Country Roads Magazine "Gifts of the Gulf South Issue" December 2025
8
REFLECTIONS
All I want for Christmas is a can of Off by James Fox-Smith
NOTEWORTHIES
GIVING BACK TO THE GULF
This holiday season, your presence in the coastal trenches matters by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
Publisher James Fox-Smith
Associate
Publisher
Ashley Fox-Smith
11
WONDERLANDS
Small town Louisiana brings out the festive big guns
42
Inside the online community preserving the Louisiana vegetable pear, one seed at a time by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
COCODRIE DREAMS
How Louisiana artist Colette Bernard is dismantling the myth of the starving artist, one whimsical accessory at a time by Catherine Schoeffler Comeaux
On the Cover
GIFTS OF THE GULF SOUTH
A community theatre revival in Baton Rouge, a statue raising in Marksville & a camp at Como THE QUEENS OF COMMANDERS
“SWEET AND SPICY”
Artwork by Carlos Lopez
“When I opened this oyster, it reminded me of twins,” said artist Carlos Lopez of the bivalve that inspired the painting on this month’s cover; “one sweet,”— draped in kumquats—”the other spicy”—festooned with hot peppers from his garden. Lopez’s grand body of work is a study of Louisiana’s iconic, and often beautiful, shellfish, elevated to a symbol of “life, resilience, and interconnectedness.” The oyster, in Lopez’s works, represents the remarkable bounty of this region, a place rich in cuisine, in beauty, in celebration— in life. The gifts are everywhere, if you know where to look.
Escapes
Local personalities share their go-tos for gift-giving by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot 29
Spare a thought for the long-suffering TV producer tryinghto hput together a Christmas fundraising special in mid-November. This was the lot handed to my friend Kathy Scherer, who, as Public Information Officer for Louisiana Public Broadcasting, was producing “A Louisiana Holiday,” a Christmas-themed pledge drive showcasing holiday destinations around the state, that would run in Louisiana: The State We’re In time slots during December.
When Kathy called looking for some local “talent” to join LSWI’s news anchors to co-host “A Louisiana Holiday,” I was glad to volunteer. Some might know that, in addition to my efforts at Country Roads, I host LPB’s Art Rocks! program, and as an admirer of locally produced television like Louisiana: The State We’re In and Ziggy’s Arts Adventure, and national shows like Antiques Roadshow, NOVA, Masterpiece Theatre, and PBS NewsHour, I believe that LPB’s contributions to the quality of life, learning, and culture in Louisiana are hard to overstate.
In any case, the project sounded like a lark. Kathy explained that “A Louisiana Holiday” would be shot at Baton Rouge’s Burden Museum & Gardens, against the backdrop of Louisiana Lights, the holi-
day lighting extravaganza at Windrush Gardens that debuted last year, which I hadn’t yet seen. I would be co-hosting alongside LWSI host Christina Rogers and Executive Producer Linda Midgett, consummate professionals both, and segments would be shot at the Radiant Rondelle, the spectacular lighting installation that appeared on the December 2024 cover of this magazine. What’s more, during early November, the weather had finally turned cool, so the prospect of dressing festively and hanging out at a Christmas lighting display introducing viewers to holiday destinations sounded like a good opportunity to support one of the state’s great institutions. What, I wondered, could go wrong?
“Arrive around 4:30. Wear something Christmas-y,” Kathy said. My wardrobe is short on ugly Christmas sweaters, so I settled on a white shirt, red tie, and woolen sports jacket, and arrived at Burden in late afternoon. By the time everyone converged on the Radiant Rondelle, LPB’s production crew had lights and cameras in place and were waiting on some action. My co-hosts Linda and Christina arrived resplendent in red and green.
As dusk settled, the challenges of creating good TV in an outdoor Louisiana setting at night began to reveal themselves. The weather was no longer Christmas-y. After early November’s brief cold snap, the temperature had shot back up into the eighties, with humidity to match. Beneath the klieg lights in front
of the cameras, it felt hotter, and as shooting got underway, the three of us began to glow like Christmas ornaments. To South Louisiana’s abundant insect life, nothing screams “all-you-can-eat-buffet” like three mammals stranded for hours beneath high-intensity lights and, as darkness deepened, every mosquito south of Florida Boulevard apparently got the message. I’m no great TV talent, but trust me when I tell you it’s hard to deliver lines with a smile while a half dozen mosquitoes settle noisily on the back of your neck. The ladies, bare-legged in holiday cocktail dresses, had it worse, and between takes, we sweated, swatted, and said un-Christmasy things while the production crew looked on with the patience of Job.
As evening progressed, Louisiana Lights filled with visitors. Since we were standing in front of its iconic installation, we became one with the incandescent display. In take after take, delighted children dashed through the frame, emitting shrieks that made a mockery of the phrase, “Quiet on the set.” While we
were shooting the final segment, somebody somewhere tripped over an extension cord, plunging part of the set into darkness. No matter. With a few good takes and visions of West Nile Virus dancing in our heads, cast and crew decided it was a good time to call it a night. As you probably know, this has been a hard year for public broadcasting, in Louisiana and pretty much everywhere else. The elimination of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting brought $4.6 million in cuts to Louisiana public broadcasting networks including LPB, WYES, and WLAE TV; WRKF/ WWNO, WWOZ radio, and others. If these institutions, which do so much to shine light on the state’s current affairs, politics, environment, art, music, sports, history, and cuisine were to go dark, the loss of public awareness, learning, and identity will be incalculable. Commercial media outlets like The Advocate, WAFB, or dare I say it, Country Roads, certainly can’t do that alone. The state’s public broadcasters can’t, either. So, this year more than ever, please consider supporting the public broadcasting services you care about. Your life and the lives of all Louisianans will be richer for it.
LPB’s “A Louisiana Holiday” pledge special will premiere December 9 at 7 pm, with an encore December 13 at 10:30 am. Or become a member anytime at lpb.org.
AT THE COURTHOUSE WHERE HE REGAINED HIS FREEDOM, SOLOMON NORTHUP IS MEMORIALIZED IN BRONZE
On January 4, 1853, twelve hyears after he was kidhnapped and trafficked from Washington, D.C. to Louisiana, Solomon Northup walked out of the Avoyelles Parish Courthouse a free man. And on January 4, 2026, his story will be memorialized in the very same plaza, as a statue is raised in his honor.
“God, this is just an amazing thing that occurred here,” said Charles Riddle III, District Attorney of Avoyelles Parish and member of the Solomon Northup Commemorative Committee. “It’s freedom, enacted on our courthouse lawn.”
Northup was born in 1807, free. His father had been freed from enslavement, and his mother was a free person of color. Living in New York, he grew up to be a professional violinist, an educated man who lived his early adult years in Saratoga Springs with his wife and three children.
In 1841, under the guise of offering Northup a musical opportunity, two white men convinced him to leave his home. They drugged him and chained him, selling him to a slave trader for $250. He was whisked away on the slave ship, the Brig Orleans, and sold at one of the South’s biggest markets for the en-
slaved at a price of $1,000. He would be forced to work on sugar and cotton plantations in Central Louisiana for twelve years before his family found him, after local carpenter Samuel Bass intervened.
Through legal maneuvers by a northern attorney called Henry Northup (a grand nephew of the man who enslaved Solomon Northup’s father)—who traveled to Louisiana to fight Northup’s case—with help from New York governor William Hunt and Marksville, Louisiana attorney John P. Waddill, Northup was determined a free citizen of New York who could not legally be held against his will as a slave.
“It’s an example of the justice system working,” said Riddle, who is the author of The Life and Diary of John P. Waddill: The Lawyer Who Freed Solomon Northup, 1813–1855. “I just kind of looked up to [Waddill], for standing up for what’s right in a pro-slavery parish.”
The remarkable story became part of the rallying cry of abolitionists at the time, and resulted in Northup’s bestselling memoir, Twelve Years a Slave —which remains a powerful firsthand account of what it was to be enslaved in the United States. The book was later adapted into the Oscar-winning 2013 feature film by John Ridley and Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
Last year, The Solomon Northup Committee for Commemorative Works commissioned Emmy and Oscar-winning sculptor Wesley Wooford to create the world’s first statue of Northup—of whom there exists only one woodcut portrait, published in his memoir. Combining that image with the physical features of Northup’s descendants, Wooford created the work, Hope Out of Darkness which depicts the man physically rising into a state of freedom.
The statue is interactive, taking the viewer on a journey through Northup’s life using symbols and varying perspectives depending on what angle you are viewing the work from. In his right hand, Northup holds a twelve-link chain, the last link burst open. In his left, he raises what appears from afar to be a torch, but upon closer inspection is revealed to be papers—papers of freedom, the papers in which he would someday tell his story.
Throughout 2025, the sculpture
traveled across the country on a limited engagement tour, taking up residence at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana; Haverstraw African American Memorial Park in Haverstraw, New York; Saratoga Spa State Park in Northup’s former hometown in New York; the Alexandria Museum of Art in Central Louisiana; and the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston, Massachusetts. Now, it will be permanently installed
in Marksville, Louisiana, right in front of the Avoyelles Parish Courthouse. The plaza in which it will rise features quotes from Twelve Years a Slave, telling the story through Northup’s own words.
The public is invited to witness the official raising of the statue on January 4 at 2 pm at the courthouse.
Learn more at snccw.com.
—Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
A Campsite for Kenwood
A PRIVATE PARK AT COMO LANDING, DEDICATED TO A ST. FRANCISVILLE ICON
Anyone looking for the origins of West Feliciana parish’s hippy-bohemian haesthetic inevitably finds their way to the door—or perhaps to the tent flap—of Kenwood Kennon. Since the 1970s, Kenwood’s name has been synonymous with St. Francisville’s Shade Tree Bed & Breakfast, which sprang up like a cluster of magic mushrooms atop a wooded hill in the Historic District, in whimsical structures largely of Kenwood’s own devising. At that time Kenwood also owned a remote and gorgeous riverside property deep in the Tunica Hills named Como Landing. Como, as anyone who has been there will affirm, is one of the enchanted places—a hundred acres of grassy meadows and hardwood tracts sweeping down out of the Tunica Hills and ending in a mile of Mississippi River frontage facing the setting sun. During the late seventies, Kenwood opened Como as a commune, and many who visited during those years will recall the sight of Kenwood, a bit of a cavalier bush pilot, bringing his single-engine plane in low over the river at sunset to land in the grassy meadow that stretches along the banks of Como Bayou. Commune economics being what they are, though, Kenwood ultimately had to sell Como, and the site went through several changes of ownership before eventually being bought by Baton Rougean Char-
lie Cole, who has re-opened the property as a spiritual retreat. Kenwood never lost his love for Como, though, and since the sale, Charlie has guaranteed him perpetual access, particularly to a beloved campsite in a grove of trees at the spot where Como Bayou and the Mississippi meet. On quiet nights through the decades, Kenwood would return regularly to this site, to pitch a tent beneath the trees, play a tune or two on his guitar, and watch the broad waters roll on by.
Nowadays Kenwood doesn’t fly his plane anymore—or drive, for that matter, time having taken its toll. But while Kenwood’s riverside camping days are likely behind him, Charlie Cole hasn’t forgotten the promise he made to his old friend. This month, Kenwood’s longtime connection to Como will be honored when his campsite beside Como Bayou is dedicated in his name, as the Kenwood Kennon Private Park—a lasting tribute to the stewardship, friendship, and spirit of sharing that have attended Kenwood’s long tenure in St. Francisville, every step of the way.
The Kenwood Kennon Private Park Dedication will take place December 12 from 4 pm–6 pm at Como Retreat, 5000 Como Road. If you would like to attend, contact Kami Weidenbacher at (225) 301-5451 or kamirweidenbacher@gmail.com.
—James Fox-Smith
The statue, Hope Out of the Darkness, by Wesley Wooford.
Resurrecting a Dramatic Legacy
THEATRE BATON ROUGE TO BE REVIVED AS MID CITY CIVIC THEATRE
Eight months after the curtain fell on Theatre Baton hRouge’s final show, a team hof arts-minded volunteers is reviving the legacy institution and its performance space on Florida Boulevard. Mid City Civic Theatre, operating under the same nonprofit organization as TBR, is bringing life back to Baton Rouge’s beloved community theatre—albeit under fresh leadership, with a new board, and with different financial expectations.
“I got real cheesy at one point,” said Caty LeJeune, one of the theatre’s co-founders. “I was like, ‘[it’s] a phoenix rising from the ashes!” Clichés aside, the theatre has undergone a sort of rebirth, bringing together a coalition of four volunteers with extensive professional theatrical experience and a shared mission to resuscitate the cash-strapped theatre, along with the cultural impact it had on the Baton Rouge community.
TBR announced its closure last spring due to monetary woes, despite its board’s best efforts to keep the theatre in the black. After wrapping one final show, Xanadu, in March to close out its seven-
ty-ninth season, the building’s doors were locked, its stages darkened.
“Covid did a number on theatre ticket numbers. Ticket sales for all our arts organizations are still not back to preCovid numbers. Supplies and the cost of everything just skyrocketed. So I think everything kind of hit a perfect storm,” LeJeune said. “And the business model that Theatre Baton Rouge was operating under just was not sustainable. They were producing thirteen shows a year … and putting out so much phenomenal work—but that also costs a lot of money.”
In the wake of TBR’s demise, LeJeune (an alumna of the theatre and pivotal figure in the development of its young actors program) and her theatre colleagues were heartbroken—as were denizens of the broader drama scene in Baton Rouge. She and three friends with arts and business experience set about the seemingly insurmountable task of resurrecting the theatre. Just before Halloween, the group launched its new name, inspired by the community theatre’s original moniker when it was founded in the late 1940s.
“When the organization was founded,
they were founded as ‘Baton Rouge Civic Theater,’ so we wanted to kind of keep that ‘civic’ part of it. And also, supporting the arts is a civic duty—it’s something that makes our community better,” LeJeune said. “It all goes back to honoring the legacy and continuing the growth.”
In addition to paring back the number of shows (“thirteen shows per season is just non-stop”), the new theatre model will emphasize rental opportunities for other drama troupes and organizations who lack a brick-and-mortar setup—offering both the 327-seat theatre and the 100-seat blackbox. LeJeune also plans to revive the educational programming that TBR was known for, recreating a shared space for training and fellowship.
The theatre’s leaders hope to pull in community members who care about the performing arts; in recent days, almost forty volunteers showed up, armed with brooms and disinfecting wipes, to clean the formerly shuttered venue on Florida Boulevard in preparation for opening. The Civic’s board hopes to act in concert with other theatre organizations when it comes to scheduling shows, so that pa-
trons don’t have to choose between drama groups to support the arts locally.
On December 18, Mid City Civic Theatre will host a one-night fundraiser in advance of its first ticketed production in summer 2026. Holiday Lights at The Civic will feature live performances, food and drinks, and a look at the new theatre as a community hub in Mid City.
“This is also not the first community theatre to have a dark period. Theatres around the country, at different points of time, have said, ‘Hey look, we need to turn off the lights and close the doors for a little bit and regroup,” LeJeune added.
“When things get rough, you kind of have to take that really big step back and say ‘Okay—we need a pause.’ We need to look at what was working and how we can continue to make that work. We need to look at what wasn’t working, and how can we change it to keep moving forward?”
Despite the intervening months of despair after the spring closure, it looks like the theatre will produce its eightieth season after all. midcitycivic.org.
—Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
DECEMBER
Celebrate the Gulf South's holiday season— which is built on boat parades, bayou-forward Nutcracker ballets, and breathtaking illumination up and down the Mississippi . . .
Find our regular listings of non-holidayadjacent events starting on page 24.
Holiday Events In Greater Baton Rouge
December 1–20: Livingston Holiday Marketplace : With the change of the seasons comes more opportunities to grab gifts for your friends and family, including the Arts Council of Livingston Parish's annual Holiday Marketplace. With many different art works in various mediums, there is sure to be a wide range of possible gifts for everyone on your list. Free. artslivingston.org.
December 1–30: Holiday Lights at Baton Rouge General: Baton Rouge General once again transforms the greenspace in front of the hospital into a dazzling winter wonderland—complete with a musically synchronized lights display. Begins nightly at 5:30 pm. Free. brgeneral.org.
December 1–30: Louisiana Lights: Burden Museum & Gardens once again glows this holiday season, with hundreds of twinkling lights guiding visitors through an enchanted landscape filled with holiday delight. 5:30–8:30 pm. $22; free for children three and younger. lsuagcenter.com.
December 1–30: Zoo Lights: Generations of Capital City families have built a holiday tradition around a visit to BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo to see Zoo
Lights—featuring scores of illuminated, larger-than-life displays of flamingos, giraffes, lions, tigers, gorillas, and more; and a range of festive family activities that lights up the night all month long. 5:30 pm–8 pm nightly. $5 adults; $4 seniors; $3 ages two through twelve; free for one and under. Visitors who bring a non-perishable food item will receive a 50% discount on admission. Closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. brzoo.org.
December 2–3: Cool Winter Nights and Hot Jazz : For the fourteenth year, The Manship Theatre will bring a broad assortment of jazz talents to the stage for its Cool Winter Nights and Hot Jazz concert. This year, the evening of contemporary arrangements and holiday classics will be performed along with a special remembrance of Fr. Greg Daigle. Featuring special guest Sasha Masakowski with the familiar jazz ensemble. 7:30 pm both nights. $40–$60. manshiptheatre.org.
December 4–21: "Elf the Musical" at the Sullivan : Watch a hapless man learn that he is not, in fact, an elf born to live and work in the North Pole. Song and dance are a natural fit. At the Sullivan, with performances running Thursday–Sunday. 7:30 pm; 2 pm on Sundays. $28–$39. sullivantheater.com.
December 5: Festival of Lights: Make merry at Rhorer Plaza, ringing in the season with the lighting of the grand thirty-foot tree and fireworks, free ice skating, local vendors for last-minute shopping needs, and more. Free. 4 pm–8 pm. downtownbatonrouge.org.
December 5: Santa in the Senate : Louisiana's Old State Capitol plays host to old St. Nick himself. Enjoy an evening of cheer filled with holiday crafts, a cozy Christmas movie, and photos with Santa. 6:30 pm–8:30 pm. Free. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.
December 5–7: Christmasville
Spectacular : A curated experience of all things Christmas, designed for fanatics especially craving those warm fuzzy feelings of the holidays. Start indoors for the Denham Springs First Baptist Church's presentation of "The Lighting of Christmasville," featuring performances and more. It's an experience designed to foster lifelong holiday memories for the entire family. Free. firstdenham.com.
December 5–7: LSU Museum of Art Store Holiday Shopping : The LSU MOA invites all to shop unique holiday gifts, local artwork, and more with a special deal of twenty percent off any one item (excluding George Rodrigue merchandise), plus free gift wrap and raffle prizes. 10 am–5 pm. lsumoa.org.
Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre's The Nutcracker: A Tale from the Bayou returns to the Raising Cane's River Center on December 20 and 21, showcasing the talents of Capital Region and international dancers. Photo courtesy of BRBT. See more on page 13.
Holiday Events
In Greater Baton Rouge
December 6: Saturday Night Ballroom's "A Very Merry Christmas" Holiday Dance Party: Head to the American Legion hall in Baton Rouge for a holiday night to remember with special performances from dance pros. Expect music perfect for ballroom, Latin, and swing dancing—and be sure to dress in holiday attire. 7 pm–10 pm. $15. batonrougeballroom.com.
December 6: Civic Orchestra Holiday Concert : The Civic Orchestra of Baton Rouge presents its annual holiday concert at the Main Library at Goodwood, playing seasonal favorites by Leroy Anderson—along with the Hallelujah Chorus. This year's concert features a special presentation of Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, narrated by local puppeteer and radio DJ Clay Achee. 3 pm. Free. ebrpl.com.
December 6: Coca-Cola Christmas: A Month of Magic at LASM Kickoff : LASM is getting all gussied up for the big, jolly day—but first for a celebration kicking off its Coca-Cola Christmas month of festive activities. Expect a day filled with special holiday crafts, balloon animals, Sneaux to Geaux science experiments, seasonal screenings in the planetarium, and an
appearance from the Clausey old guy himself in the Coca Cola truck. 10 am–2 pm. Free with admission. lasm.org.
December 6: Knock Knock's Holly Jolly PJ Party: It's not every day you are given permission (or a request) to wear your most festive pajamas to a party. The Knock Knock Children's Museum will become a winter wonderland, filled with all types of hands-on play, fun, and good, old-fashioned holiday cheer. There will be much Sneaux to be had, along with hot chocolate, donuts, and more treats for the taking. 9 am–11 am. $18; free for children two and younger. knockknockmuseum.org.
December 6: Broadmoor Christmas
Parade : A beloved tradition in Baton Rouge's Broadmoor neighborhood, this parade features local school groups, antique cars, nonprofit organizations, and Santa Claus himself. Kicks off at noon, starting from the Broadmoor High School. 11 am. broadmoor-br.org.
