. I was in the Capri Theatre; it was a packed house. When the lights came up, I looked into the audience, and there were people from all walks of life. Film Prize is welcoming and offers something to everyone, with a price point for everyone. We really try to open this up so everyone is invited to this party, and everyone can dance under the big tent. This is special and everybody needs to embrace it. It is super important that people understand there is a place for them.”
You can learn more about Prize Fest, the lineups, plan your schedule and more at www.Prizefest.com.