December 6–January 2: Nativity at Louisiana State Capitol: Visit the State Capitol during the Christmas Season to see it fully decorated for the holidays,
including a Nativity Scene beside the giant Christmas Tree in the Memorial Hall. Free. Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day. visitbatonrouge.com.
December 6: Christmas in Central Parade : Don't miss this festive celebration down Joor Road in the charming community of Central. 9 am. cityofcentralchamber.com.
December 6: Reindog Run: BREC is hosting its third annual Reindog Run this year, inviting Christmas pups of all shapes and sizes to compete for the title of Champion Reindog. 8 am–1 pm at the Comite River Conservation Area. $35. brec.org.
December 7: Wassailing in Windrush: The LSU Rural Life Museum's Windrush Gardens welcomes all to a holiday tradition like no other. Take an evening stroll through beautifully illuminated gardens, enjoy holiday music by the Greater King David Choir and James Linden Hogg, partake in seasonal food and drink, and celebrate the yuletide magic. 5 pm–7:30 pm. $65. bontempstix.com.
December 7: Baton Rouge Concert Band
Christmas: The Baton Rouge Concert Band has been busy practicing favorite Christmas songs, with plans to perform at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge. The program for the concert will cover
classic Christmas songs ("A Christmas Festival," "Sleigh Ride," and Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus") alongside other seasonal favorites like "Greensleeves" and "We Three Kings." 3 pm. Free. brcb.org.
December 7: A Rural Life Christmas: LSU's Rural Life Museum's old-fashioned Louisiana Christmas celebration conjures up a century and a half of reminiscences on the grounds of the acclaimed museum. 11 am–4:30 pm. $14.38; $12.24 for children; children three and younger free. lsu.edu/rurallife. bontempstix.com.
December 11: Réveillon Dinner at the Stockade Bed & Breakfast : This year, start a new holiday tradition at the Stockade Bed & Breakfast, which will host it's first Réveillon dinner for a small gathering of thirty guests. 6 pm–9 pm. $175 with wine pairings; $145 for a non-alcoholic seating. thestockade.com.
December 11–21: Ascension Community Theatre presents "Miracle on 34th Street": This delightful family-friendly story explores the journey of Kris Kringle, an old man in a retirement home who gets a job working as Santa. Showing Thursday–Sunday. 7 pm; 2 pm on Sundays. $18–$33. actgonzales.org.
December 11–30: Skating on the River : Bundle up and get out on the ice this holiday season: the Raising Cane's River Center is offering ice skating on a winter
Holiday Open House at the West Baton Rouge Museum: The West Baton Rouge Museum opens its doors for the holiday season, transforming the space into a winter wonderland featuring Santa's workshop, a Christmas tree around which musical guests will rock all evening long, hot cider, gingerbread, and a "Find the Elves" scavenger hunt. 6 pm–8 pm. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.org.
December 13: Denham Springs Christmas Parade : Use the holidays as the perfect excuse to prepare for Mardi Gras, and head to Denham for this special local tradition. Parade rolls at 2 pm. Visit business.livingstonparishchamber.org for details.
December 13: Let It Sneaux : Santa is coming to BREC's Perkins Road Community Park, and he is bringing all the goodies with him. S'mores, hot chocolate, sneaux, and much more. 2 pm–6 pm. Free. brec.org.
December 14: Creole Christmas at Magnolia Mound: Historic Magnolia Mound is decked out in its Christmas finery today, as local schoolchildren gather to sing traditional songs in French and Spanish. Period demonstrations, folk crafts, and a bonfire also help to welcome Papa Noël. Explore booths from artisans and craftspeople offering handmade items for sale. Noon–5 pm. Free. brec.org.
December 18: Holiday Lights at The Civic : This one-night-only performance seeks to raise funds for the newly launched Mid City Civic Theatre after Theatre Baton Rouge's closure earlier this year. The night includes live performances from talented singers, musicians, and theatre artists,
Manship Theatre, celebrate the holiday season by attending this moving opera based on Italian folktales of the Nativity and Epiphany. Follow the story of Amahl, a young, poverty-stricken, disabled boy, who lives near Bethlehem—and what he discovers the night of Christ's birth. 7:30 pm; 3 pm on Sunday. $31.50–$61.50. operalouisiane.com.
December 19–23: A Dulcimer and Drums Holiday Concert : Madam Dulcimer and Lady Chops are joining forces for an unforgettable holiday kids concert at various East Baton Rouge Parish libraries. Find the schedule at ebrpl.com.
December 20: “Christmas Express: A Journey Through Time”: Join the Baton Rouge Chorus of Sweet Adelines at the Irene W. Pennington Planetarium inside the Louisiana Art and Science Museum, and step into a stunning visual and auditory experience of the sights and sounds of Christmas through time. 6 pm; a festive reception will follow the performance at 7 pm. $30; $20 for children twelve and younger. batonrougechorus.org.
December 20–21: "The Nutcracker: A Tale from the Bayou": In this part of the world, the long-running Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre production of The Nutcracker is part of the season. Each year for generations, local and national dancers of all ages have flitted and fluttered across the stage of the River Center, breathing hyper-local life into Tchaikovsky's masterpiece to the tune of Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra accompaniment. 2 pm and 6 pm each day at the River Center Theatre for Performing Arts. $40–$95. batonrougeballet.org.
Head to TerraBella Village on December 12 for a special community event kicking off the holidays, featuring an appearance from Mr. Claus, live holiday musical performances, candlelight caroling, Christmas crafts, and more. Photo courtesy of TerraBella. Learn more at terrabellavillage.com.
Holiday Events
In CENLA, NORLA, and NOLA
HOLIDAYS IN CENTRAL AND NORTH LOUISIANA
December 1–January 3: Candy
Cane Lane : The Hanson family in Monroe invites all to drive through the wonderland of over one million Christmas lights installed on their fifty-two acres of private property—an immersive drivethru Christmas experience designed to instill all of the excitement and magic of childhood in visitors of every age. 6 pm–10 pm. $25 per vehicle; $50 per commercial vehicle (church van, fifteenpassenger can, etc). candycanelane.net.
December 1–31: Freedom Trees at the Chennault Aviation & Military Museum: The Chennault Aviation & Military Museum honors the veterans and those currently serving in the U.S. military during this holiday season with a stunning tribute of its Freedom Trees. See them alight all through New Year's Eve. Free. chennaultmuseum.org.
December 1–January 1: Land of Lights: It's truly the perfect excuse for a magical evening stroll—soak up the magic of the light displays throughout Downtown Monroe & West Monroe, which get
turned on at 5:30 pm each night. holidaytrailoflights.com.
December 1–January 5: Logansport
Christmas Festival: The village of Logansport will come together at the start of the season to light up the town, transforming it into a glittery winter wonderland. Opening night festivities will include a carnival, local vendors, a holiday train, a parade, and fireworks. discoverdesoto.com.
December 1–January 6: Natchitoches
Christmas Festival: The famous Christmas festivities in Natchitoches mean the holiday spirit is in full swing here beginning November 22, when over 300,000 holiday lights flicker on every evening for several weeks straight. Saturdays bring vendors, live music, fireworks, and kids activities to the Riverbank area. $15; free for children six and younger. natchitocheschristmas.com.
December 1–25: Christmas at Kiroli: This holiday season, Kiroli's winding roads will be transformed into a twinkling wonderland. Drive through the displays for miles throughout the holiday season. 6 pm–9 pm on Friday through Sunday.
$30 per vehicle for a season pass. christmasatkiroli.com.
December 4–6: Biedenharn Christmas Open House : For more than thirty-five years, this Monroe tradition at the festively decorated Biedenharn home has enchanted area residents and visitors alike. Live music, photo ops with Santa, a Christmas Train, and more festive fa-lalas. 5 pm–8 pm. Free. bmuseum.org.
December 4–6: Alex Winter Fête : The holiday family festival returns to Alexandria with a slate of exciting cozy activities for all. Try a twirl on the outdoor skating rink, watch in wonder at the fireworks over the Red River, explore the multicultural village and Jolly Junction, and interact with talented stilt walkers, fire breathers, live bands, and more. 5 pm–9 pm Thursday, 4 pm–10 pm Friday, 10 am–10 pm Saturday. Free. alexwinterfete.com.
December 4–6, 11–13: Lincoln Light Up the Pines: Ruston's only drive-thru Christmas lights display comes from a collaboration with Lincoln Parish Park, the Chamber of Commerce, the CVB, and a local camping group. Drive through the campgrounds, where vintage campers will be elaborately decorated for the season. Details at rustonlincoln.com.
December 4–7, 11–14, 19–23: Christmas in Roseland: The American Rose Center
in Shreveport transforms into a whimsical winter wonderland with twinkling lights, giant Christmas cards, and other holiday displays. Each night, Santa will be sitting pretty in the garden for photographs. On several nights—December 6, 13, 20, and 23—a fireworks show will commence. 5:30 pm–10 pm. Friday & Sunday are $15 per person; $50 family four pack; Saturday is $20 per person; $65 family four pack. rose.org/christmas-in-roseland.
December 5–21: Shreveport Little Theatre presents "Frozen": Journey to Arendelle for this beloved wintery tale of two royal sisters, featuring Anna, Elsa, and the songs everyone knows by heart. Various showtimes at 7:30 pm and 2 pm, Friday–Sunday. $30. shreveportlittletheatre.com.
December 6: Grand Cane Christmas Parade & Holiday Market : Head downtown in the little village of Grand Cane for a happy holiday parade, plus plenty of local artisans to grab your gifts from. 9 am–2 pm. Parade rolls at 11 am. discoverdesoto.com.
December 6: Caddo Fireworks Festival: Come by Earl Williamson Park in Oil City at 1 pm for fair food, live music, chats with Santa, and holiday shopping—then stay for the incredible fireworks display scheduled for 6:30 pm. 3:30 pm–8 pm. Free. christmasoncaddofireworks.com.
December 6: Christmas on the Farm: Ruston's Outdoor Wilderness Learning Center invites one and all to an outdoor celebration of the season, featuring pony rides, a petting zoo, a maze, crafts, games, a bounce house, hay rides, a rock wall, and more. And, of course, a chance to meet the man in red. All proceeds benefit the Center's therapeutic riding program. 10 am–3 pm. $20/car, cash only. lumcfs.org/owl-center.
December 6: Bawcomville Redneck
Christmas Parade : Living in Louisiana, to say "you've never seen a parade like this" is no small thing. But I'm telling you, you've never seen a parade like this. This self-deprecatory fun-filled parade dives into the redneck theme, and throws all sorts of interesting surprises. Rolls down Smith Street in Bawcomville. 10 am. monroe-westmonroe.org.
December 6: Kiwanis Christmas Parade : The Kiwanis Club of Greater Ouachita sets out on its annual Christmas Parade, themed this year "Back to Bethlehem." 3:30 pm. Free. monroe-westmonroe.org.
December 6: East Bank Holiday Market : The Bossier Arts Council will once again host its annual holiday market at the East Bank Plaza. Get to shopping, holidaystyle—while enjoying live music, local vendors, food trucks, and more. 4 pm–8 pm. sbfunguide.com.
December 6: Christmas on the River Fireworks: Don't miss the annual shebang, best viewed from downtown Monroe or West Monroe. 6 pm. Free. monroe-westmonroe.org.
December 9: Holiday Brass: Celebrate the holidays with the Monroe Symphony Orchestra, ringing in the season at Grace Episcopal Church. 7 pm $25; $5 for students. mymso.org.
December 11–13 & 18–20: Natchitoches
Christmas Home Tours: Hosted by the Natchitoches Historic Foundation, these tours take you into some of the historic district's most fascinating homes, all decked out for the season. Docents will lead commentaries on the history of each property, as well as their unique holiday decorations. Times vary for each day and location. $30. Find details at nhfla.com.
December 12: West Monroe Children's Lighted Bike Parade : There's just something so special about great things, miniaturized. Don't miss this teeny Christmas Parade in Downtown West Monroe, designed for tykes and tinies, with bicycles, wagons, and batterypowered cars rolling down Trenton—all beneath the city's gorgeous light displays. 5:30 pm. Free. monroe-westmonroe.org.
December 13: Bossier Holiday Night Market : The largest one-day vendor event in the country, the Bossier Holiday
Night Market returns to the parking lot of the Pierre Bossier Mall with 75,000 twinkling lights, live Christmas music, free kids' activities, and lots of Bossier swag. 3 pm–9 pm. Entry is free. bossiernightmarket.com.
December 13: Calhoun Christmas Parade : This year, Calhoun's annual Christmas Parade has a Red, White, and Blue theme, with Santa wanted decked out in patriotic colors. Sit back and watch the festive interpretations displayed on locally-made floats. 11 am. Free. monroe-westmonroe.org.
December 13: Pet Photos with Santa: Snag the cutest Christmas keepsake ever by bringing your furry pal (festive sweater optional!) to the Biedenharn Museum in Monroe for a photo with the big guy himself. $15 per pet. 9 am–noon. bmuseum.org.
December 13: Many Christmas Festival: The cheerful annual parade starts at 3 pm at the Sabine Parish Fairgrounds— this year's theme is "Magnolias & Mistletoes"—with the festival to follow. Free. toledobendlakecountry.com.
December 13: Christmas Market on the Alley: Head out to West Monroe's Alley Park for a spirited Christmas Market, perfect for all of your last-minute shopping needs. 10 am–3 pm. Free. monroe-westmonroe.org.
December 14: Alexandria Mardi Gras Association Christmas Parade : Celebrate the holidays, Mardi Gras-style, with Alexandria's Mardi Gras krewe. Featuring festively decorated floats, performances, and even a visit from Santa himself, the parade will kick off the holidays on Jackson Street. 2 pm. Free. alexmardigras.net.
December 17: Christmas Coca-Cola Truck: The season's most photogenic vehicle is making a stop in Monroe at the Biedenharn, as is the Coca Cola Polar Bear, and yummy food trucks. 5 pm–8 pm. Free. bmuseum.org.
December 19: The Louisiana Delta Ballet presents "The Polar Express": The Louisiana Delta Ballet performs this magical ballet inspired by the beloved children's book about a boy boarding a late-night train bound for the North Pole. Performed at the Monroe Civic Center. 7 pm–9 pm. $35–$50. louisianadeltaballet.com.
HOLIDAYS IN THE NEW ORLEANS AREA
December 1–January 1: Celebration in the Oaks: For more than forty years, thousands of visitors pour into New Orleans City Park to see the magical winter spectacle, for which the park’s famous oaks are swathed in hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights across its
Holiday Events
In NOLA and on the Cajun Coast
twenty-five acres, including the Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens. $35 per person for a walking tour pass, or $40 for a driving tour pass. 6 pm–10 pm Mondays–Thursday; 5 pm–10 pm Fridays–Saturdays; 5 pm–9 pm Sundays. (6 pm–10 pm Christmas day). celebrationintheoaks.com.
December 5: LPO–Classical Christmas: Join the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra for an evening at the Orpheum Theater, with performances of classic masterpieces, such as excerpts from Handel’s Messiah. 7:30 pm. Tickets start at $35. lpomusic.com.
December 5: Riverfront Réveillon: A Taste of 1940s New Orleans: The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts’ Culinary Arts and Entertainment Production Design departments presents an immersive, oldschool dining experience at NOCCA’s Lupin Hall. Enjoy a four-course dinner, kicking off with Cajun-inspired hors d'oeuvres before embarking on three seated courses with wine pairings. 6 pm. $150. noccafoundation.org.
December 5–7: Christkindl Mart : The Deutsches Haus presents its annual
Christkindl Mart, featuring vendors selling handmade or German-themed crafts, local bands and choirs, special German Christmas food favorites, and an appearance from Christkind, or St. Nicholas. Friday 3 pm–8 pm, Saturday 11 am–8 pm , Sunday 11 am–4 pm. Free. deutscheshaus.org.
December 5–7 & 12–14: Marigny Opera Ballet presents "Winterlight": Nationally acclaimed choreographer Christian Denice premieres a full-length ballet for the holiday season, set to traditional Nordic folk music. The performance seeks to evoke light in the darkness of midwinter. 8 pm. $60; $42 for students and seniors. marignyoperahouse.org.
December 5–14: JPAS presents "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer": Inspired by the beloved stop-motion television special from 1964, follow along with ruby-nosed Rudolph and friends (including Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, Clarice, and Yukon Cornelius) as they set out to save Christmas and find out what makes them unique. Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays and Sundays at 2 pm. Tickets start at $28. jpas.org.
December 6: Algiers Bonfire and Concert : The Westbank’s official kickoff to the holiday season includes local musical talent, food, drink, and of course a bonfire, which will light Santa's way down the Mississippi. The NOLA Burners (the New Orleans group that builds Burning Man sculptures every year) will once again have Brennan Steele create a unique bonfire sculpture. 4 pm–8 pm at the Algiers Ferry Landing, 200 Morgan Street. Free. algierseconomic.com.
December 6: Manning Family Children's Holiday Parade : This holiday parade will roll through downtown New Orleans featuring thirty festive, holiday-themed floats. Expect all the grandeur of the city’s globally-recognized Carnival phenomenon transformed for the Christmas season. The parade starts at The French Market with an extended route through downtown. 11 am. Free. nolaholidayparade.com.
December 6: Krewe of Krampus NOLAuf Parade : Here’s the only Christmas Parade in the region where you might just end up with a lump of coal from the creepy German folkloric figure himself. In the walking parade tradition of New Orleans, this unusual event draws together performers and creative costumery for the most over-the-top celebration of Krampuslauf this side of the Alps. Rolls at 7:30 pm. kreweofkrampus.com.
December 6–21: Brunch with Santa at Le Pavillon Hotel: Each Saturday in December, enjoy a gourmet holiday brunch at Le Pavillon Hotel—with old St. Nick himself as the guest of honor. Children will receive a special teddy bear gift from Santa, along with a professional photo capturing the magic of the moment. 10 am–noon. Not available the Saturday after Christmas. $130; $90 for children. lepavillon.com.
December 7: Merry Market at Longue Vue House and Gardens: Crafts, an outdoor market place featuring local vendors, and photos with Santa all make up the Merry Market at Longue Vue House and Gardens—which will be decked out in the highest of holiday beauty. 10 am–4 pm. Free. Tours of the property will also be available. longuevue.com.
December 7: Paradigm Gardens Holiday Market : Shop from twenty local art and craft vendors, pet a pygmy goat, get a chair massage, enjoy live music, and even have a farm-to-table brunch—all at Paradigm Holiday Brunch Market. 10 am–3 pm (music from noon–2 pm). Free. paradigmgardensnola.com.
December 7: NOBA's "Nutcracker Suite": The enchanting holiday adventure of a lifetime awaits, with marzipan, Spanish chocolate, Chinese tea, and more. Join the New Orleans Ballet Association for
their rendition of Tchaikovsky's classic, featuring over one hundred dancers from the New Orleans area, ages six to over seventy years old. The performances will take place in Dixon Hall at Tulane University at 3 pm and 6 pm. $20. nobadance.com.
December 12: "The Muppet Christmas Carol" in Concert : The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra provides a live accompaniment to this classic Christmas special, inspired by Charles Dickens' famous tale. 7:30 pm–9:30 pm at the Mahalia Jackson Theater. Tickets start at $34. lpomusic.com.
December 13: Lights on the Lake : Take in the Holiday Boat Parade from the best vantage point on Lake Pontchartrain, the New Canal Lighthouse, with the Pontchartrain Conservancy. In addition to the great view, they promise a stellar live music line-up, delicious local food trucks, hot toddies and other seasonal refreshments, kids' educational activities and crafts, and pictures with Santa. 5 pm–8 pm. $10; free for children five and younger. scienceforourcoast.org.
December 14: Running of the Santas: With the return of Running of the Santas, thousands of jolly, be-jingled joggers will descend on New Orleans’s Warehouse District at 2 pm, starting at the South Pole (aka Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar). At 6 pm, the Santas set off through the fiveblock fun run at speeds that would turn Rudolph’s nose green, heading for the North Pole (aka Generations Hall, 310 Andrew Higgins Drive). 2 pm. $25; $100 VIP. runningofthesantas.com.
December 20–29: NOLA ChristmasFest : Thousands of Louisianans descend on the New Orleans Convention Center, drawn by the vision of carving graceful arcs into the ice skating rink alongside Santa at the center of NOLA ChristmasFest's festivities. The event promises holiday characters, amusement rides, themed inflatables, arts & crafts, decorated
Christmas trees, and a gingerbread house exhibition. $25 weekdays; $30 weekends. nolachristmasfest.com.
December 21: Caroling in Jackson Square : For one magical night, Jackson Square glows with hundreds of candles, held by amateur and professional singers alike. Join the crowd for an enchanting evening of music, merriment, and illumination. 6:30 pm. Free. holiday.neworleans.com.
December 21: St. Nick Celebration: A very New Orleans celebration of the season, with live music, kids' activities, and a Saint Nick Second Line in Dutch Ally at the French Market. 11 am–6 pm. Free. frenchmarket.org.
December 21: Patio Planters Holiday Home Tour : The Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré once again present iconic Quarter homes dressed up for the season. The self-guided walking tour includes details about architectural styles and home furnishings, as well as Christmas decor collections. Homes will be open from noon–4 pm; $35 in advance, $40 day-of. Tickets can be picked up or purchased at The Cabildo. patioplanters.net.
December 27–28: Creole Christmas Tours: Explore some of the Quarter’s most storied properties in all their holiday finery with this special tour facilitated by Friends of the Cabildo. Historic homes include the Beauregard-Keyes House, Gallier House, Hermann-Grima House, 1850 House, Historic New Orleans Collection, and Spring Fiesta. 3:30 pm. $44. hgghh.org .
HOLIDAYS ON THE CAJUN COAST
December 1–31: Traditional Idlewild Plantation Christmas Lighting : Embark on a driving tour of the historic Idlewild Plantation site at Kemper Williams Park in Patterson, all bedecked for the season with elaborate light displays and musical
For the first time, Le Pavillon Hotel in New Orleans is hosting a brunch with Santa throughout the month of December. Photo courtesy of Le Pavillon. Learn more on page 16.
Holiday Events On the Cajun Coast and the Northshore
accompaniment. 5 pm–8 pm, Sunday–Thursday; 5 pm–9 pm, Friday and Saturday. $5 per car. cajuncoast.com.
December 1–31: Victorian Christmas at Grevenberg House and Shadowlawn: Admire the Franklin home bedecked with a Victorian style tree and seasonal greenery. Closed Christmas Eve and Day, 10 am–4 pm. $12; $10 for seniors and students; free for children twelve and younger. cajuncoast.com.
December 1: Berwick Annual Christmas Tree Lighting : Refreshments and live music will be awaiting Santa's arrival (by boat) at the lighthouse, all for the occasion of lighting up the town tree. 6 pm–8 pm. Free. cajuncoast.com.
December 6: Winter Festival: Festivities await at Lighthouse Community Church in Berwick, where community members are welcome to enjoy music, food, games, crafts, a Santa visit, and more. 11 am–2 pm. Free. cajuncoast.com.
December 6: Franklin’s Bayou to Main Market Place : Kick off the holiday season with a day of yuletide cheer in the cozy heart of downtown Franklin. Expect a festive wonderland of facepainting, crafts,
DJ Santa & His Elf, a giant snow globe, Christmas cookie scavenger hunt, pictures with Santa, meet & greet with Frozen characters, shopping, and so much more. 10 am–2 pm. Free. cajuncoast.com.
December 6: Mingle & Jingle Downtown Franklin: Shopping gets serious in Franklin as the holidays approach. On this festive evening, everyone's staying open late and offering discounts, Santa appearances, and more. 9 am–2 pm. cajuncoast.com.
December 6: City of Franklin Christmas Under the Lamppost, Decorated Golf Cart Parade, & Christmas on the Bayou Lighting Display Ceremony: Follow the festive golf carts down to the courthouse, where word has it, they'll be setting the city alight with over 1 million twinkles. Parade begins at 6 pm. Free. cajuncoast.com.
December 6: Miracle on First Street : Over fifty vendors, live music, and more, on First Street in Berwick. 4 pm–8 pm. Free. cajuncoast.com.
December 6–January 1: Christmas Lights on Bayou Teche : Cruise down Teche Drive, Main, Martin Luther King and Iberia Streets in Franklin to take in over
a million lights along Parc Sur La Teche (for festive accompaniment, tune into 93.5 FM). cajuncoast.com.
December 9: Marine Corps Band New Orleans Toys for Tots Christmas Concert : See the remarkable band in action at the Municipal Auditorium in Morgan City, and all for a great cause. In lieu of an entry fee, bring a new, unwrapped toy. 7 pm. (985) 380-4639. cajuncoast.com.
December 12: Spirit of Morgan City’s Christmas Parade : At the Morgan City's Christmas Parade parade, head downtown to 2nd Street for a festive display, followed by a movie screening. Free. 6 pm. cajuncoast.com.
December 13: Christmas Movie Night in Berwick: A Christmas flick, Santa, gifts, food, and drink at the Berwick Civic Center. Movie at 6 pm. Free. cajuncoast.com.
December 14: Patterson Annual
Christmas Parade : All the festive trappings of a charming Cajun Christmas parade, set to roll at 2 pm down Main Street in Patterson. Free. cajuncoast.com.
December 14: Berwick Christmas Teddy Bear Tea: Join the hosts at The Old Building in Patterson for an afternoon Christmas tea with Santa, featuring finger foods, Christmas treats, champagne and mimosas, coffee and tea, and an opportunity for photos by Abigail
Kathleen Photography. 4:30 pm–6:30 pm. $50; $35 for children younger than twelve. theoldbuilding3190.com.
HOLIDAYS ON THE NORTHSHORE
December 1–20: Christmas in the Country: This Covington tradition goes full Hallmark by transforming downtown into a winter wonderland, with local merchants peddling their wares, shopping specials, free Santa ops at H.J. Smith & Sons Hardware, live music, and holiday décor. Starting on Black Friday and continuing every Saturday until Christmas, from 9 am–5 pm. Free. visitthenorthshore.com.
December 1–January 1: Christmas at the Southern: When it comes to ornate holiday decorations, the Southern Hotel outdoes itself each year. Marvel at the lights and holly bedecking the lobby and enjoy a seasonal cocktail from the Cypress Bar. Fridays will bring live piano music by Joe Tusa, and on December 3, the Holiday Sip and Shop will transform the lobby into a seasonal market. It all culminates with "New Year on New Hampshire" on December 31. southernhotel.com.
November 29–December 14: Playmakers Theater presents "'Twas the Night Before Christmas": In this twist on a classic
poem, Santa forgets a house, and a team of a mouse, an elf, and a young girl set out on a whirlwind holiday adventure. Presented by the Playmakers Theater of Covington, this family-friendly play will have your heart growing a couple sizes bigger. 7:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. 2 pm on Sundays. $25; $20 for seniors and military; $15 for students. playmakersinc.com.
December 1–January 6: Covington's Twelve Days of Christmas: Head to downtown Covington to immerse yourself in the holiday spirit, with twelve lighted silhouettes depicting the icons of the Old English carol. The displays will be illuminated from dusk to dawn every day through Epiphany. visitthenorthshore.com.
December 1–31: Northshore Food Bank's Trim the Trailhead: Throughout the month of December, the Covington Trailhead will be decked out with dozens of fresh Christmas trees, each decorated by a local business, community organization, or a family and illuminated from dusk to dawn every day through Epiphany. Proceeds from the installation benefit the local food bank. northshorefoodbank.org.
December 5: Abita Springs Fête de Noël: Join the fairytale-level charm of Abita Springs' community for the sixth
annual Christmas Night Market and tree lighting at the Abita Springs Trailhead. Expect live music, market vendors, and festive holiday drinks. 5 pm–9 pm. townofabitasprings.com.
December 5: Sips of the Season Stroll: One of the most anticipated culinary events of the season, this Girod Street Stroll is inspired by German Christkindlmarkts and marked by a twinkly Covington evening, brightly decorated shops and restaurants, delicious holiday-themed craft cocktails, and plenty of snacks too. 5 pm–9 pm in Old Mandeville. Must be twenty-one or older. $35 for the official mug. 5 pm–9 pm. christmasstroll.org.
December 5–14: 30 by Ninety Theatre presents "A Very Merry Christmas Spectacular": This holiday extravaganza features singing, dancing, comedy, and more by local performers of all ages. 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays; 2:30 pm on Sundays. $32; $30 for seniors and military; $28 for students; $25 for ages twelve and younger. 30byninety.com.
December 5–7: Christmas Extravaganza Arts & Crafts Expo: Steinhauer Productions returns to the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds for one of the largest arts and crafts expos in the South—a true Christmas Village. Santa will be on site, and he'll bring a children's village of rides and jumps with him. 9 am–5 pm
each day. $8 for ages thirteen and older. christmasextravaganzaexpo.com.
December 5–January 3: Mandeville Holiday of Lights: The annual lights display and festivities will enlighten the St. Tammany Parish Administrative Complex grounds once again this year. This cherished Northshore tradition features thousands of lights displays, with weekend activities and a drive-thru and walk-thru experience. 6 pm–9 pm. stpgov.org/holidayoflights.
December 6: Krewe of Kringle Golf Cart Parade : Olde Towne Slidell is hitting the streets this holiday season, via golf cart. Deck the wheels, with tinsel and garlands galore, and come in costume. 5 pm–7 pm. myslidell.com.
December 6: Winter on the Water Parade & Festival: Get cozy in Mandeville for the annual Santa Street Parade, beginning at the Pontchartrain Yacht Club and traveling along Lakeshore Drive to the Mandeville Trailhead—where you'll find family fun, live entertainment, community caroling, a vendor village with handcrafted gifts and treats, a kids tent, and the lovely lighting of the oaks on the lakefront. Free. louisiananorthshore.com.
December 7: Merry Madisonville : Ring in the holidays at the Madisonville Park and Celebration for a festive lineup of
market munchkins, Santa's workshop, dazzling light displays, local food trucks, and hot cocoa to make the season merry and bright. 1 pm–6 pm. Free. merrymadisonville@gmail.com.
December 12–14: Festival of the Bonfires and Christmas on the River : The little town of Lutcher has made a tradition of its own, celebrating its Festival of the Bonfires each December. Call it Christmas lights Cajun-style, it's a prelude to the Christmas Eve bonfires later in the month. The sparks and holiday cheer ignite Friday afternoon at 2 pm, with the festival continuing all day Saturday and Sunday with Christmas on the River... Cajun Style! at Lutcher Recreational Park. Enjoy live entertainment, great food, crafts, Santa's Very Merry Forest, carnival rides, and more fun for the entire family. Each night of the event will also include a bonfire lighting. festivalofthebonfires.org.
December 12–23: Slidell’s Bayou Christmas Under the Stars: This annual fundraiser for the Slidell Boys & Girls Club is hosted in the evenings at the Heritage Park Amphitheater. For eight nights, there will be ice skating, kiddie rides, arts and crafts vendors, free photos with Santa, thousands of twinkling lights, and screenings of holiday movies. 7 pm–9 pm. Free. Find the event on Slidell's Bayou Christmas Facebook page.
Holiday Events
On the Northshore and in Acadiana
December 13: Christmas in Covington: For the fourth year, the city of Covington hosts the annual lighting of the Christmas Tree, heralded by the Lollipops Marching Group. Expect kids' crafts and Christmas karaoke, too. Attendees are encouraged to bring canned/non-perishable goods to donate to the Northshore Food Bank. 4 pm–6:30 pm. covla.com.
December 13: Folsom Horse & Wagon
Christmas Parade : Santa trades the sleigh for a horse-drawn wagon at this oldfashioned parade, which includes an antique tractor show, "best dressed horse and rider" contest, and "most original wagon" competition. Starts on Hwy 40 right outside of Folsom. Afterward, swing by Moise Square behind Town Hall for Christmas in the Country Craft Fair.
Parade at 1 pm; Craft Fair from 10 am–4 pm. Free. visitthenorthshore.com.
December 13: Mandeville Trailhead
Holiday Market : The weekly market at the Mandeville Trailhead expands in magic for the holiday season. Complete your shopping lists with more than ninety artisan vendors offering prepared foods, jewelry, and custom crafts. Bring the littles for pics with Santa, dancing,
and face painting. 9 am–3 pm. Free. visitthenorthshore.com.
December 13: Twinkle on the Tchefuncte Lighted Boat Parade & Holiday Decorating Contest : Head out to the water to watch the festive procession traveling downriver from the Maritime Museum to Marina Del Ray. After the parade, stick around for an all-kids market, photo ops, carolers, and treat specials. 5 pm–8 pm. merrymadisonville@gmail.com.
December 13–14: Ballet Apetrei’s "The Nutcracker": Experience Ballet Apetrei’s rendition of the dazzling holiday favorite at one of their two performances at the Fuhrmann Auditorium this season. 2 pm each day, with an additional 7 pm Saturday performance. $20 general admission or $30 for reserved seating. balletapetre.net. bontempstix.com.
December 13–14: A Mandeville
Christmas Living Nativity: Mandeville's First Baptist Church presents a ten-scene living Nativity during the holiday season, reflecting on the birth of Jesus Christ.
6 pm–8 pm each night. Free. Details at the First Baptist Church of Mandeville Facebook Page.
Each year, Lutcher hosts its Festival of the Bonfires—a taste of brilliance before the Christmas Eve blazes that light the way for Papa Noël. This year's event is December 12–14. Photo courtesy of Festival of the Bonfires organizers.
December 14: History and Holly Tour of Homes: Join the Covington Heritage Foundation for its annual History and Holly Home Tour. $20. 2 pm–5 pm. bontempstix.com.
December 18: Holiday Concert with Northshore Community Orchestra: Enjoy a special holiday concert filled with festive favorites performed by the Northshore Community Orchestra at the Slidell Municipal Auditorium. 6:30 pm–8:30 pm. Free. visitthenorthshore.com.
December 19: Covington by Candlelight : Candlelight and Christmas Carols
truly set the mood for the holidays, and Covington will indulge in both with local musicians and singing groups at the Covington Trailhead Museum and Visitors Center beginning at 6 pm. Free. visitthenorthshore.com.
HOLIDAYS IN ACADIANA
December 1–21: Downtown Advent Adventures: Release the magic of the holiday season, one adventure at a time—each day "unlocks' new holiday themed activities for New Iberia residents, ranging from movie nights to Christmas
crafts. Check the New Iberia Advent Activity Event Facebook Page for details.
December 1–23: Noël Acadien au Village : LARC’s Acadian Village will host its annual Christmas festival fundraiser to benefit persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Noël Acadien au Village will feature half a million lights, themed Acadian home porches, lighted holiday displays, live entertainment, carnival rides, local cuisine, photos with Santa, holiday shopping, and more. Open nightly from 5:30 pm–9 pm (weather permitting). $10 at the gate. For details, visit acadianvillage.org.
December 1–31: Victorian Christmas at the Joseph Jefferson Home & Rip Van Winkle Gardens: Come tour the Joseph Jefferson Home throughout the holiday season to enjoy a historic take on yuletide festivities, all throughout the month of December. 9 am–4 pm. Standard admission applies. ripvanwinklegardens.com.
December 4–5: The Eunice Concert Band & Choir Christmas Concert : Two evenings of Christmas cheer will be presented by local musicians at the First Baptist Church in Eunice. The group is made up of a choir concert band, an adult choir, and a children’s choir and sings in a variety of styles. Expect glorious renditions of holiday favorites including “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “A Most Wonderful Christmas,” “Mary's Little Boy Child,” and more. 7 pm. $5; $2 for children younger than twelve. eccbc.org.
December 4–6: Christmas at Coteau: This annual seasonal celebration is a shopping, dining, and holiday event on the lovely grounds of Grand Coteau's Academy of the Sacred Heart. All proceeds benefit Schools of the Sacred Heart at Grand Coteau. 10 am–4 pm on Friday; 10 am–3 pm Saturday. ash1821.org.
December 5: Rockin' around the Christmas Tree Concert : Don't miss the annual Lighting of the Tree Concert in Parc Sans Souci in Downtown Lafayette—which has been transformed into a winter wonderland with a twenty-five-foot-tall Christmas tree. Enjoy performances by Mike Dopsie & Zydeco Entourage on the main stage. Look forward to Coca-Cola's beloved Polar Bear, snacks provided by local restaurants, and more. 6 pm–9 pm. Free. downtownlafayette.org.
December 6: Grosse Tete Christmas Parade and Christmas on the Bayou Festival: Festive cheer will roll down the streets of Grosse Tete starting at 1 pm, followed immediately after by the annual Christmas festival at the North Iberville Visitors Center. Enjoy local arts and crafts vendors, live music, Christmas décor and treats, and more. Free. visitiberville.com.
December 6: "Music and Merriment"
Christmas Party: In support of ULLafayette students majoring in music, Friends of Music Acadiana hosts a Christmas party with student performances, champagne, wine, hors d'oeuvres, and dessert. 6 pm–9 pm. $75. friendsofmusicacadiana.org.
December 6: Christmas in Carencro: It’s a whole day of Christmas cheer, and a lot of it: think choirs, arts and crafts, holiday treats, and an opportunity to donate toys to those less fortunate. In the evening, look forward to the lighting of the city Christmas tree, carols, and cookies with hot chocolate to set the scene—not to mention visits from Santa. 8 am–
8 pm. Free. Details on the Christmas in Carencro Facebook Page.
December 6: Noël a Broussard: The holiday season hits the streets with the annual Broussard Christmas Parade, starting at 3 pm at the corner of Morgan Avenue and Albertson Parkway, and ending at Arceneaux Park. Afterwards, celebrate in front of Broussard City Hall with reindeer games, face painting, balloon artistry, a Christmas Market, and the lighting of the city Christmas Tree. Caroling begins at 5:45 pm, tree-lighting at 6:30 pm. Free. lafayettetravel.com.
December 7: Sonic Christmas Parade and After Party: Welcome Santa to Lafayette
this season and meet him on the parade route, which runs from Jefferson through Downtown all the way to the Oil Center. Keep the fun going at the after party in Parc International, featuring cookie decorating, arts and crafts, inflatables, food, beverages, and more. Parade starts at 1 pm. Free. downtownlafayette.org.
December 7: Mamou Christmas Parade : At this traditional and spirited holiday showcase of the town's organizations and creatives, the "Cajun Music Capital of the World" comes alive for Christmas. Afterwards, children can enjoy cookies and hot chocolate with Santa at the Rec Center. 6:30 pm. evangelineparishtourism.org.
Holiday Events From Acadiana to Mississippi
December 8–21: Creole Christmas: Visit the Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site in St. Martinville this holiday season, where you can tour the Olivier Plantation Home (circa 1815) and take in their lovely, all naturally-sourced from the property, period-appropriate Christmas decorations. Visitors will learn how the holiday was celebrated in the mid-1800s. 9 am–5 pm. lastateparks.com.
December 11: The Opelousas Children’s Christmas Parade : Any joyous occasion in Louisiana calls for a parade, and Christmas is no exception. This one, with kids in mind, includes entertainment, music, marching bands, lighted floats, and most importantly: Santa and his buddies. The parade starts at 6 pm at Academy and Landry Streets, and rolls through downtown Opelousas to the Yambilee Grounds. cityofopelousas.com.
December 12–14: Christmas in the Park: Celebrate the season in Lafayette's Moncus Park, where local musicians will infuse the air with holiday spirit. On Sunday, come back to see Elf on the big screen. Bring the kids—there will be activities just for them, including a Christmas light tunnel, “Santa’s
Workshop” crafts, s’mores stations, and photos with Santa. 6 pm–9 pm. $20 for on-site parking, or take advantage of free parking at Blackham Coliseum with a shuttle to Moncus Park. moncuspark.org/christmas.
December 13: A Very Berry Christmas Quest : Grab your family and set out on an adventure across New Iberia, completing a list of kid-friendly tasks with stops inside all of your favorite local businesses. Pick up your goody bag—filled with coupons and holiday treats, as well as your quest cards, at the Iberia Chamber office. Each quest task completed earns a sticker, and once participants have earned seven stickers, they can drop off their completed activity card at the office. Every family that turns in a completed card will be entered to win prizes. 9 am–4 pm. $12 for children ages four to seventeen; $5 for adults ages eighteen and older. iberiachamber.org.
December 13: Christmas in Washington: Shop from vendors from 10 am–5 pm downtown in the historic town of Washington, centered around the Town Pavillion—where you can watch the big tree light up at 7 pm. There'll be a DJ
and Kids' Corner with face painting and balloon artistry all throughout the day. 10 am–7 pm. cajuntravel.com.
December 13: St. Lucy Festival of Lights: Each year, Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville hosts the St. Lucy Festival of Lights, a family celebration that begins with Mass, followed by a children's parade of box floats. The night will close with photos with Santa, the lighting of the Square, live Cajun music, seasonal movies, and Christmas caroling. Free. saintmartindetours.org.
December 13: Christmas ArtWalk in Paris a la Breaux Bridge : Stroll the glittering streets of beautiful Breaux Bridge, all holiday-ed up as she is, for this special artwalk. Step into downtown shops, galleries, and restaurants, and meet local artists showcasing their work on the street—all while listening to local musicians and enjoying the enchanting atmosphere. 3 pm–8 pm. breauxbridgeartwalk.com.
December 13–14 & 19–21: “The Winter Wonderettes” at Cité des Arts: Party like it's 1968 in this musical comedy, following a sassy and fabulous girl group as they illuminate Harper’s Hardware with holiday hits. 7:30 pm on Friday & Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. $25. citedesarts.org.
December 13–29: Old Time
Winter Traditions at Vermilionville : Vermilionville's Historic Village will receive an old-school holiday makeover, transporting visitors back in time to experience the simple beauty of Louisiana Christmases past—drawing on the traditions of the Acadian, Creole, and Native American cultures that lived here. Sing carols, hear stories, decorate cookies, make bousillage ornaments, citrus pomanders, and candles, and more. 10 am–4 pm. bayouvermilionvilledistrict.org.
December 14: Christmas Market : The Louisiana Equine & Sales Event Center in Opelousas hosts its first Christmas market with over thirty vendors selling a variety of boutique clothing, home, holiday, and garden decor, jewelry, and food items. For the famished (good shopping is hungry work), there will be lunch from a local food truck, along with mimosas and hot chocolate for festive sipping while browsing. 10 am–4 pm. $10 admission. laeqsaleseventcenter.com.
December 18: "Home Alone" in Concert : Watch Kevin McCallister fend off robbers (and crack some jokes) while being serenaded by the 1990 film's animated score—performed live by the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra. At the Heymann Performing Arts Center. 7 pm. Tickets start at $43. acadianasymphony.org.
HOLIDAYS IN THE FELICIANAS, POINTE COUPÉE & MISSISSIPPI
December 1–January 3: Little Easy Christmas Tours in Natchez : Natchez has been called the "Christmas movie capital of the South," and in recent years, some of the Bluff City's most beautiful historic homes started opening their wreathed doors for the town's Christmas Tour of Historic Homes. Homes included will be The Towers, Linden Suburban Villa, Magnolia Hall, Choctaw Hall, and The House on Ellicott Hill. They will, of course, be dolled up for the festive occassion, with many twinkles and boughs of holly. littleeasytours.com.
December 1–December 23: Canton Christmas Festival: Canton, Mississippi goes all out for Christmas—all December long. Each night, historic Canton Square comes alive with Rudolph's playground, firetruck and train rides, a walk-through gift box, a towering Christmas tree, and Santa's Cookie Stop. Also look for an interactive Christmas village, Mrs. Claus storytelling area, Santa's snow village, carnival rides, and more. 5 pm–9 pm. Closed Dec. 1–4. Free. cantontourism.com.
December 4–7, 11–14 & 18–21: Merry on the Midway: Just in time for the holiday season, Laurel, Mississippi's
fairgrounds transform into a dazzling display of festive lights and holiday entertainment. They even play host to Santa's Village. Festivities include a Storybook Stroll featuring "A Charlie Brown Christmas," nightly Christmas movies, and photos with Santa. 5 pm–9 pm. $10; $5 for children five and younger. merryonthemidway.com.
December 5–7: St. Francisville Christmas in the Country: St. Francisville— the whole town—comes alive with Christmas cheer each December. This year's festivities include a tree lighting, living nativity, cookies and cocoa drivethru, live music, local artists, breakfast with Santa, holiday home tours, a Christmas parade, and so much more. visitstfrancisvillela.com.
December 5: Holiday Brass at The Mallory: The full Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra brass and percussion is ready and prepped to put you in the holiday spirit (for the first time) in the magical environs of The Mallory in St. Francisville. 7:30 pm–9 pm. $35. brso.org.
December 5: Natchez Garden Club's Annual Christmas Luncheon: Welcome the holidays with the Natchez Garden Club's annual Holiday Christmas Luncheon. Magnolia Hall in Natchez will set the scene for a festive holiday season, paired with a scrumptious lunch. Come enjoy
delectable items locally prepared by club members. 11:30 am. $20; open to the public. After lunch, enjoy a soup and casserole sale. natchezgardenclub.org.
December 6: Christmas Spirits Historic District Stroll: Join in for a progressive "Christmas Spirits" stroll through the historic district of St. Francisville while "illuminating" the streets with hundreds of luminaries. Along the way will be four spirits stops for ticketed guests ($50). Free activities include a kids' ornament workshop, hot chocolate included; hymn singing at the United Methodist Church; and so much more. 5 pm–7 pm. Reserve your tickets at bontempstix.com.
December 6: Vicksburg Christmas Parade of Lights: As the sky darkens, head to downtown Vicksburg for this annual parade that will be sure to light up the night. This year's theme is “A Bicentennial Christmas.” Follow the marchers and floats between Belmont Street to Jackson Street. 5 pm. visitvicksburg.com.
December 6: Christmas Tour of Homes: Explore some of St. Francisville's most beautiful and intriguing homes, all dressed in their holiday best, decked and dazzling for the winter season. 10 am–4 pm. $33.65 in advance; $39 day-of. bontempstix.com.
December 6: Breakfast with Santa at Grace Church: The West Feliciana High
School dance team will once again host its beloved annual breakfast with Santa to kick off the holiday season. Enjoy a delicious breakfast, photos with the big guy himself, and a performance by West Fel High dancers and cheerleaders. Seatings at 7:30 am, 8:45 am, 10 am, and 11:15 am. $17. bontempstix.com.
December 14: Light Up the Holidays: The Poydras Center in New Roads will light up for the season at this event hosted by the Arts Council of Pointe Coupee, with a dinner, potential to win door prizes, and a live holiday performance featuring James Linden Hogg. 6 pm–9 pm. artscouncilofpointecoupee.org.
December 13: Christmas at The Mallory: Don your most festive holiday garb and head to the Mallory in St. Francisville for a morning of merriment. Enjoy holiday crafts, delicious hot chocolate, a magical snow machine, and—of course—pictures with the big guy himself. There's even a spirited cocktail bar awaiting your order. 10 am–noon. $35 per family. bontempstix.com.
December 19: Dickens Christmas in Iuka: Downtown Iuka turns back the clock to Victorian times in this cheerful Dickensian Christmas affair, complete with all the trappings of an old-fashioned English Christmas. 6 pm–8 pm. exploretishomingocounty.com.
Beginning December 1st
UNTIL DEC 12th
HAND SANITIZER
“PUBLIC PATHOGENS: LOUISIANA’S HISTORICAL STRUGGLE WITH DISEASE”
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
LSU Special Collections presents an exhibition that explores Louisiana's response to historic diseases, from yellow fever, cholera, and typhoid, to influenza, HIV-AIDS, and COVID-19. The exhibition is broken into three parts—the first on Hansen's Disease, the second on COVID-19 and one Baton Rouge hospital's response via oral history, and the third on historic materials in the library's collection from the early nineteenth century through the 1970s. lib.lsu.edu. 1
UNTIL DEC 14th NEEDLES
"FIBER SPEAKS"
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Kelwood Contemporary Art presents Fiber Speaks, an exhibition by members of the Contemporary Fiber Artists of
Louisiana highlighting the evocative power of fiber art. The show features artists from across Louisiana and includes an array of pieces created through various techniques, including quilting, embroidery, weaving, felting, and 3D fiber constructions. A closing reception will be held December 14, 2 pm–5 pm. kelwoodcontemporaryart.com. 1
UNTIL DEC 20th
HISTORY
"VIETNAM EXPERIENCE: 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF THE WAR"
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana's Old State Capitol hosts a one-of-a-kind Vietnam Experience featuring a collection of artworks from U.S. Navy combat artists. These artists typically shared the same dangers as the active military servicemen they accompanied. The exhibit includes twenty-one paintings, drawings, and watercolors created by seven Navy combat artists from 1965–1969. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org. 1
At Covington's annual Heroes Who Cook event, teams compete to raise funds for the Children’s Advocacy Center—Hope House. This year's cook-off is November 2 on the rooftop of the St. Tammany Parish Justice Center Parking Garage. Photo courtesy of Heroes Who Cook. Learn more on page 18.
Gallery 600 Julia presents a solo exhibition by Will Smith, Jr. titled Les Bons Tempa, running December 6–31. Smith explores Louisiana's wetlands, moved by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to capture the state's landscapes and people. Image courtesy of Gallery 600 Julia. Learn more on page 27.
UNTIL DEC 20th
VISUAL ARTS
NATURE PAINTINGS BY MICHAEL GUIDRY AT THE STAA Covington, Louisiana
The artist Michael Guidry considers nature his subject, as well as his collaborator. His meditative oil paintings reflect close encounters with wildlife, drawing on memory as well as direct studies of nature observed at his fishing camp. This fall, Guidry's art is featured at St. Tammany Art Association's Art House in an exhibition titled Louisiana Nature Paintings by Michael Guidry. Free, and open to the public Wednesdays–Fridays 10 am–4 pm and Saturdays 11 am–4 pm. sttammany.art. 1
UNTIL DEC 28th
VISUAL ARTS
"AFROPOLITAN: CONTEMPORARY
AFRICAN ARTS AT NOMA"
New Orleans, Louisiana
This NOMA exhibition showcases twentieth and twenty-first century pioneering African artists, exploring new mediums juxtaposed with notable artists of the pre- and post-independence period. As a collective, these works can be viewed through an Afropolitanism lens, with African artists as both cosmopolitan and global citizens. noma.org. 1
UNTIL DEC 28th
ARTS & CRAFTS
"WEAVING NATURE: LOUISIANA’S NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETRY"
Port Allen, Louisiana
The West Baton Rouge Museum presents Weaving Nature: Louisiana’s Native American Basketry, an exhibition showcasing the cane, pine, and palmetto baskets of Louisiana’s Native American tribes. In addition to items loaned by private lenders and fellow cultural institutions, the exhibition features historic and modern examples from the Chitimacha, Houma, Coushatta, Choctaw, and Tunica-Biloxi. westbatonrougemuseum.org. 1
UNTIL DEC 31st
HISTORY
"MOST FORTUNATE UNFORTUNATES: THE JEWISH ORPHANS’ HOME OF NEW ORLEANS"
New Orleans, Louisiana
Most Fortunate Unfortunates: The Jewish Orphans’ Home of New Orleans, on exhibition at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience, delves into the institution and its legacy for
thousands of Jews across the South. The Jewish Orphans’ Home opened its doors in 1856 after a yellow fever epidemic, serving families across the South. The exhibition, which is based on author and historian Marlene Trestman’s critically acclaimed book of the same name sourced from interviews with more than one hundred residents and descendants, includes sections on the formation of the Home, daily and religious practices of residents, along with interesting artifacts. msje.org. 1
UNTIL JAN 3rd
VISUAL ARTS
PAM KELLY SILLS
AT THE ATRIUM GALLERY
Covington, Louisiana
This winter, at the Christwood Atrium Gallery, see Pam Kelly Sills' Gulf Coast landscapes, which serve as both a reflection and response to the impact of global warming—balancing inclusion and exclusion, stability and change. An opening reception, with refreshments, will be held on November 8, 4:30 pm–6:30 pm, and the show will be open to the public from 9 am–5 pm Monday through Friday. christwoodrc.com. 1
UNTIL JAN 4th
VISUAL ARTS
"LOUISIANA
CONTEMPORARY 2025"
New Orleans, Louisiana
The Ogden Museum of Southern Art once again produces its state-wide, juried exhibition, Louisiana Contemporary, curated this year by Daniel S. Palmer, PhD, Chief Curator of SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia. The comprehensive exhibition features works by fifty Louisiana artists selected from over 1,400 submissions in a showcase of contemporary art practices in the region. ogdenmuseum.org. 1
UNTIL JAN 4th
PHOTOGRAPHY
"THE VIEW FROM HERE: WOMEN PHOTOGRAPHERS OF THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE"
New Orleans, Louisiana
The View From Here: Women Photographers of the American Landscape, on display at NOMA, highlights landscape photography from women artists working in the United States since 1900. Photographs range from traditional landscapes and the built environment to surrealist themes and exploration of identity. The photographs are selected from NOMA's permanent collection. noma.org. 1
Events
Beginning December 1st - 31st
UNTIL MAR 6th
FASHION
“DRESSING LOUISIANA: HISTOIRES DE LA
MODE DE LA LOUISIANE”
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Step into the Human Ecology building on the LSU’s campus to view Louisiana artifacts and fashion that have enriched and informed the lives of Louisianans across the decades. The exhibition displays a wide variety of garments, such as LSU athletics memorabilia and couture gowns, while also showcasing Louisiana fashion designers like Ray Cole, Geoffrey Beene, and Yvonne Lafleur. lsu.edu/agriculture/textilemuseum. 1
DEC 5th - DEC 7th
VITAMIN C PLAQUEMINES PARISH FAIR & ORANGE FESTIVAL
Buras-Triumph, Louisiana
Orange you glad there's something to celebrate besides Christmas? This year the Plaquemines Parish Fair and Orange Festival returns to the magnificent grounds of historic Fort Jackson in Buras. The three-day event celebrates a
century of citrus farming with live music, family activities, local foods, Civil War re-enactments on the hour, carnival and helicopter rides—and lots of cooking and eating contests. Few festivals offer an array of competitions as diverse as this one: pie eating, orange eating, orange peeling, duck calling, shrimp peeling, catfish skinning, catfish de-heading, and oyster shucking are all categories in which the competitive may excel. Fort Jackson is off Highway 23. Friday is focused on the carnival, but the events begin on Saturday. orangefestival.com. 1
DEC 5th - DEC 7th
THEATRE "THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW" AT BAY
ST. LOUIS LITTLE THEATRE
Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi
Prepare to laugh yourself silly at this performance of the famous 1960s and '70s one-hour variety show hosted by comedian and actress Carol Burnett. Performed at Bay St. Louis Little Theatre—just in time for the holidays. 8 pm; 2 pm December 8. $15. bontempstix.com. 1
DEC 5th - DEC 14th
REEL IT IN LISTENING ROOM
FILM FESTIVAL
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room has been branching out over the years, findings its rhythm in everything from music to soul food—and now into another realm entirely with its annual film festival. The festival's goal is to highlight features about music and entertainment from throughout the Southeast area, to honor its roots. The festival will screen several local culture documentaries, as well as include panels and live music performances from artists who are featured in the films. The festival will take place both physically and virtually. 3 pm–midnight on Friday and Saturday; 3 pm to 9 pm on Sunday. $6 for an individual screening pass; $12 for a day pass; $55 for a six-day pass. htjmuseum.org. bontempstix.com. 1
DEC 6th
DAZZLES
LIGHT FESTIVAL + SILENT DISCO
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
Downtown Ocean Springs hosts an all-out bash lighting up the streets of downtown with art installations and performers—plus a silent disco with
dueling DJs performing to attendees' personal LED-equipped headphones. And, of course, there will be several animated projections inspired by the patron artist of Ocean Springs himself, Walter Anderson. 6 pm–10 pm. Free, but reserve headphones for $15. walterandersonmuseum.org. 1
DEC 6th
SOUND ON COVINGTON PORCH FEST
Covington, Louisiana
Break out your festival folding chairs and head to downtown Covington for performances from five bands on five stages—or, porches, that is. Designed to activate the neighborhoods while supporting local musicians, this event supports Hope House and the Children's Advocacy Center. 2 pm–5 pm. Free. Details at the Covington Porchfest Facebook Page. 1
DEC 6th
GALAS
ACADIANA CENTER FOR THE ARTS: THE PELICAN BALL
Lafayette, Louisiana
It's time to party like Louisiana's state bird. The annual Pelican Ball celebrates those who have helped shape Acadiana through their artistic works and
community contributions. The gala, held at the James Devin Moncus Theater at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, will honor Renée Roberts and John Chappuis. Expect a night of dancing, food, and music. 6:30 pm–10 pm. Tickets start at $125. acadianacenterforthearts.org. 1
DEC 6th - DEC 31st
VISUAL ARTS
"LES BONS TEMPA" AT GALLERY 600 JULIA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Gallery 600 Julia presents an exhibition by Will Smith, Jr. and his artistic journey that began in earnest after Hurricane Katrina struck twenty years ago. Smith began documenting America's wetlands, from the endangered landscape itself to the ways of life found in the region. An opening reception will be held December 6 from 5 pm–8 pm. gallery600julia.com. 1
DEC 10th - DEC 14th
STILLS PHOTONOLA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Celebrating the art of photography, the annual PhotoNOLA festival takes place over four days with broad ranging photography exhibitions on display throughout the month. The lineup includes a virtual photobook fair, portfolio reviews, workshops, lectures, book signings and the gala. $50 for a festival pass. A full schedule and more information can be found at photonola.org. 1
DEC 11th
FASHION
"GUILTY OR GORGEOUS"
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Louisiana's Old State Capitol hosts a night of creativity and couture. Presented by LSU's Department of Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising, the exhibition features student-designed looks that visitors can vote for in an interactive game. Attendees can support the designers by purchasing items or commissioning future work. There will also be pop-up booths featuring NOLA Rouge and Time Warp. 6 pm–8 pm. Free, but register at eventbrite.com. 1
DEC 13th
CLASSES
SURFACE DESIGN FOR CERAMICS WITH DANIELLE INABINET
Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi
Danielle Inabinet guides students through the art of Sgraffito (slip carving) and Mishima (slip inlay), timeless ceramic
decoration techniques. This hands-on class, at The Arts, Hancock County, guides students through applying, carving, and inlaying slip, transforming 2D design skills. The course is ideal for artists with backgrounds in painting or drawing. 1 pm–3 pm. $80; $10 for materials. hancockarts.org. 1
DEC
17th
CONCERTS
BATISTE LEGACY SESSIONS
PRESENTS PATRICK BORDELON Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Hosted at the Virginia and John Noland Black Box Studio at the Cary Saurage Community Arts Center, the Batiste Legacy Sessions are inspired by Alvin Batiste. December's featured artist is Patrick Bordelon. 6:30 pm–8 pm. $25; $10 for students. artsbr.org. 1
DEC 31st
MIDNIGHTS
RED STICK REVELRY
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Looking to celebrate New Year's Eve with a crowd? Head to Rhorer Plaza for Baton Rouge's official celebration to ring in 2026, featuring live music, fireworks, and family-friendly entertainment. There's even a "Red Stick" drop at midnight. 8 pm–midnight. Free. redstickrevelry.com. 1
DEC 31st - JAN 1st
MIDNIGHTS
NYE AT THE MALLORY
Saint Francisville, Louisiana
Ring in 2026 at The Mallory’s Annual New Year’s Eve Party in downtown St. Francisville. Expect an evening of music, complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a mechanical bull (for all those professional amateur cowboys and girls out there), a DJ after party, complimentary champagne toast at midnight, along with fireworks at the stroke of twelve. 8 pm–1 am. $30. bontempstix.com. 1
Scan the code for even more regional events, available at our website, countryroadsmag.com.
Home for the Holidays
Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Whatever your love language may be, this time of year the best thing you can be is an excellent gift giver. When planned with care, the task of selecting the perfect gift can be rewarding, not only because of the brownie points you are earning, but also because it is an opportunity to directly support our local artisans and businesses. In Louisiana and Mississippi, we are fortunate to live amongst some of the most creative, innovative, and fun-makers in the world—don’t waste this opportunity to stuff stockings with one-of-akind goldstuffs.
To aid in your shopping endeavors, we reached out to some of our region’s
For the traveler: The Assouline Travel Series books from Sage Hill boutique in St. Francisville. I have a collection of about fifty. Flipping thru them takes me right back to my travels.
ANN CONNELLY
Owner of Ann Connelly Fine Art Gallery Baton Rouge, Louisiana
For the foodies: Honey and Water Buffalo Cheese from Bayou Sarah Farms in St. Francisville
For the women in your life : Fresh bouquet from Forage Floral Design in Baton Rouge
For the music lover: Season tickets to the Baton Rouge Symphony
For the cook: The steaks or hamburger patties from the meat counter at The Francis Smokehouse & Specialty Meats in St. Francisville. Their meat is amazing, and no foodie could turn that down.
BRANDON BRANCH
Owner of the St. Francisville Inn St. Francisville, Louisiana
Best stocking stuffer: The socks from Deyo Supply Company in St. Francisville. I love their socks; they fit great and have awesome colors and patterns.
FRANCIS X PAVY
Southern Narrative Artist Lafayette, Louisiana
For the artist: A set of pure sable brushes
For the musician: A frottoir from Lafayette Music
For the gardener: A blackberry plant from The Cajun Gardener
HANNAH GUMBO
Multi-Media Artist & Illustrator
Acadiana, Louisiana
For the child or child at heart: I love giving a container of Honey Sticks beeswax washable tub crayons. Your bathtub was an empty canvas . . . until now.
For coffee drinkers: At home, I prefer a handmade ceramic mug. Var ceramics (Baton Rouge) & Little Clay Bug (Lafayette) both have beautiful work.
For a beauty or hostess gift: You can't go wrong with anything from Papillon Savon (Lafayette). Their cold process soaps, which are made with natural pigments and essential oils, come in a variety of scents. If you want something more unique, grab the jar of tallow!
MADELINE ELLIS
Founder and designer of MIMOSA Handcrafted Baton Rouge, Louisiana
For the cozy cuddler: The Knots Bayou, Baton Rouge's only local yarn shop, is a good place to start for finding a locally made cozy blanket.
For the movie buff: A beautiful, locally made wooden bowl from someone like Middleson Woodwork, filled with artisan popcorn and chocolates for an elevated movie night.
For the outdoorsman/woman: A hiking stick—every outdoorsman needs at least one! Mr. Gene Seneca makes some of my favorites.
MICHELLE CAVALIER & LAUREN MCBRIDE
Booksellers at Cavlier House Books Lafayette & Denham Springs, Louisiana
For the fashionable person in your life: Tim Allis’s Henry Bendel and the Worlds He Fashioned! Allis’s book follows Henri Bendel as he makes his way from Lafayette to NYC in the fashion and design world.
For the “impossible to gift”: cartoonist Fred Mulhearn's Looziana. Mulhearn's always funny and often big-hearted jabs at Louisiana culture will delight both locals and transplants—if you’re not sure what’s on their list, we prom ise they’ll love this.
Best gift for the reader: A new reading journal and floral page holder are the per fect gifts for the readers in your life—throw in a "Wrapped in Red" surprise book for an extra element of whimsy and mystery.
JOHN T. EDGE
Author & Food Writer
Oxford, Mississippi
For the artist / traveler: Buy a North American Reciprocal membership from the Mississippi Museum of Art in Jackson (or the Acadiana Center for the Arts in Lafayette, the Louisiana Art and Science Museum in Baton Rouge, or Capitol Park Museum in Baton Rouge) and you’ll gain admittance to this great museum—and great museums across the country.
For the writer: Lemuria Books in Jackson, Mississippi turned fifty this year; their First Edition Club is the best in the business.
Maria Zeringue
Director
of
the Louisiana Folklife Program Baton Rouge, Louisiana
For the crafter: Lafayette artist Sam Wrobel is a wycinanki artist, which is a papercutting folk art with Polish origins. He has recently been offering workshops at Scrappie Studio.
For the musician / music lover: The End of All Music record store in Oxford and Jackson, Mississippi has a Record of the Month Club, where they send subscribers a record of their choosing each month.
For the imbiber: Bristow Barrel Aged Reserve Gin, distilled in Jackson, Mississippi, aged for twelve months in new American oak, bottled at cask strength, tastes of time and spearmint, and is my favorite “summer bourbon.”
For the artist: An annual membership to an art museum or gallery is a great way to support local artists and engage in art and culture year-round.
HANDS-ON
Giving Back to the Gulf
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, YOUR PRESENCE IN THE COASTAL TRENCHES MATTERS
Story by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
December calls us to good deeds—good deeds, and hgift-giving. While we may spend our early winter weeks hpainstakingly and carefully selecting items for those upon whom we bestow our greatest fondness, such as our family and friends, there is some precedent for doing a good turn for the broader public, the local community, and the wider world. And, if in many ways the Gulf Coast is our region’s greatest gift, it’s high time we engage in some reciprocity.
Lucky for us, Louisiana and Mississippi possess between them a wealth of environmental organizations, nonprofits, and coalitions bent on coastal restoration and preservation. Volunteers are always welcome, whether they plant marsh grass and cypress trees, bag oyster shells to create reefs, recycle a Christmas tree to prevent coastal erosion, or simply commit to eating at restaurants that serve wild-caught Gulf seafood (we know, an absolute hardship).
“I think that there's a place for everybody in coastal restoration,” said James Karst, communications director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL). “We want to bring everybody together, because that is the way that we can accomplish the most, and really deliver the best possible outcome for the people and the environment that exists in the most beautiful place on the planet.”
The Scope
The organizations that dedicate themselves to coastal restoration are regional and hyper-local alike, some with broader goals for the coast as a complex ecosystem, others identifying specific bodies of water, locations, or wildlife that need the most help.
Some, like Restore the Mississippi River Delta, rope in other organizations working toward a shared goal, such as that of achieving a restored, sustainable Mississippi River Delta—bringing in a range of expertise.
“Restore the Mississippi River Delta is a true coalition,” said Simone Maloz, the organization’s campaign director. “For the most part . . . we want to implement science-based projects that protect our valuable communities here in coastal Louisiana, and we want to do that for the long term sustainable future … it takes a lot of different things to make that happen.”
This includes resolute grassroots legwork—
community conversations about Louisiana’s Coastal Master Plan, meeting with folks in Baton Rouge to discuss the importance of coastal funding, and getting involved with coastal and regional projects to assess needs for access and support. Similarly, the Ocean Springs-based Gulf of America Alliance, which encompasses Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, collaborates with organizations across the Gulf Coast region to produce the best outcomes for the complex, multifaceted problems involved.
“That's things like improving coastal community resilience, working on improving habitats, working with wildlife and fisheries, environmental education, and [mitigating] marine debris,” said Christina Mohrman, Director of Strategic Planning and Partnerships at the Gulf of America Alliance. “And we bring together partners from all five states—from state and federal agencies, from nonprofits, academics, business, and industry to work on these issues together.”
Others, like the Pontchartrain Conservancy (PC), possess a storied legacy in their communities, built upon the grueling work of environmental advocacy fought over decades. PC was originally founded in the 1980s to save the polluted Lake Pontchartrain—a task many deemed unrealistic and indicative of bad economics. Today, the group’s focus is all things water.
“The majority of our staff are scientists, and we work in areas related to water throughout sixteen parishes in South Louisiana, so that’s twenty-five percent of the state,” said Kristi Trail, PC’s executive director. “Really, what we're mostly looking at is water that we're using for forms of recreation and economic drivers— so, you know, rivers and lakes and things like that, testing the water quality.” PC also works with community members, local governments, and the state government on its research.
Then there are other organizations, such as the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, which operate as both go-betweens for various partners while also developing programs and harnessing boots-on-the-ground volunteers to get the nitty gritty work of restoring the coast done.
“We are active statewide, but especially along Louisiana’s coast,” Karst, of CRCL, explained. “Really with the overarching goal of getting people involved in coastal restoration, getting them to become advocates for saving our state’s coast, where we’ve had about 2,000 square miles of land vanish in less than a century.”
The Gifts
Across the Gulf Coast, these non-profits (and plenty others) offer many and sundry ways to give back. Read on for suggestions on how to harness your talents, time, and tastebuds for good.
A marsh grass planting with Glass Half Full. Photo by Katie Sikora, courtesy of CRCL.
Get Down and Dirty: Grab your rubber boots and some sunscreen. Plenty of environmental organizations need folks to roll up their sleeves and plant grasses in marshes or dunes for coastal protection and storm surge buffering, while others ask for help reforesting Louisiana swamps with cypress trees, which were heavily logged a century ago—leading to a critical ecological gap in our coastal forests. Still more need help installing native plants to revitalize various ecosystems. Winter is the ideal planting season in the Gulf, when the weather is mild. Participating groups include Pontchartrain Conservancy, The Central Wetlands Reforestation Collective, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, and Common Ground Relief.
Cleanup, Cleanup, Every Waterway Everywhere: For those without a green thumb, there’s always room for a good, old-fashioned litter cleanup. Rubber boots, work gloves, and the perseverance required to fish unidentified trash from bayous and shorelines are a must. Learn more about programs through Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program, Louisiana Bayou Society, Clean Bayou, and Keep Louisiana Beautiful.
Aww, Shucks: Oyster aficionados, this one’s for you. After you enjoy an oyster (or fifty) from your favorite seafood joint, the leftover shells, it turns out, often end up in landfills. To avoid this outcome and do a little extra for the coast, some organizations have developed partnerships with seafood restaurants in various coastal cities to donate their oyster shells. After the shells are collected and bagged, they are returned to the water to create artificial oyster shell reefs. Anyone can help with the bagging or reef-building process, but even being choosy about where you dine—at participating restaurants—can make a difference. The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana has spearheaded these efforts.
Rockin’ Around the (Recycled)
Christmas Tree: A tried and true holiday tradition in our area includes ferrying your evergreen tree to a designated drop-off after yuletide festivities have concluded. Christmas tree barriers slow erosion, trap sediment, provide wave buffers, and avoid overstuffing landfills. Be sure to strip the tinsel and lights from your tree before you do your duty. Participating parishes include Orleans, St. Bernard, Jefferson, East Baton Rouge, St. Charles, St. Tammany, and many more.
Shatterproof: New Orleans-based Glass Half Full offers drop-off locations across the city for residents to recycle their glass, which is then converted into sustainable sand and gravel—some of which is used to prevent coastal restoration. The initiative has garnered a lot of attention and fostered community partnerships. Earlier this year, the company opened a new, larger recycling facility in Chalmette.
Eat, Shop, and Enjoy Local: It may seem obvious, but our Gulf boasts a delectable seafood bounty unlike anywhere else. To keep our coastal communities and fisheries strong, be sure to shop for wild, Gulf-caught seafood, and patronize restaurants that advertise local and sustainably sourced seafood. This is a bigger ask than you may think—seafood fraud is rampant along the Gulf Coast, with fakers trying to pass imported products as local fare. Learn more about how the Louisiana Shrimp Festival supports coastal communities.
Citizen Scientists: For this one, you can leave the lab coat behind. Plenty of organizations need real-time data to help understand what is happening to the coast and the species who call it home. Some groups, like the Pontchartrain Conservancy, might ask folks from the community to gather information about flooding to determine when it’s happening, and where the causes lie. Others, like the Delta chapter (Louisiana and Mississippi) of the National Audubon Society provide the opportunity for volunteers to participate in bird monitoring. There are also coalition groups, such as the Gulf of America Alliance, that provide extensive lists of their partner organizations across the Gulf Coast engaging in all types of tracking and data collection programs.
Back to School: If all else fails, there are always opportunities to learn—participating in STEM educational seminars, coastal meetings and conferences, or informational events to brush up on your own intellectual resources. You can even become a leader or teacher to pass important environmental knowledge onto kids and adults alike. Check out Atchafalaya Basinkeeper, Pontchartrain Conservancy, Restore the Mississippi River Delta, Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, and many more like-minded orgs.
The Impact
The message from our contingent of environmentally-conscious advocates? Every little bit, however small, counts. After all, the stakes are high; coastal erosion and wetland loss have a profound and devastating ripple effect.
“Our state is losing land rapidly, and that impacts communities,” Karst said. “If we don't have healthy wetlands, we don't have healthy fisheries.”
To the people who live, work, and play on the Gulf, Morhman added, the region is vital. We give back by protecting and promoting the places that we call home. And while there is no catch-all, blanket solution to solve the Gulf’s diverse and complex problems, environmental leaders insist that everyone can play a part to chip away at the problem—even if it means simply speaking about the issues impacting our coast.
“We need supportive voices, and we need folks that are coastal champions— there’s no ‘one size fits all,’” Maloz said. “It’s affecting each and every single one of us that are here.”
Advocates recognize the prospect of giving back to the Gulf may feel daunting, or like a drop in the conservation bucket; but they maintain the overall fight is worth the effort. Trail pointed out that, in light of Louisiana’s recent cancellation of some large-scale coastal restoration projects, the work of protection and conservation has fallen upon local nonprofits and organizations to pick up the environmental slack—with, hopefully, help from volunteers.
“We've been through hard times before . . . We just need to keep pushing,” she said. “Sometimes it’s really gratifying to get out there. Maybe it's been two hours with us planting trees. Maybe you've spent a couple hours picking up some litter. But it's a reminder that small things can make a big difference.” 1
Marsh grass planting with Glass Half Full. Photo by Katie Sikora, courtesy of CRCL.
Volunteers help to deploy oyster shells as an artifical reef to prevent coastal erosion. Image courtesy of CRCL.
Mirliton Nation
INSIDE THE ONLINE COMMUNITY PRESERVING THE LOUISIANA VEGETABLE PEAR, ONE SEED AT A TIME
Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Thhere are still places, in this godforsaken Internet age, where people share seeds. If you can push your way through the mindless scroll of beauty-filtered influencers, AI-generated bunnies on trampolines, ads, ads, ads— there is still a place on the web where a single, specific interest draws thousands ready to obsess, to exchange knowledge, to share selfies in front of the prized thing that drew them all together. In this case, that thing is a vegetable: the mirliton.
Lance Hill debuted the mirliton.org website in 2011, just as the age of the decentralized, forum-friendly internet was sunsetting, making way for the reigning influence of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hill’s corner of the Internet is reminiscent of the before-times, when the web’s power to collapse distance through shared obsessions was its greatest charm.
Fourteen years later, mirliton.org has expanded into a Facebook Group with 13,000 members, though it holds fast to the haphazard, uncurated, and assuredly human characteristics of its origins. This is a place that mimics the old ways of the tight-knit neighborhood. There’s oohing and ahhing over one member’s first ever bumper crop, questions about how to construct a trellis, debates about whether or not to use parmesan in a dressing.
Photos of the bulbous, green (and occasionally white) fruit are preserved in digital piles you can almost picture on your grandmother’s kitchen counter. And just as it was once passed down orally, from one generation to the next, from one neighbor to another, knowledge is held here: in the captions, in the comment sections, in the photos.
When Hill launched the website, in conjunction with a nonprofit by the same name, this was his dream: to foster
and support a new generation of mirliton growers in the Gulf South, and particularly South Louisiana.
The Origins of Mirliton in Louisiana
Mirliton, or Sechium edule, is better known as chayote throughout the United States, though it is also called by the names “vegetable pear,” “custard marrow,” “one-seeded cucumber,” “mango squash,” and “cho-cho.” Botanically considered a fruit but treated as a vegetable in global culinary practices, the plant is a fast-growing, climbing perennial vine that is part of the gourd family. The fruit itself is similar in texture and shape to a squash, but with a mild, delicate flavor and a crisper bite when raw. A single vine can grow to around forty feet and produce hundreds of fruits.
The plant originates in Mesoamerica, but mirliton has been an import-
ant part of Louisiana gardening and culinary cultures since at least the mid-nineteenth century. Scholars have debated which specific immigrant group brought it to New Orleans, though likely, it was more than one. Hill’s widely-accepted theory is that the main transporters of mirliton to Louisiana were Haitian refugees who arrived in the New Orleans area between 1789 and 1815. His reasoning is based on the fact that the variety Haitians would have had access to would have been adapted to growing at sea level—but even more so because there have always only ever been two places in the world where the “chayote” is called a “mirliton”: Haiti and Louisiana.
Within a decade or so, mirliton vines were an ornamental feature throughout the city’s neighborhoods, and the fruit a staple in many families’ diets. “Historically, people considered it a poor person’s food,” said David Hubbell, a
Louisiana mirliton. Illustration by Kourtney Zimmerman.
Louisiana transplant to Mobile, Alabama and a mirliton grower. “It grew kind of wild. But in New Orleans, there were all these big, Catholic families living on small amounts of land. One plant might produce over one hundred mirlitons in a season. You could feed a lot of mouths with those yields.”
Quietly, without much fanfare, the mirliton embedded itself into the folk culture of Louisiana cuisine. New Orleanians would eat it in soups and in casseroles, slice it up for salad. Following a November harvest, they’d stuff mirlitons to bursting with shrimp and crabmeat and place them at the heart of their Thanksgiving and Christmas tables.
And the vine spread beyond New Orleans, too—taking root in the surrounding River Parishes and even all the way up to North Louisiana, evolving culturally and genetically as it did.
“I have memories of it as just a type of staple for Louisiana and New Orleans,” said Hubbell, whose grandparents were from the River Parishes, his parents from Metairie. “When I was born, we moved to Texas, so when we’d come back to Louisiana, we’d have these food-centric celebrations, and in the fall, we’d always have mirliton casseroles, stuffed mirliton, mirliton pies.”
Grower James LeBlanc remembers driving around St. John Parish as a kid and seeing mirliton vines growing along the canal sides. “It was a common vegetable that was plentiful with a lot of the old timers,” he said. “My dad grew it on and off until he was ninety-two years old . . . our family was poor, and traditionally we’d stuff our mirliton with ground beef, because that was the cheapest option.” Shrimp was a luxury, he said, but he and his siblings would sometimes catch river shrimp from the Mississippi River as kids and use it for mirliton dishes. “And my grandmother would make it with shrimp occasionally.”
“It was just a staple crop that people grew out here,” said Lucy, Louisiana grower Kim Mathieu. “I grew up with it as a kid, so it’s always been kind of nostalgic for me.”
Grower Michelle Glore of Paradis, Louisiana remembers wandering through her grandfather’s wild, untamed garden—mirliton vines everywhere.” I loved walking back there with him,” she said. “It always made me want to grow mirliton.”
The Lost Fruit
Throughout most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, mirliton was only available from your garden or your neighbors’. But in the mid-1990s, Louisiana started importing chayotes from Latin America, and a smoother, larger, more uniform version of the fruit became available in grocery stores.
So, when Hill’s backyard mirliton vine died in a freeze in 1995, he took the advice of local growers; he purchased a fruit from the grocery store and buried it in
the ground. Every growing season for the next decade, he’d keep trying this method, each time to no avail. Around 2007, he decided instead to seek out a Louisiana heirloom mirliton plant like the one he had originally grown. Except, he quickly realized, there were virtually none left.
The decline of the local variety had happened discreetly, as an entire generation of New Orleanians adapted their expectations of produce to be cheap, accessible year-round, and uniform in appearance. This trend, of course, ran parallel to a general decrease in family gardens and a fissure in the passage of growing knowledge from one generation to the next. What’s more, the rise of urbanization and effects of climate change meant that even those who still grew heirloom varieties, and knew the traditional methods of doing so, struggled against the challenges of depleted soil and a changing environment.
And then, there was Hurricane Katrina. The storm and resultant flooding had drowned almost all that remained of New Orleans’s Louisiana mirliton vines.
The Mirliton Man
Hill was no novice when it came to championing a cause. His background in activism includes anti-war demonstrations, labor organization, anti-Klan work (he led the nonprofit that outed David Duke as a Nazi sympathizer), and speaking out against the way African American communities in New Orleans were treated post-Katrina. From 1993–2015, he oversaw the Southern Institute for Education and Research at Tulane University, a nonprofit dedicated to educating teachers, churches, government officials, and law enforcement agencies in the South on how to teach subjects like the Holocaust and African American Civil Rights movement.
From the same place within Hill that compelled him to act as a voice for the disenfranchised erupted a fervor for the humble, almost-forgotten mirliton. He dove into the existing literature on the plant, interviewed local elders, and collected as much information as he could.
He set out, driving around the state in search of farmers who still had the Louisiana heirloom. When he found them, he collected seed fruit from their vines. His goal was to re-populate the Louisiana heirloom mirliton in New Orleans. During that time, he discouraged growers from eating their mirliton—every seed needed to be preserved, and shared.
Hill’s zeal for the endangered vegetable pear soon earned him the moniker, “the Mirliton Man.” He amassed a following of experienced and novice gardeners alike, who joined him in collecting and spreading seed like gospel. In 2008, he formalized the effort into the Adopt-A-Mirliton Project in partnership with Market Umbrella of New Orleans. At the Crescent City Farmers Market, he would sit at a table offering, for free, heirloom mirliton plants he had propa-
gated—accompanied by a growers’ guide he developed in conjunction with the LSU AgCenter. In exchange, gardeners were expected to keep records of their vine and their gardening practices, and then to return half of their crop to the Project, which would help get vines in the hands of ever more growers.
All a Name Holds
As Hill tracked down old vines across Louisiana, he realized that even within the Louisiana “landrace” (the word for a domesticated, regionally specific variety of a plant that has adapted to a particular environment) mirliton subspecies, there were several subvarieties of the vine, each with different characteristics. The process of tracking down these different iterations of the Louisiana mirliton continues today. Each time Hill discovers a new one, he interviews its grower to determine the strain’s history and origins. Over time, he has identified fifteen distinct varieties of Louisiana Heirloom Mirliton—each named in honor of an elder mirliton grower. This is how our local mirliton plants gained names like Ervin Crawford, Papa Sylvest, and Miss Clara.
James LeBlanc, for instance, started his mirliton project five years ago with seeds from his recently-deceased father’s dying vine, which had grown for nearly a century. When he showed the resulting harvest to Hill, Hill determined the plant to be a new variety of mirliton, and gave LeBlanc the honor of naming it after his father, Bebe LeBlanc. In a video posted in the summer of 2024 in the mirliton.org Facebook Group, LeBlanc shows off his Bebe LeBlanc mirliton plant—which he is currently growing right into the trees along the Mississippi River, the vine climbing dozens of yards into the air. In the comment section, another member wonders how he plans to harvest, to which Hill responded with some advice: “Daddy used to shoot them out of the trees with a .22.”
LeBlanc has also named another new variety that he came upon by chance; he purchased it from an elderly woman, who said she got it from an LSU plant sale. “We named that one after my grandfather, Maurin,” he said. He also grows the Maurin mirliton by the river, and uses them most often for stuffing. “Those have a harder shell, it becomes like a little bowl for you,” he said.
In 2010, Hubbell also had the opportunity to name the vine in his garden—which didn’t match the ones that Hill had already documented at the time. He’d acquired the plant from his uncle’s grandfather’s friend, who had been growing his vine for around four decades in Metairie.
Following several unsuccessful attempts, like Hill’s, to grow mirliton from the chayote he’d purchased at the grocery store, Hubbell’s first heirloom produced eightyfive fruits from a single vine. “That astounded me,” he said. After learning that the original grower, Dan Boudreau, had on one occasion exchanged the plant with Hubbell’s own great uncle in St. Charles Parish, Lawrence Robert, Hubbell named the vine “Boudreau Robert” in honor of both of them.
It is the Ishreal Thibodeaux mirliton, though, that is perhaps one of the effort’s greatest conservation victories. The only pure white mirliton known to be grown in the United States, this variety grew in its namesake’s garden in Opelousas for decades—fed, unconventionally, by the manure from Thibodeaux, “The Rabbit Man”’s, rabbits. After the vine’s discovery, several growers attempted to propagate it and bring it into their own gardens—among them Chef John Folse. In 2019, though, the community realized that many of those attempts had failed, and that there were only a handful of vines remaining. The Ishreal Thibodeaux mirliton was, again, on the brink of extinction. A new preservation project, launched in 2020, brought in the troops—and because of that effort, “we’ve now lost count of how
many vines there are,” said Hubbell. “The white mirliton has been revived.”
The Digital Domain of the Mirliton
Part of the success of such endeavors is due to the remarkable network that Hill has built, first through the Adopt-a-Mirliton program in Greater New Orleans, and now across the entire Gulf South region via his website and Facebook Group. “Whenever we have a need like that,” said Hubbell, “we are able to find growers and people with knowledge so quickly. . . we can learn techniques so much faster, as we get more people trying this. And we can make the seeds more accessible.” Now, seed exchanges don’t have to happen through Hill and the Crescent City Farmers Market, but from one grower in North Louisiana to another in Mobile, Alabama. Members of the Facebook Group often refer to the collective as “Mirliton Nation.”
LeBlanc says that he has learned a wealth of techniques that have helped him succeed in starting and establishing his mirliton crop—things like using bamboo sticks or a soil meter to ensure the proper soil moisture, or when to use a nitrogen-based fertilizer versus pot ash. On the website itself, Hill has provided an incredible archive of scientific papers, how-to guides (often with photos), and explanations of techniques he’s gathered from the elders and from the literature. Glore, who has been growing mirliton for three seasons and struggling to sustain her vines year-round, said she has spent many an evening on mirliton.org, “researching, reading, and troubleshooting,” she said.
The Facebook Group, in its crowdsourced nature, invites the interaction of tradition and innovation. Members share the old techniques from their grandparents, as well as modern approaches to old problems—like how to protect your mirliton from the August heat, or encourage it to produce throughout the winter.
“In the wintertime, people are starting to tent their mirliton and put heaters in,” said Mathieu. “I’m debating whether or not I want to do that, to keep the vines viable through the cold. To me, it seems like that’s getting a little bit away from tradition, which is a big part of this for me. But I’ll debate it.” For last year’s unprecedented snowfall, Glore built an insulated fortress for her mirliton, with a heater and Christmas lights. “That vine didn’t stop producing until May,” she said.
“The mirliton group,” she went on, “it’s such a tightknit community. Everyone is so uplifting, they’re like your garden cheerleaders . . . if it wasn’t for the group, I probably would have just threw in the towel. But Dr. Lance especially is so encouraging, and, I don’t know, he makes you feel like you’re just part of some amazing mission.”
The mirliton’s digital footprint has expanded even beyond Hill’s original domain, branching off into reddit threads, other Facebook groups, and even Hubbell’s YouTube Channel, “Heritage Unveiled, Flavor Retold”—which explores various aspects of Louisiana foodways, including weekly updates on the status of his mirliton vines during season. “This just became something I really wanted to be very involved with, to help give my part back to Louisiana and the vegetable community,” he said of his now-sixteen-year journey with the mirliton.
A New Generation
LeBlanc has been growing mirliton ever since he moved into his grandparents’ home in St. John Parish, tending to the descendants of his father’s vines. He thinks often about how the new generation’s relationship with gardening has changed, how it is no longer seen as a means of survival—though it still could be. But his kids and his grandkids watch him growing the mirliton that is named after his father, and the one named after
his grandfather, and he hopes he’s planting a seed.
“When I hold these mirliton in my hands,” said Hubbell, “I think about the history of what it took for me to get it. My uncle got it from Mr. Boudreau, and Mr. Boudreau traded some with my great Uncle Robert. But where did they get it from? Who made it possible? Who preserved them and took care of the vines over the decades and centuries? Who carried them here to Louisiana? They came to this country, maybe not through the happiest of times. They were part of somebody’s past, and are now part of my past, and my present, and my future. I’m part of this chain that keeps it going.”
This is why he, like Hill, and so many others in the mirliton community, are so passionate about not just planting mirliton, but spreading it, sharing it. “I’m hoping I can, in turn, do that with others, so that future generations might be able to enjoy the same thing their ancestors enjoyed.”
One of the most rewarding parts, according to Glore, is holding her full-grown fruit in her hands, and having enough to share with others in the community, “who can then be fruitful themselves.” LeBlanc echoed her sentiments, saying that, for a while, he was selling his fruit and cuttings of his plants, but in the end he got to the point where he was just giving them away. “I believe in sowing and reaping,” he said.
“This way I’m sowing seed throughout.”
Anyway, if he does end up losing his vines somewhere along the way, “I know this community is going to give me what I need to start back over again.” 1
Join the nation at mirliton.org and the mirliton.org Facebook Group.
Bebe LeBlanc mirlitons, grown by James LeBlanc.
Cocodrie Dreams
ARTIST COLETTE BERNARD DISMANTLES THE MYTH OF THE STARVING ARTIST, ONE WHIMSICAL ACCESSORY AT A TIME.
Story by Catherine Comeaux
In the spring of 2023 there was a buzz around Lafayette about a local artist who had made thousands hof dollars selling hair claws. Colette Bernard, educated in the fine arts at Pratt Institute of New York, had recently moved back home to Louisiana, carryingwith her the “financial trauma of student loan debt” and a strong desire to use her creativity to settle it. With sales from her Career Claws—whimsical hair accessories symbolizing various lines of work—she not only paid off the entirety of the debt, she established herself as a designer and
artrepreneur. She recently shared a bit of her story with Country Roads, letting us in on a “juicy tidbit”—something she’s excited to be working on for the upcoming new year.
Girl, Make that Magnet!
“I stepped away from the fine art world when I was deep in art school debt and dreading the idea of working entry level positions to pay it off,” Bernard said.
One of Bernard’s early inspirations was her friend, the late sculptor Devra Freelander—who created large resin
sculptures, then smashed them and sold the chunks as small, affordable pieces of her work. “She helped me appreciate the value of creating art for others and being able to sell it,” Bernard said.
This philosophy, which releases artists from the pretension of always reaching “above” the masses and enables them to build an economically sustainable career in the arts, is one that Bernard promotes on TikTok and Instagram @artistcolette.
“Girl, make that sticker, make that magnet,” Bernard said in one of her many pep-talk style reels.
Early on, friends had encouraged her to create a sticker from her design of a birth control pill container; they quickly sold out. The success of that first experiment emboldened her to create her now-globally-worn Career Claws.
The first design to go viral was a larger-than-life wisdom tooth with long roots. Using hashtags, she marketed the claw directly to dental hygienists, who polished off her initial supplies. The wisdom tooth design led to more Career Claw ideas. She’s been pushing out new designs ever since—syringes for nurses, pink brains for psychologists, and orange pill bottles for pharmacists. Bernard enjoys observing the irony of who actually buys a particular claw versus who she has in mind during the design process. She claims a crab claw she created for marine biologists has been embraced by “girls yearning for a coastal grandma aesthetic.”
No matter who is buying them, sales of the Career Claws and Bernard’s other forays in accessory design are the reason she was able to settle her $130,000 student loan debt in four years. She had imagined she’d be paying on the loan well into her 40s, but made the final
payment by the time she was twenty-five years old.
Cocodrie Collective Saturday Night
In late 2023, Bernard established a brickand-mortar space in Downtown Lafayette, not only for her own products, but as place of opportunity for fellow artists. “Cocodrie Collective is not centered on me. It’s stocked by a collective with artist-made goods plus carefully curated, design-focused items from indie brands,” Bernard said, summing it up as a “cool stuff store.”
During Downtown’s recent Second Saturday Art Walk, the rainbow colored vortex of creative energy that is Cocodrie Collective was packed with shoppers. Books, stickers, knitted critters, and a rhinestone bejeweled full-sized mirror line the walls of the tiny, maximalist fun-house that is the Collective. A trio of brightly colored mid-century modern fiberglass chairs offers a place to sit and take in the visual delights.
While we were there, my daughter and I bumped into a friend of the family, a local swamp tour guide. Ironic to see him at Cocodrie Collective since we’d heard he was recovering from recently being bitten by an actual cocodrie. Relieved he hadn’t lost any digits to the alligator, I kept perusing the merchandise, accidentally playing elbowsies with a woman who was equally absorbed in the art print boxes.
“I love this store, but I come here too much,” she said, explaining how she’d recently bought four prints from Cora Rose Nimtz’s “Okra Bits Collection,” but needed a few more. Seeking encouragement, she showed me a picture of her
Lafayette-area artist Colette Bernard, courtesy of Bernard.
Colette Bernard's Career Clips. Photos courtesy of Bernard.
kitchen wall, bedecked with the vibrant pastel reimaginings of Southern groceries. I agreed that at $12-$25 a piece, expanding her collection was a no-brainer.
After this quick interior decor consult, I found myself pulling Martina Calvi’s A Year of Junk Journaling from the shelf, prompting a fellow shopper to sigh, “You can never have enough rhinestones when junk journaling.”
“Really?” I asked. She responded with an impromptu tutorial on the process.
I left that night with a rush of desire to create, plus a small sticker I couldn’t pass up (a visual recipe for rice, one of Bernard’s designs—a glass measuring cup depicting the locally sacred ratio of water to rice.)
The New Entrepreneurship
Bernard stays engaged with her customers and supporters across a variety of online platforms, occasionally inviting her fans behind-the-scenes of the design process and sharing lessons she’s learned as an artrepreneur. (One is that customers love stickers; even if they don’t enter a store to buy anything, they’ll buy a sticker.) Newcomers to her brand can binge-watch her Instagram reels, and really get a sense of who the woman behind the large, vivid accessories is.
Like her designs, Bernard’s reels are colorful and often heavily punctuated by the satisfying clack-clack of her plantbased acetate hair claws. Her steady rhythm of promoting products online
is interspersed with personal stories— she recently discussed her decision to have minor cosmetic surgery and what it meant to her as an artist who designs accessories. The appeal of her artwork, coupled with this vulnerability, attracts followers—198,000 on Instagram plus over 670,000 on TikTok, many of whom become customers and even collaborators.
By offering commissions, Bernard gets to collaborate with local and national businesses on designs, like the go-cup hair claw for Pop’s Po-boys and her rendering of the blue swirl logo that marks Lafayette’s homegrown world-famous Festival International. She worked with Tic Tac on a strawberry shaped hair claw and was excited about an upcoming launch of a design for a soda brand, whose name she wasn’t free to reveal yet.
Bernard often takes cues for new designs from her followers. “If you have an idea for a hair claw, put it in the comments section on social media. The speech pathologists have been asking for a larynx,” she said. Her designs grab attention, especially the anatomical ones. Wearing her heart earrings invites comments on their accuracy and a commissioned hair claw depicting lady parts could pass for a surrealistic oyster (offered in two colorways). But a larynx?!
In late October, her team launched two programs aimed at allowing Bernard more time to devote to designing. One is a user-generated content,
or UGC, program that will reimburse content creators for their work promoting Bernard’s products. “We recognize that creating content is a skill that we’re willing to pay for,” she said. The second program is commission based, inviting affiliates to act as brand ambassadors, earning a 10% commission on merchandise sales generated through their personal code.
What does Bernard plan to do with more time to create (besides possibly
working out that larynx design)? She is currently in the sampling phase of her debut into apparel design. “I’m so excited to be rolling out a small batch, limited edition line of clothing!”
Hundreds of thousands of her fans all over the globe will be, too. That she is keeping her work rooted locally is bonus for us all. 1
cocodriecollective.com artistcolette.com
Bernard's shop downtown Lafayette, Cocodrie Collective—featuring her products, as well as those of other local and national artists. She calls it a "cool stuff store." Photos courtesy of Colette Bernard.
DINING DYNASTY
The Queens of Commanders
Story by Susan Marquez
Tho be in the company of Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan is to experience the fullest extent of New Orleans’s renowned joie de vivre. Cousins Ti and Lally are co-proprietors of the 132-year-old New Orleans restaurant, Commander’s Palace, and they usually bring the fun, along with a wealth of experience and knowledge. When it comes to the restaurant business, their family’s long legacy of entrepreneurship shines forth.
Ella Brennan, Ti’s mother, began working with her brother, Owen Brennan, at his French Quarter restaurant when she was nineteen. When the family took the reins of the historic Commander’s Palace in 1969, they revitalized it for
a new era and officially re-opened it in 1974. Ella made the restaurant her top priority, earning the nickname “Hurricane Ella.” She had very high standards and expected the same from her staff, whom she always treated with kindness, earning the respect of her employees and others in the food service industry. In 2002, the Southern Foodways Alliance awarded Ella the Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lally, who is the daughter of John Brennan, Owen and Ella’s brother, grew up with Ti in their family’s restaurants, where they played in the back offices and, in time, worked in the dining rooms. “It was really a wonderful upbringing, even if it was a bit unconventional,” said Lally.
After finishing college, both women
eventually ended up back in New Orleans, working within the Brennan restaurant empire—Lally as a hostess at Mr. B’s and Ti at the newly-opened Palace Café.
Ella Brennan turned over the day-today operations of Commander’s to Ti and Lally for a few years before the cousins took over as co-proprietors of Commander’s in 1997, under Ella’s watchful eye.
“We have always been all-in,” said Ti. “For nearly twenty years, we worked on furthering our hospitality in many ways. We started something called ‘Aqua Blue U’ to train our team, with courses mostly food and wine (and service-related), but also extending to personal finance and how to buy a first home or a car. We ramped up our wine training so much
that the Court of Master Sommeliers began teaching their course at Commander’s. We kept pushing the food to be the leading edge of New Orleans cuisine.”
Ti said the first two years after her mom’s death in 2018 were very good years for the restaurant.
But on the heels of a fantastic carnival season in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Ti and Lally had to do what every other restaurateur in New Orleans and around the world had to: pivot.
The cousins did all they could to keep the business afloat, from offering takeout meals to shipping signature dishes around the country via Goldbelly. They even sold wine and cheese kits locally and hosted Zoom “tastings” to discuss the attributes of the pairings. When the
HOW COUSINS TI ADELAIDE MARTIN AND LALLY BRENNAN ARE CARRYING ON THE LEGACY OF THE PALACE
A shrimp dish from Chef Jose Chris Blanco's Waska. Photo by Claire Fontana, courtesy of Chef Blanco.
Cousins Lally Brennan (left) and Ti Martin (right). Photo courtesy of Commander's Palace.
Commander’s Palace dining rooms finally reopened, Ti and Lally were determined to make the legendary turquoise and white building in the Garden District the most talked-about restaurant in New Orleans.
One of the innovations was the twentyfive-cent martinis special offered with the purchase of a lunch entrée on Thursdays and Fridays. Lally shared an Instagram post that her aunt, Dottie Brennan, had insisted for years that they add the twenty-five-cent martini, a long-held tradition at Brennan’s. Lally said, “We love Dottie and we respect her.” Ti interjected, “But we did it so she’d shut up.” While the martini special is no longer on the Brennan’s menu, it is more popular than ever at Commander’s. There is a limit of three, because, as Lally said, “three is enough.”
The entrepreneurial wheels continue to turn for the cousins, who drew on their travels as children as their inspiration for Commander’s companion café, Le Petit Bleu, which opened in January 2024. “When we were young, my mother took us on restaurant scouting trips around the world,” said Ti. “We, of course, tried everything. Our favorite food was the crêpes we tried in Paris. We wanted them everywhere we went.” Ti and Lally dreamed of creating their own slice of Paris just down from Commander’s Palace on Washington Street.
The small café in a converted cottage
offers to-go items, including Commander’s famous turtle soup, a crab ravigote, muffalettas, and cheesecake. The aroma of French Truck Chicory Coffee mingles with the scent of fresh-baked candied pecan biscotti. Behind the counter, crêpes are made to order, including lunch crêpes made with charred chili boudin, chicken liver mousse, and herb salad. “We wanted it to feel like a bustling Paris café,” said Ti. While Commander’s Palace has a strict dress code, Le Petit Bleu is more relaxed. It’s a neighborhood restaurant where anyone is welcome. “We even offer dog treats,” laughed Lally. “We figured if we train the dogs, the people in the neighborhood will come.”
The latest way Ti and Lally are expanding the Commander’s brand is with the new Commander’s Collection, which currently includes seventy-two specialty apparel and home items ranging from silk scarves, pocket squares, and socks designed by local artist Tim Trapolin to glassware, cocktail mixes, roux spoons, and oyster knives, with “many more on the way,” said Ti. “Everything ties back to us in some way,” explained Lally, “so people will always remember their visit to Commander’s.”
Also in the Commander’s Collection are books by Ti and Lally, including In the Land of Cocktails: Recipes and Adventures from the Cocktail Chicks. The book features classic New Orleans cocktail rec-
ipes with their history, along with illustrations by Trapolin. “We try to use New Orleans artists whenever we can,” said Ti. Other books available in clude Miss Ella of Command er’s Palace by Ti and Lally, Commander’s Wild Side: Bold Flavors for Fresh Ingredients from the Great Outdoors by Ti and Chef Tory McPhail, and Commander’s Kitchen by Ti and Jamie Shannon.
Meg Bickford has been the Executive Chef at Com mander’s Palace since Octo ber 2020, but she has been working with Ti and Lally for more than a decade. “She has grown into this role in such an amazing way,” said Lally. “She has gained such respect from the entire staff, and she is doing a wonderful job.”
The two cousins said they are energized by the young people who work at the restaurant. “They do a wonderful job every day.” Ti and Lally spread their enthusiasm via social media. Their Instagram account (@commanderspalace) entertains while taking a deep dive into the history and unique traditions of Commander’s Palace, sharing current menu offerings and even cross-promoting with other
New Orleans businesses, such as was the case with a recent shopping trip to Yvonne LaFleur’s. The cousins offer a spirit of inviting hospitality and excellent customer service that the Commander’s brand has become famous for. As Ti put it, “We believe that every guest who walks through our doors should feel like family.” 1 commanderspalace.com.
Cousins Lally Brennan and Ti Martin. Photo courtesy of Commander's Palace.
Soupçon
A DASH OF DINING NEWS
By CR Editorial Staff
Reveillon Dinners
The post-midnight Mass grand holiday feast has been a tradition in New Orleans’s Creole communities for nearly two centuries now. Today, the “awakening” meal is celebrated in restaurants across the city (and often at a more reasonable hour), with special menus and creative interpretations of classic holiday cuisine. Dozens of restaurants participate, but some of the most popular destinations are Antoine’s, Gris-Gris, Restaurant August, Domenica, Galatoires, Tujague’s, Bayona, Broussard’s, Commander’s Palace, and Café Degas.
Learn more at holiday.neworleans.com/food-and-drink.
Miracle Pop-Ups
If you’re seeking childhood wonder, sparkling in colored Christmas light kitsch, Miracle’s got you covered (and, they’ve got booze!). This nationwide pop-up sneaks into several of our favorite local bars and restaurants and transforms them into a wonderland worthy of your Christmas-obsessed auntie, the one who makes the best cocktails. This year, experience the magic at The Station Sports Bar and Grill in Baton Rouge, at Barrel Proof in New Orleans, at One Thirteen Restaurant in Hammond, and famously, at Pamplona Tapas Bar in Lafayette.
Details at miraclepopup.com.
Teddy Bear Teas
This beloved tradition hands the magic-making to the community, where families can immerse themselves in the festive spirit—cocoa, gingerbread, carols, and all.
December 6: This year in Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Art & Science Museum invites all to come, best stuffed friend in tow, for a holiday tea service. Expect photo ops, crafts, and whimsical décor—plus an appearance by the Coca Cola Polar Bear. 2 pm, $75. lasm.org/christmas.
December 7: In Lafayette, the tea takes place at Moncus Park, under the Farmer’s Market Pavilion. Tiny guests will get to build their own teddy bear while their adults enjoy bottomless mimosas. There will also be gingerbread cookie decorating, photos with Santa, seasonal snacks, and more. 10 am and 2 pm, $65.87 for children; $87.21 for adults. moncuspark.com/teddybeartea.
Every Saturday & Sunday, December 1–27 & December 22–24: A long held New Orleanian tradition, The Roosevelt’s Teddy Bear Tea is a rite of passage. See the Crescent City Ballroom transformed into a winter wonderland, and enjoy performances by Santa, Mrs. Claus, and friends; as well as hot cocoa, champagne, and a luxurious array of sweets. This year will feature a brand new set design, recreating the mystique of Jackson Square. At the end of the experience, each child will bring home a new teddy bear. Multiple seating times. $128.29 for children, $160.29 for adults. VIP options are available. therooseveltneworleans.com/teddy-bear-tea. 1
Gris-Gris's Reveillon meal, courtesy of Gris-Gris.
OUR SUSTAINABLE GARDEN
Going to Battle for the Bugs
FINDING FREEDOM AND BALANCE IN A LANDSCAPE WHERE EVERY CREATURE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY
Story by Jess Cole
Did you know that most of the insects that hshuffle through our gardens never venture hvery far? They stay close to their home base through the shifting seasons. When they do leave, it's often because resources such as food, water, or habitat are diminished or decimated. Or, because they’ve encountered a deadly chemical.
The decision to “control” our spaces using insecticides and other powerful chemicals in our homes and yards should not be taken lightly. Each of our actions has a direct impact on the health of our gardens and the larger natural world (us animals included), and ridding our spaces of insects has its consequences.
Nearly all the insects you encounter around your home have an inherent place in your garden, even the “pests.” A leaf of delicate green lace, bitten through and through, if you ask me, is usually a great sign of a thriving ecosystem and almost never something to lose sleep over. Within a robust garden of varying species, insects are a bio-indicator of thriving systems.
Aside from their pollination services that place food upon our plates, insects are irreplaceable in the circle of life. Let's take the major underdog, the mosquito, as a great example of this symbiotic system between insects and the natural world. Mosquitoes, vital to our terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, feed many of our wild neigh-
Photo by Hannah Armstrong
bors, including frogs, bats, birds and most especially dragonflies and damselflies—which are important food sources for many of our cherished birds. When you dismiss characters within the food chain, you weaken the natural rhythms of biodiversity, which are crucial to a sustainable garden.
How Insecticides Work
There are an infinite number of different kinds of insecticides, but there are two main types, with dozens of iterations of each. First, there are “contact” insecticides, which kill the insect when it physically encounters the chemical. Then there are “systemic” insecticides, which cause most parts of a plant to become toxic, killing the insect as it feeds on the plant, ingesting plant material.
Both types, despite claims on the packaging, kill not only the “pests” they target, but also beneficial insects, all the while yielding great harm to humans and other animals. Both kinds of insecticides are incredibly powerful, adding more harmful chemical waste to our gardens, wildlife, and water supply. The more water soluble an insecticide is, the more harm it can bring.
What’s more, modern gardening culture has so touted these chemicals as normal and necessary that gardeners are often using them as a preventative measure, before a problem even emerges.
What to do?
My advice? Fall into the movements of the natural world and the ways our local systems are succeeding without the hand of man. Trust biodiversity. The more species of fauna you invite into your space, the more varied your insect population will naturally be. We want almost everyone to join in, encouraging a robust chain of resources to support the entire gang. Even our “beneficial insects” rely on pesky guys (such as scale, whiteflies, or aphids) to offer them food sources. If you create a world entirely without “pests,” you will lose some of your greatest allies; everyone needs food, after all.
With this philosophy in mind, here are some techniques that both encourage diversity in the garden and prevent major damage caused by the troublemaking insects—without the use of insecticides.
Plant diversely: A complex palette of plant species ensures landscape stability. If one species is harmed by a pest or disease, you won’t be left with a giant hole in your landscape. The more diverse your garden, the more resilient.
Leave your leaves, always: Aside from the tremendous blessing of a most nutrient dense, free mulch, your leaf confetti provides crucial habitat, year round, for your garden comrades—as well as great building material.
Photos by Hannah Armstrong.
Increase soil health: Build a robust and aerated soil, full of nutrients, as well as bacterial and fungal activity. Healthy roots yield healthy plants, and healthy plants are less susceptible to disease and insect problems.
Prevent stress for your plants: Grow your own plants by seed, or conduct small transplants when you can, to avoid container, regional, and travel stresses. When you grow your own plants, or source close to home, you can better know the integrity of what you put into your garden. Seek out chemical free, native plants when possible.
Hand Remove Bugs: Yes, you read that correctly. I have tried my hand at neem and other celebrated all-natural insecticides, but haven’t had much success. Or, to be effective, I find I must apply several treatments, requiring too much time. I have had great success, though, with simply wiping away my unwanted bugs—especially when it comes to scale and aphids. I have friends that whisk bugs to their demise into a bucket of soapy water. As savage as it sounds, I just crush them with my gloved hand.
Another tactic I have had much fun and success with is hand transporting insects (usually caterpillars) from a plant I do not want them to feed on to a close relative I don’t care if they feed on. One summer, when hornworms nearly seized my entire heirloom tomato crop, I hand pulled them all and moved them across my property to other members of the nightshade family, as an experiment. To my delight, they feasted on my angel's trumpet and flowering tobacco. I have done this every year since. I get the tomatoes I love and get to keep around the future hawkmoths these guys become, which add significant wonder to my evenings on the porch come summer.
December Plant Spotlight: Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flower
A most dramatic summer and fall wildflower, the cardinal’s common name is an homage to its deep red fringe that we call "petal," alluding to the red robes of Roman Catholic cardinals. This hummingbird and pollinator magnet moves about the world rather leisurely, yet is steadfast once established, returning each year with gusto in both full sun and partial shade. You can find cardinal flower in riparian spaces and other wet homes such as ditches, wet meadows, woodland, and pond edges. I have encountered these cascading blooms of whimsy gracing the banks of my creek, along the small waterways pouring into the Mississippi, and all the way to the magical clear rivers of far west Texas.
Ignore and cut back: If you do not know by now, I have a propensity for garden laziness, especially once summer sets in with her humid insect vigor. When I find certain plants to be struggling under the power of a particular insect, I often ignore the situation completely and just see what happens, especially after winter when all the new life arrives. Often plants snap back, finding a solution of their own. Or, if
it's herbaceous, I cut the plant back/prune pretty hard. I have found great success in cutting back insect ridden perennials and just tossing the debris in my compost or woods. Often by the time the plant resurrects herself, balance seems to be restored. The bugs have moved on.
It’s best that we try to control less within the garden. Let relationships unfold, while we observe. 1
Photo by Jeffrey Dubinsky
Sisters of the Wild
ON BECOMING AN OUTDOORS WOMAN
Story by Mimi Greenwood Knight
Thhe Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries describes its “Becoming an Outdoors Woman” (BOW) weekends as “a handson, multi-course weekend event designed to teach women basic outdoor skills in a supportive environment.” Over three days, campers take part in workshops like Backpacking, Game Cleaning, Gator Done! (Yep, that’s alligator hunting.), Campfire Cooking, Marksmanship, and ATV Safety.
Women who have attended describe it as: “heaven on Earth for women who love the outdoors,” “my happy place,” “summer camp with Jello shots.”
The opportunity to attend the weekend-long experience at Camp Grant Walker in Pollock, Louisiana came at the perfect time in my life. Until the year 2020, to quote Woody Allen, I was “two with nature.” During quarantine times, while stuck at home on eight wooded acres as a newly-minted empty-nester, I had learned to forage, hike, grow mushrooms, and make herbal remedies. It was a kind of self-directed crash course in interacting with the natural world. Surely, this immersive, women-forward weekend in the woods was my next step.
The woman who first told me about BOW was someone I met at a foraging workshop. Her name was Nanette, and she became the hub of the wheel of my new gaggle of BOW “sistas.” Nanette set us all up on a GroupMe thread that began blowing up my phone day and night, weeks before the weekend arrived.
At sixty-four, I was worried I’d be the oldster of our little bunch. I wasn’t. Our group's ages ranged from thirty-two to seventy-four. And even though many of these women have been attending BOW weekends for years and I’d be a BOW virgin, I felt immediately like one of the pack.
It became apparent (through about a gazillion messages) that these women live their lives as wives, mothers, teachers, realtors, and medical professionals eagerly awaiting the one weekend of the year when they can indulge in their wild side.
First, though, my application had to be accepted. Each woman in our little group had applied at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2025, for one of the coveted 138 slots. The experienced BOWers had proffered a flurry of advice on what to do and not do to ensure my application was accepted. I’d heeded it all. Now, we all watched our mailboxes for a mythical black envelope.
One by one, the ladies started reporting that they’d received their acceptance. They posted shots of their black envelope with their mailboxes or steering wheels visible in the background. Some news can’t wait to be shared.
My husband returned from our mailbox day after day with, “Sorry, no black envelope.” More and more women were accepted and reporting on the classes they’d been assigned; there were messages like, “Oh good, we’ll be in fur trading together!” and “I’m in archery, too. See you there!”
Still no black envelope at my house.
More messages. “I got all my first choices; wood carving, blacksmithing, flint knapping, and fly fishing,” and ”Yay, we’re both taking herpetology and falconry!” By now, I was the only person in the group who had not received their letter. After all this build-up, I began to accept I might not be able to attend the BOW after all. Maybe my application got lost in the mail. Maybe I’d filled it out wrong.
Finally, it came—initiating a happy dance and an all-caps message to the group. The letter inside told me I’d been assigned all my first-choice classes; Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness Survival, Living with Louisiana Wildlife, and Landscaping for Wildlife. I mixed up a batch of my famous limoncello and some elderflower liqueur to share with my new posse and started counting the days.
A Little History
Dr. Christine L. Thomas is the woman behind the "Becoming an Outdoors Woman" program. A Professor of Resource Management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens, she started it in 1991 with the idea of providing opportunities for women to learn skills that enhance and encourage participation in hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities overwhelmingly practiced by men.
Today, BOW is offered in thirty-eight states and some Canadian provinces, usually by local and state wildlife and conservation agencies. It is an introductory-level workshop that teaches basic courses only. Advanced Beyond BOW courses are also taught in some states. Each year, over 20,000 women participate, totaling over 300,000 women over the past thirty-four years.
Camp Grant Walker 4-H Center, the site of Louisiana’s BOW weekends, is a gorgeous, sprawling facility, occupying ninety acres complete with a commercial kitchen, dining hall, swimming pool, rifle range, skeet range, Greek theater, archery range, basketball court, outdoor cooking sites, multiple conference and meeting rooms, two pavilions, a one-acre pond, log cabins for instructors, and bunkhouses for the rest of us.
My BOW Adventure
When the weekend finally arrived in March, I made my way to Pollock, feeling suddenly nervous to meet the women I’d been corresponding with round the clock for the past three months. But merely an hour in, we felt like cousins in a big Southern family. The first order of business was a welcome meeting in the assembly room. There were 220 of us, including our instructors.
Photos courtesy of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries,
The youngest woman I met was eighteen, the oldest seventy-six. Careers were all over the place, too. I met an OB-GYN and a dog groomer, a college professor and a hotel manager, a nurse, an EMT, and several teachers. There was a group of five women wearing their BOW t-shirts from 2005, and there was more than one instructor or volunteer who’d begun years before as a student. About half of us were BOW newbies.
That first night, I joined a group for a guided night hike. This was the most summer-campy experience we had as we stumbled around in the dark geeking out over bioluminescent millipedes and spiders with glowing eyes. Our guide handed out wintergreen Lifesavers and we watched the sparks they created as we bit them in the dark. She had us smell a scent in a jar, then wet our nose and smell it again to demonstrate how dogs’ wet noses help them smell better. I could have gone on all night.
The next morning, my Wilderness Survival instructor began our class with, “I hope you never need these skills.” Then, he taught us the right and wrong ways to respond to various emergencies in the wild, including hypothermia, heat stroke, drowning, snake bite, injury, shock, and illness. He helped us build a survival kit from household items and shared nifty tricks, such as installing your flashlight batteries backwards, so you don’t accidentally turn it on and run down the battery. We practiced building shelters from our clothes, and I won a BOW bandana for being the first one to start a survival fire.
On our way to lunch, we passed other women happily skinning a deer and a wild boar (we’d later get to taste the fruit of their efforts, in the form of celebratory last-day boar sausage). I could hear rifle fire in the distance. Toward evening, clumps of women made their way back to the bunkhouse laughing and all talking at once about what they’d learned.
"WE
PASSED OTHER WOMEN HAPPILY SKINNING A DEER AND A WILD BOAR (WE’D LATER GET TO TASTE THE FRUIT OF THEIR EFFORTS, IN THE FORM OF CELEBRATORY LAST-DAY BOAR SAUSAGE). I COULD HEAR RIFLE FIRE."
That night, a DJ played in one of the pavilions. Somebody brought glowing body paint and we all painted ourselves and danced in the dark under a black light. Talk about freedom, not knowing or caring what anybody thought, just following my body where the music took it in the dark in a completely judgement-free zone. When I needed to catch my breath, I’d meander over to the bonfire, where the supply of Jello shots seemed endless. Eventually, I found myself in the middle of the first drinking game I’d played since the '90s.
The next day in my Wilderness First Aid class, we took turns playing victim and rendering aid. Volunteers were scattered around the property. We had to search to find them, assess their simulated injuries, then explain what we’d do to help them. We even worked to rehydrate one of our classmates, who’d overindulged the night before and was a little worse for wear.
In my Landscaping for Wildlife class, we made a birdfeeder from a length of limb (arts and crafts, at last!). We learned about a lot of mistakes well-meaning homeowners make that actually repel or even endanger wildlife. I was blown away by the caliber of instructors and the non-competitive nature of the classes, when I was clearly one of the least outdoorsy women there.
In my Living with Louisiana Wildlife class, we learned to identify animals by their sound, scat, and tracks. We were taken to a riverbank where we identified different animal prints and made casts of a few to take home. Around the bonfire that night, we heard tales of the Outdoor Photography, Boating, Foraging, and other classes.
I’ve always taken pride in living in Sportsman’s Paradise where my dad, five brothers, and husband are right at home in their bass boats and deer stands. When we gather as a family, they regale us with their victories. Thanks to the Becoming an Outdoors Woman weekend, I have a few stories of my own now. And I plan to have even more; I’ve already decided to throw my hat in the ring for BOW 2026, where hopefully this grandmother will be learning blacksmithing, rifle shooting, and flint napping. Maybe I’ll even overcome my snake phobia in the herpetology class.
Now, I’ve just got to hope and pray for another little black envelope to find its way to my house. 1
The BOW 2026 application lottery will be open January 5–28, and the workshop is scheduled for March 20–22. The weekend cost is $300, which includes dormitory style accommodations and all meals from Friday at lunch to Sunday at lunch. Scholarships are available for low-income women with children under the age of eighteen. More details at wlf.louisiana.gov/page/bow.
IN MEMORIAM
The Indomitable Stanley Nelson
FROM A TINY FERRIDAY NEWSROOM, ONE JOURNALIST CONFRONTED HIS HOMETOWN'S DARK PAST
Story by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun
Hank Klibanoff, a veteran journalist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, can’t hsay much about the first time he met Stanley Nelson.
He knows he must have been in the room with the unassuming editor of the Concordia Sentinel in 2008 during a select gathering of journalists who covered Civil Rights-era cold cases, brought together by the Center for Investigative Reporting—but he can’t remember much else.
“There were a lot of outsized personalities, brassy storytellers, healthy egos—all of whom had proved that they belonged in this pantheon,” Klibanoff recalled at an October memorial for Nelson. “I remember all of them, except for one.” Nelson, from his quiet perch at the weekly newspaper in Ferriday, Louisiana, was easy to miss, and put on no airs about his work. “He was the most inconspicuous person in the room,” Klibanoff added. “And he was about to become the most auspicious member of the group.”
At the time, Nelson was waist-deep in the reporting weeds, churning out story after story he had pushed to the front page of the Sentinel for the better part of a year. In those early days, few outside of
the small, north Louisiana town where Nelson made his mark knew the contents of his coverage, which was marked by bold headlines about the long-forgotten, racially-motivated murder of 51-year-old Frank Morris in 1964.
Members of the Ku Klux Klan had targeted Morris, a Black businessman who owned a shoe repair shop in Ferriday; they doused his store with gasoline and set it ablaze while he was inside. Through Nelson’s reporting on Morris, which began in 2007, he was able to track down previously unreported details of the incident, even identifying a suspect based on accounts from the man’s family. Over the course of four years, Nelson would write 150 stories about Klan murders.
For his investigation into Morris’s death, Nelson—who died unexpectedly this past June at the age of 69—would be recognized as a Pulitzer Prize finalist in 2011. Over the years, after receiving this honor, Nelson continued to dredge up the brutal history of KKK murders in the Ferriday-Natchez corridor, bringing some small comfort to families who had all but given up hope of learning any details about how their loved ones perished. In cases long abandoned by the FBI, Nelson found his calling.
This past October, Klibanoff—accompanied by a slate of award-winning journalists, professors, and victims’ families—spoke at a memorial for Nelson hosted by the LSU Manship School of Mass Communications in the Old State Capitol in Baton Rouge. There, they shared stories and memories of the “gentle giant” of an editor who confronted the dark past of his hometown with dogged determination and precise moral clarity— aiming to uncover the truth, no matter the cost. His life’s work has spoken for him in death: despite occupying an almost unknown place in the wider world—a part of the state relatively obscure even by Louisiana’s standards—Nelson merited obituaries in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and on NPR
“Most of us have a moment in life when something happens. And we could either step up, or we can ignore the call,” said Christopher Drew, a journalism professor at the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication and the head of the program’s Cold Case project. “That was [Stanley’s] moment. And we’re all gathered here because of the inspiring way that he responded.”
Joseph Shapiro, today an NPR News Investigations correspondent, was in the Sentinel’s newsroom the day Nelson published his 2011 bombshell report citing a suspected Klansman’s family who had implicated him in Morris’s death.
“The thing that I remember most was how calm Stanley was, his coolheadedness,” Shapiro recalled at the memorial. “You know, the last minutes before you publish a story or a paper in a newsroom—those are chaotic moments. You're making last minute checks and fixes, changes. And at that point … it was chaos.” As it turns out, that day a newspaper staff member had been
driving to work when she saw a house on fire; she grabbed her camera and captured the image of firemen carrying an elderly woman from the building. Suddenly, the Sentinel’s small staff was scrambling to write the story, ripping up the front page to move the fire above the fold. This was now the day’s lead.
Nelson’s investigative report, which had previously been splashed across the top with a big display, was pushed down the page. “And no journalist likes that,” Shapiro noted. “You’ve done a big story, you’ve done all this work. And this is a big story [in] a small paper that was going to get national attention. So, that hurts. But Stanley was totally fine. He was totally cool about all this, and in fact, he was the one that was calming everyone else.”
Besides navigating the last-minute restructuring of the paper that day, Nelson was also acting as a sounding board for his main sources for the story, including the accused Klansman’s ex-wife and his son. Nelson spent several hours on the phone with the son, who was terrified because he had named his father in such a damning report. According to Shapiro, Nelson comforted him by quoting Scripture, from the Book of Proverbs: “A man who was laden with the guilt of human blood will be a fugitive until death; let no one support him.”
To his colleagues, this was typical Nelson—an unflappable man who took great pains to prioritize the humanity of his sources and the victims he depicted. His investigation into Morris’s death not only unearthed horrific details of the murder, but also retold the lost story of a man beloved by his community.
Nelson portrayed Morris compassionately as a Ferriday fixture, a man who treated clientele of all races with respect and kindness. He worked to extend the lives of the community’s shoes during a time when families were cash-strapped. Morris was fond of children, who he allowed to come watch him behind the counter while he undertook his repairs. It was this sense of professionalism and dignity in his work that appears to have led, in part, to his death—along with the re-
Stanley Nelson, photo by David Ridgen, courtesy of Christopher Drew.
sentment of white community members regarding his business success. When a Concordia Parish sheriff’s deputy bullied Morris into shining his shoes and keeping them in good shape for free, Morris ultimately harnessed the courage to remind him he should be paid fairly for his labor. Soon after this interaction, his store was attacked.
“Much of the land that we live on here in the South has been stained by racial massacres, assassinations, rapes, and senseless murders,” remarked Jerry Mitchell, a veteran reporter, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and founder of the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting, at the October event. “And as Stanley put it, ‘The blood of our brothers and sisters cries out from the ground.’ And that's why he kept going.”
Last year, sixty years after Morris’s killing, the town of Ferriday acknowledged his death in a December ceremony. Nelson was there, along with Morris’s granddaughter and great-granddaughter.
Over the course of his reporting career covering KKK cold cases, Nelson would also delve into the murder of NAACP leader Wharlest Jackson in Natchez, Mississippi, and the 1964 disappearance of Joseph Edwards, a 21-year-old Black man, whose Buick was found abandoned in Vidalia, Louisiana, among others.
These killings were linked to the “Silver Dollar Group,” a particularly violent wing of the Klan.
Nelson would write two books about his investigations: Devils Walking: Klan Murders along the Mississippi in the 1960s (2016), and Klan of Devils: The Murder of a Black Louisiana Deputy Sheriff (2021). In every instance, Nelson uplifted the families impacted, providing, with a resolute gentleness, answers they had waited on for decades. According to Mitchell, Nelson actually listened to the families—a kindness many had not experienced during the original investigations into the murders.
Tiptoeing into such delicate, potentially incendiary subject matter did not deter Nelson from the hard job of hunting down sources and convincing them to speak with him. His colleagues described it as a “slow cook process” indicative of a master of source development. Rather than adopting a take-no-prisoners bulldog approach, he nurtured personal relationships, treating people with fairness and building a genuine reputation for honest and evenhanded reporting.
“He did it quietly, steadily, with total integrity. Even when going through a confrontational interview, Stanley approached people slowly, face-to-face, hands out of his pockets, and notebook closed,” Klibanoff said. “He was without
guile, without pretense, or any thought of an ambush interview. His goal was to avoid a ‘one and done’ interview. He was always confident he could walk away with an invitation to return and continue that conversation with someone who had no reason in the world to talk with him, because it was just going to end up in the newspaper.”
In 2009, Nelson would bring this type of guidance to the LSU Manship School of Mass Communication. The school partnered with Nelson to investigate Civil Rights-era cold cases, which were part of an FBI initiative to re-examine more than one hundred unsolved crimes from the time period, most involving the killings or disappearance of African Americans. Through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), students have, over the years, obtained the previously confidential files. Along with LSU Professor Emeritus Jay Shelledy and, more recently, Christopher Drew, Nelson guided class after class of eager young journalism students through the work of picking apart and reporting on these complex cases. Today, many of these former students populate newsrooms across the state and country, bringing with them a deeper understanding of what strong investigative reporting can actually produce.
At the October memorial, Nelson’s family announced they would donate the
entirety of his cold case files to the Manship School—as he would have wanted.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Nelson’s career is that he remained in the Ferriday community, rather than jetting off to work at national outlets and pursue a different kind of journalistic fame— which would have certainly been accessible to him. He continued to write these potentially inflammatory stories while also managing the rather mundane responsibilities of a weekly local paper: covering the police jury, school board, and the rest of it. Through it all, he calmly faced the people who criticized him, the residents who wished he would stop digging up their collective skeletons.
“Stanley did this work, I know, in the face of death threats,” Mitchell said. “He did this work in the face of criticism from people he met at the grocery store and encountered it in town. [They’d say], ‘Why are you digging up the past?’ And Stanley's favorite reply was, ‘What would you do if it was one of your loved ones? What would you want to do?’ And that usually ended the discussion in terms of criticism.”
Nelson knew, perhaps better than anyone in Ferriday, that the truth had to be uncovered for justice to be served, and to prevent a shameful history from repeating itself. 1 lsucoldcaseproject.com.
A World in Miniature
GULFPORT’S TRAINTASTIC MUSEUM BRINGS OUT THE INNER CHILD IN TRAIN LOVERS OF EVERY AGE
Story by Dale Irvin • Photos by Molly McNeal
My grandson Cole was in relentless pursuit. “I think I found Batman,” called PeePaw, his other grandad from opposite a gihgantic miniature village, as a tiny train glided by in front of him. Grandson #2, Austin, was also enthusiastically on the quest to find a ninja riding an elephant, the Flintstones’ house, a reindeer, and every single item on the scavenger hunt list in his brother’s hand. This was shaping up to be a terrific outing for two grandads and two grandsons set loose in 50,000 square feet of model trains—the largest such museum in the world.
The morning’s adventure began when we entered the Traintastic Model Railroad Museum in Gulfport, Mississippi through a life-sized passenger car, where you can watch a film that provides an overview of model railroading’s history. Then it was on to the cavernous center of the museum, which was filled with over twenty-five elaborate train setup tables, three of them built entirely from LEGO bricks. One is a representation of the Gulf Coast, complete with model buildings of everything from the Air Force base and Mississippi Aquarium nearby, all the way to Café du Monde in the French Quar-
ter. Photos of the buildings were sent to a company that used 3D printing to create the miniature versions. The display is valued at over a million dollars and requires continuous maintenance.
Another of the larger displays was donated by two model train enthusiasts from Minnesota. “It took three semis to get it here,” said Tabitha Barnes, the museum’s marketing director. Another was rescued after a hobby shop closed, and volunteers stepped up to restore it.
The spirit of volunteerism that keeps the museum chugging along is embedded in its origins. Long before it opened its doors, a small group of model railroad hobbyists came together in Gulfport to build layouts, share skills, and enjoy time with people who love trains. That group—“the club”—became the foundation for what eventually grew into the Traintastic.
“The train club has over twenty-five members who have been in the club for as long as I can remember,” said Barnes. “We have several who put in many hours a week as volunteers.”
One of those volunteers is John Gray, who has been a dedicated member of the Train Club (which was formed
in 1993) for over ten years.
"Being part of the train club gives me a reason to get up and get moving,” observed Gray. “I may be retired, but there’s always something to do—and I love every minute of it.”
The museum is the culmination of two brothers’ lifetime love of model trains, a passion that started when they were kids in Ohio. The grown brothers, Richard Mueller, Jr. and Glenn Mueller, relocated to the Gulf Coast, where their company now operates more than a hundred Domino’s pizza locations in Louisiana and Mississippi. When the brothers found out that the local train club had lost its location, they stepped in to help. Over the years, what began as the Mississippi Coast Model Railroad Museum grew and moved to progressively larger locations. In June of 2023, they opened in the current space on Pass Road and renamed it the Traintastic Museum.
Inside, we spent hours with the boys, scavenger hunting and wandering from display to display, pushing buttons that blew train horns and moved sailboats. There’s one exhibit where the boys were able to crawl under-
neath and pop up in the middle of the train village for a 360-degree view.
Outside, in the rear of the building, is a little train that takes its passengers on a serpentine loop through a tunnel. (An enthusiastic volunteer even persuaded two fullsized grandparents to fold themselves into one of the tiny cars and enjoy the ride with the kids.)
It struck me that the expressions on the faces of the volunteers was the same I saw now on my grandkids’ faces—and if I had a mirror, probably mine, too. Shrinking trains, and the world around them, down to tiny sizes somehow engages the wonder in the inner child of people of all ages.
Back inside, there are more kid-sized train cars, including a locomotive, gondola, mail car, dining car and caboose to explore, as well as a train-themed play climber with ramps, nets, tunnels, and slides. Other interactive exhibits explain more about how trains work and how people use them. And there is, of course, a gift-shop filled with just about anything train-themed you can imagine.
The magic of Traintastic translates well for the holidays, it turns out. “We literally transform the whole museum into a magical wonderland for our annual Holiday Lights events,” said Barnes, who teased s’more stations, a hot chocolate bar, and crafts. The train tunnel trans-
forms into a wonderland of lights. And of course, there are lots of Polar Express-themed activities as well, including an appearance by Santa, who hands out bells to the children.
We may well need to bring the grandsons back for the holidays, so that we can all throw ourselves into the special Christmas scavenger hunt. At least now we’ve had some practice. 1
The Traintastic Museum's Holiday Lights after-hours events will take place on Fridays and Saturdays December 5–27. Learn more about the museum and its other holiday activities at traintastic.com.
Holiday in the Holy City
BENEATH GARLANDED BALCONIES AND GLOWING WINDOWS, CHARLESTON REVEALS ITS HISTORY, FLAVOR, AND FESTIVE SPIRIT
Story by Kristy Christiansen
Ihfell in love with Charleston over a pistachio Chantilly-filled lemon olive oil cake at Carmella’s Café hand Dessert Bar. After muscling our way through the late-evening crowd to a table overlooking East Bay Street, I melted into the sweetness of mascarpone Swiss buttercream icing while gazing at the night-darkened historic buildings lining the busy streets outside. This was our decadent reward for driving through the grueling I-95 traffic to spend our Christmas break in South Carolina’s oldest city.
Founded in 1670 as Charles Town, this early British enclave developed into a vibrant seaport on the peninsula between the Ashley and Cooper Rivers. Like many of our country’s founding settlements, the town endured its fair share of hardships over the years, but managed to persevere. The resulting masterpiece is an impeccably preserved European city flush with the charms of a well-bred Southern lady.
I’d heard tales of Charleston’s beauty shimmering in the subtropical heat of summer, its colorful architecture mingling with white-washed church steeples as a reminder of the religious freedom upon which this “Holy City” was founded. The author Pat Conroy once said, “Wandering through its streets can be
dreamlike and otherworldly, its alleyways and shortcuts both fragrant and mysterious, yet as haunted as time turned in on itself.”
I wanted to see these alleyways firsthand, but under the slanting light of a winter day, balsam wreaths and bright red bows gracing the alleys’ shopfronts and fresh garland winds its way across the banisters of wrought iron fences.
Day One: King Street, Charleston City Market, and Candle Making
After sleeping off the dregs of our long journey, my family and I set out the next morning for the Visitor’s Center on Meeting Street, where the free DASH shuttle escorts tourists on a VIP tour of downtown. King Street, the notable shopping corridor, wooed passersby with Christmas-themed storefronts and promises of last-minute gifts. We window shopped until stopping at the corner of Market Street by The Charleston Place, an expansive, five-star hotel known for its Winter Wonderland transformation during the holidays. We made our way past twinkling fir trees to the lobby, where a miniature version of the Orient Express chugged along train tracks beneath the grand staircase. Upstairs, Santa’s sleigh stood ready for jolly Old St.
Nick to make his appearance and hear the deepest wishes of the city’s youngest residents. Perhaps he was the merrymaker behind the nightly snowfall over the towering Christmas tree outside.
Emerging on Market Street, we crossed over to the Charleston City Market to browse the booths in the Great Hall and adjoining open air sheds, in one of the oldest public markets in the country. Here, the vendors plied their wares, from local delicacies to woven sweetgrass baskets. The sterling silver earrings at Sea Island Jewelry caught my eye, and I left with a dangling pair detailing an intricate scaled design of one of the city’s many iron gates. Continuing along our path, we walked to the Waterfront Park for a glimpse of the famous multileveled Pineapple Fountain. In colonial times, only the wealthiest could afford the rare tropical fruit, and it was often displayed as both a symbol of status as well as warm hospitality. The fountain—an elaborate, pineapple-topped stone and bronze feature with water cascading into a welcoming, shallow pool—exudes both characteristics.
For lunch, we popped in Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit, a tiny grab-and-go eatery serving up award-winning buttermilk biscuit sandwiches stuffed with bacon
and eggs or smothered in pimento cheese. The handmade biscuit business opened in 2005, when owner Carrie Morey set out to give the world a taste of the delicious biscuits made by her mother, Callie. Morey now has two eateries, a catering company, and a Butter-in-a-Box subscription plan. We then picked up an espresso at Cafecito, the “Little Cuban Café” on King Street specializing in Cuban coffees topped with a whipped, caramelized foam.
Revived, we walked the short distance to St. Philip Street for our afternoon appointment at Charleston Candle Co. In 2016, Kristen Schwiers began encapsulating the aromas of Charleston into all-natural soy candles in her apartment kitchen. Her hobby blossomed from an Etsy store to a thriving brick-and-mortar business now run with her husband, Chaz, and the two are selling candles across the country. Their flagship store on St. Philip, housed in the first African-American-owned bank in Charleston, includes a backroom studio for students to create their own unique candles.
Production Assistant Jocelyn CranSmith set us up with trays of measuring cups and tiny whisks, then laid out an array of scents. I closed my eyes and inhaled the fragrances of sea salt, citrus, jasmine, and mimosa—each one a concentrated whiff capable of conjuring vivid images of walking on the beach or strolling through a flower garden. When I asked Cran-Smith for her suggestion, she laughed, and said, “I’ve never smelled a bad candle.” After making our selections, we stirred together the scents and hot wax, poured them over our wicks, and left them to set into the perfect memento from our time in Charleston.
We dined in style on Broad Street at The Establishment, which specializes in sustainably sourced seafood, served inside the James Gregorie House. Built in 1791, the house was taking shape the same year George Washington strolled the streets of Charleston. The Bill of Rights was also ratified that year, and its First Amendment, known as The Establishment Clause, was the inspiration behind the restaurant’s name.
Our waiter, Miller, explained that the menu changes daily, except for the legendary gnudi, a pasta with lump crab, fresh herbs, and parmesan breadcrumbs. From custom-made cocktails to elegant plates of wagyu tartare, chicken liver mousse, grouper, and duck confit, we savored the tantalizing flavors while Miller shared his favorite suggestions for touring the city.
Downtown Charleston at Christmas. Courtesy of Explore Charleston, ExploreCharleston.com
Day Two: South of Broad, History Lessons, and Holiday Spirit
The next morning, we headed “South of Broad” to walk the promenade along the defensive seawall, known as The Battery. The rising sun shimmered on Charleston’s harbor, and in the distance, I could just make out Fort Sumter, where shots fired on April 12, 1861 marked the beginning of the American Civil War. Residents of the nearby Edmonston-Alston House, built in 1825, would have witnessed the initial days of the war firsthand. We stepped inside the Greek Revival-style house for a Christmas tour led by Jim Ramsay, who offered us a window into life of nineteenth century Charleston. "Artifacts on display spun a tale of early America society—from both the original owner, Scottish merchant Charles Edmonston, and subsequent owner, rice farmer Charles Alston, as well as the people they enslaved, who also lived on the property.
We then strolled the town, meandering north along Meeting Street past St. Michael’s Church, where George Washington worshipped in pew No. 43 on his visit in 1791. At the Circular Church, we viewed the skull-and-crossbones markings adorning some of the city’s earliest gravesites, dating back to 1695. Across the street at the Gibbes Museum of Art, we stood for ages peering at the miniature portrait collection, marveling at the miniscule wonders exacted within each painting.
Back on the waterfront, we ventured into the South Carolina Aquarium. We were too early in the day for the Aquarium Aglow, a nightly holiday festivity of light displays and scuba-diving Santa, but we enjoyed the colorful sea life skimming through the giant tanks. The undulating octopus was a highlight, along with the sea turtle rehabilitation area.
In a private igloo on the rooftop of Ritual’s Restaurant & Lounge, we relaxed after a long day of sightseeing. The igloos are a special winter treat, furnished with comfortable couches lined with pillows and furry blankets, and an exclusive menu of shareable plates such as a charcuterie board, beef & chicken empanadas, and truffle fries. The adults in our party enjoyed pre-dinner coquitos—Puerto Rican “nog” drinks—while the kids were served an elaborate display of steaming hot chocolate adorned in marshmallows, chocolate bars, gingerbread cookies, and more.
The evening was just getting started; from our rooftop igloo, we departed for the nineteenth century cotton warehouse-turned-Hank’s Seafood Restaurant on Hayne Street. Our waiter, Drew, went over the “star-studded” menu of scallops, grouper, mahi mahi, oysters casino, and more. When I asked for a recommendation, he honestly replied, “If it’s on the menu, it’s delicious.” In our experience, he wasn’t exaggerating.
With visions of crab cakes (arguably the best we’d ever tasted) dancing in our heads, we ended the night at the Festival of Lights at James Island County Park. A three-mile passage through more than two million lights, the experience extended well beyond a traditional driveby light display. Inside the circular route stood an entire Santa’s Village, with a carousel, train rides, sweet treats, and holiday shopping. It was a magical dreamscape adjacent to an enchanted city that warmed our hearts during a chilly, holiday winter. 1 charlestoncvb.com
Disclaimer: This trip was partially funded by the Charleston Area CVB, though the opinions of the writer are entirely her own and formed independently of this fact.
Charleston's Marion Square at Christmas. Courtesy of Explore Charleston, explorecharleston.com
New Roads, LA City of New Roads 24 Pointe Coupee Parish Tourist Commission 9
Opelousas, LA St. Landr y Parish Tourist Commission 41
Plaquemine, LA Iber ville Parish Tourism Department 19
Port Allen, LA
West Baton Rouge CVB 22 West Baton Rouge Museum 51
Scott, LA Bob’s Tree Preservation 24
Sorrento, LA Ascension Parish Tourism Commission 57
St. Francisville, LA Bank of St. Francisville 5
The CC Lockwood Gallery 53 Cotton Exchange 33 Poppin’ Up Plants 55 Town of St. Francisville 55
Vicksburg, MS Visit Vicksburg 14
Zachary, LA McHugh House 27
PERSPECTIVES: ART OF OUR STATE
Illuminating the Unconscious
THROUGH DREAMWORK AND MEDIEVAL ART TRADITIONS, MARGARET HUMPRHIS MAPS THE SOUL’S JOURNEY
Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
Tho Baton Rouge artist Margaret Humphris, life— and the ongoing work of consciously living it—are creative processes. “We are creating ourselves,” she said, “step by step, as we go.”
Recently retired from a twenty-twoyear career as a clinical social worker with LSU Mental Health Services, Humphris’s interests in psychology and healing developed parallel to her art—even before she realized the connections. As a teenager, she’d document her dreams and illustrate them. “I didn’t know what else to do with them, but it helped me manage some of that energy,” she said. “I always sensed that there was really great meaning there, but I didn’t know what to do with it, or how to mine it.”
In college, she began studying Carl Jung and learning more about the mysteries of the unconscious mind. “I started trying to find ways to make sense of the dream symbols, as well as the symbols all around us,” she said. “We are getting information from the world in our consciousness constantly, and so to be able to catch those messages when they come, and honor them . . . it’s a great gift.”
To this day, in her practice as an artist, Humphris goes through “collecting phases,” in which she gets quiet and listens, gathering ideas. “I’ve done the process enough now to know to trust it, that my unconscious knows where it’s going, even if my ego doesn’t,” she said. When the “gifts” come to her, it is sometimes in the form of poetry, or images she captures
with her camera throughout the day. Often it simply comes into her mind, and when she can, she sketches it on whatever scraps of paper she can find—receipts, napkins.
For quite some time, she’s been preoccupied with the cycles of descent and rising within the human experience— challenges that she believes, often, can be transformative and draw us closer to spiritual wholeness. “We all, to some extent, are going to have these ups and downs … some being really deep, some just the little ups and downs throughout the day,” she said. “But we can try to build ourselves back up again and then have these moments of great wonder and joy. It’s hard to have the ‘up’ without the ‘down.’ We can’t have the light without the dark. And the brighter the light, the darker the shadows. It all goes hand in hand.”
In a series of artworks exhibited at Baton Rouge Gallery this past summer, Humphris envisions a version of this journey within the Medieval tradition of illuminated manuscripts.
She began painting in this style around ten years ago, when she was working through the grief of losing her brother. “I knew that whatever I was going to do to kind of express my love and grief had to be so sacred,” she said. She had been admiring illuminated manuscripts for almost fifty years at that point, captivated by the beauty and the detail and the intimacy of them. When a vision of Avalon, of the Arthurian legend, came to her, she realized that the style could be a way
to express what she was going through.
“Because both the subject and the methodology were so personal, emotional, and sacred, it was quite intimidating to begin, though it immediately felt ‘right.’
Her 2025 series, Unfinished Journey, includes six paintings that Humphris said can certainly be experienced individually, but were conceived as part of a story altogether—a manuscript of sorts. Each tableau is framed by adornments and symbols, often drawn from nature. “The theory is that you start out with some sort of confusion, or something that sets us off, falling into the depths,” she said.
“Falling,” is indeed where the story begins, beneath a stormy sky in which the sun is only just beginning to break through. A figure has lost their footing atop a wooden boat, the fall just beginning, while a companion looks on.
In the next painting, we see the figure, now drenched in the sun’s piercing rays, descending deep into darkness—“and we don’t know how long we’ll be down there,” said Humphris. “We don’t know yet if we will continue to sink, or if we will swim, or if we’ll receive help.”
The answer comes in “Up for Air,” in which an arm reaches into the water and grasps the hand of our sunken heroine. In the ornate illumination, the word “Believe” frames the moment.
“But the story isn’t over,” said Humphris. “Unfinished Journey (Shedding Skin)” depicts a woman making her way to shore, just as the sun is setting. “She’s still trudging, you know. It’s a struggle.
Even though you’re up and breathing air again, you’ve still got hard work ahead, you’ve got to get back to terra firma.” The scene is bordered by a frame of vines, angels, and lizards—the last with their skin peeling off at their tails. “We go through these transformations,” explained Humphris. “We have to let go of our old identities, our senses of self, in order for new skins to grow. And it could be painful. But she’s charging ahead.”
The next painting is anchored by a bright, brilliant star, held in place by a man clothed only in red pants. This moment in the journey, explained Humphris, is where we sometimes are fortunate enough to receive a gift; in her case, that gift is in the form of inspiration. “A dream, a person, some type of insight from something bigger than us,” she said. The star itself came to her as an epiphany, revealing the Unfinished Journey series to her as a whole. “It couldn’t be any other star,” she said.
The series ends with a dancer, hair blowing in a turbulent wind. Titled, “Dancing in the Storm,” the painting represents, for Humphris, the strength such a journey can grant a person—the ability to dance through the storms, to see them for what they are: opportunities to transform, to grow. “There will, of course, be some storms that are too big, where we can’t dance,” she acknowledged. But when we can, “I think it’s as fine a job as we can do to express that joy and awareness that this storm, too, shall pass.” 1
Works from Humphris’s series Unfinished Journey, from left to right: “Down,” “Up for Air (Believe),” and “Unfinished Journey (Shedding Skin).”
