Country Roads Magazine "The Film & Literature Issue" November 2025

Word Limit by James Fox-Smith

8 NOTEWORTHIES

A new bookstore in Natchez, the Museum of Illusions & the Big Read Project

Festivals for the bookish, the movie buff & the hophead 11 REFLECTIONS

FOWL WEATHER

SONGS OF SINNERS

The local artists who shaped the music and myth of the genre-defying blockbuster by John Wirt

ANATOMY OF AN AUTHOR

A Q&A with literary success Ashley Elston Interview by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

SOUTHERN EXPOSURE

Six stellar new documentaries by local filmmakers by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

46 CR 2025 BESTSELLER LIST

Fifteen books by local authors that have flown off indie bookstore shelves by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

On the Cover

“MARQUEES AND MANUSCRIPTS ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI”

Publisher James Fox-Smith

Associate

Publisher Ashley Fox-Smith

Managing Editor Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Arts & Entertainment

Editor

Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

Creative Director Kourtney Zimmerman

Contributors:

Shanna Beck Perkins, Megan Broussard Maughan, Cayman Clevenger, Jess Cole, Lauren Stroh, Chris Turner-Neal, Kerri Westenberg, John Wirt

Artwork by Matt Dawson

In this original watercolor painting from Alexandria-based artist Matt Dawson (whose work you can also see gracing the poster for the Louisiana Book Festival this year), we step into a wonderland of Louisiana-Mississippi storytelling. In these fantasy streetscapes, the golden age of the local movie theatre still reigns—every few steps a nostalgic return to iconic venues like New Iberia’s Sliman, Shreveport’s Strand, and New Orleans’s Joy during their heydays, showing films that put our region on the big screen, such as Interview with a Vampire, Steel Magnolias, and A Streetcar Named Desire

Keep strolling along these sidewalks, and you’ll come upon havens of storytelling of the other sort: our local indie bookstores. Jackson’s iconic Lemuria can reach out a hand to wave at Baton Rouge’s new shop, TBR Books. Warm glows in the windows tell us what we already know of these places—they are safe, warm, and welcoming. They are portals to other worlds. We couldn’t imagine a better way to introduce our annual Film & Literature issue, our collection of stories about stories, and the storytellers behind them. So take a walk with us—we’ve got some places we want to pop into.

Escapes

62 BACK TO GREENFIELD

The films of Les Blank by Lauren Stroh

HOUSE OF SMOKE

Reviving Faulkner’s farm for a new generation of literary voices by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot ALWAYS FOR PLEASURE

Cover Artist Matt Dawson

Advertising

SALES@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM

Sales Team

Heather Gammill, Heather Gibbons, Mary Margaret Lindsey

Operations Coordinator Molly C. McNeal

President Dorcas Woods Brown

Bayou Sara’s brewin’, fire on the hot sauce trail & Frissons in NOLA by CR staff

Outdoors

54 THE BUG GUYS

Reconciling pesticide principles with a house under siege by Jess Cole

A book review of John T. Edge’s new memoir by Chris Turner-Neal

60 LOUISIANA SOUNDS, TRANSLATED

Decoding the language of “Aye-yi” and “Aht aht!” by Megan Broussard Maughan

61 A LOVE TAP

A review of Bernardo Wade’s debut poetry collection by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

64 THE LITERARY SOUTHBOUND

Following in the footsteps of our region’s most iconic authors by Shanna Beck Perkins

70

A DIRECTOR’S EYE

The cinematic canvas of Blake Boyd by Cayman Clevenger

endorsement of products or services herein. Country Roads magazine retains the right to refuse any advertisement. Country Roads cannot be responsible for delays in subscription deliveries due to U.S. Post Office handling of third-class mail.

Reflections

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Lately the staff at our extremely small company has hbeen starting each week hwith a Monday morning icebreaker. As the name suggests, an icebreaker is some simple challenge that serves to get everyone thinking and talking, while drawing us together around the shared project of assembling a magazine without reducing anyone to tears. Every Friday someone sets the coming week’s challenge, and when Monday comes, we take turns answering it. On a recent Monday we got thirty minutes to draw a portrait of a colleague. Another week, the task was to list three things about ourselves—two truths and a lie. Then, the rest had to guess which was the lie. Since we all work remotely, these icebreakers have proved an entertaining way to shake up virtual meetings, to reveal our respective strengths (and weaknesses … no one wants me drawing their picture), and of course, staying connected.

Last week when it was Managing Editor Jordan’s turn to set the icebreaker, she charged everyone with presenting their six-word memoir. We should have seen this coming, since earlier this year Jordan published an actual memoir— Home of the Happy —an account of her decade-long investigation into the abduc-

tion and murder of her great-grandfather on the Cajun prairie in 1983. Mind you, Home of the Happy ran to about 120,000 words, so asking her colleagues to summarize themselves in just six words was an exercise in brevity that required uncommon self-restraint. When Monday rolled around, though, the poignant responses captured their authors amazingly well.

Seeing how much about yourself you can cram into six words is an interesting exercise. The first draft of this column usually runs around nine hundred, from which Jordan has to cut a couple hundred words of adjectival waffle before the final product will fit on the page. I can’t write a headline in six words, so before last Monday’s icebreaker, it took a lot of mental whittling to come up with:

“Across decades, foreign land becomes home.”

If the exercise revealed anything, it’s that finding the right words matters. Words are how we transmit knowledge and learn, how we make sense of the world, how we represent ourselves to those beyond earshot, and how our messy, complicated selves will be remembered after we are gone—if we are remembered at all.

And yet, signs point to a precipitous decline in the incidence and the habit of reading in society. In a recent piece published in the Free Press titled “With-

out Books We Will Be Barbarians,” the historian Niall Ferguson cited a study by the University of Florida and University College London, which found that among Americans, daily reading for pleasure had declined from 28% to 16% in twenty years. 52% hadn’t read a book in a year. Average adult literacy scores are down 12% over the past ten years, and, in Ferguson’s words, 30% of American adults “read at a level that you would expect from a ten-year-old child.” Add the statistic that daily pleasure reading among thirteen-year-old Americans was down 50% over the past twenty years, and the picture doesn’t look good for social literacy. I realize I’m preaching to the choir here, but if anyone can spot a silver lining in this, I’d like to hear it.

But here’s the irony. Amid the general decline in the habit of reading for pleasure, signs of our need for books and reading are all around. Independent bookstores (including those depicted in the painting by Alexandria artist Matt

Dawson that appears on the cover of this issue) remain beloved landmarks, with new ones such as Baton Rouge’s TBR Books and Natchez’s Dixon Books opening with more frequency in recent years. Magazines like this one continue to be relevant and sought-after, and beautiful stories continue to unfold, begging to be told. Want proof? On November 1, thousands will descend on the grounds of the State Capitol in Baton Rouge for the Louisiana Book Festival, which has been gathering hundreds of authors, literary minded organizations, and bibliophiles in celebration of the written word, for more than twenty years.

Country Roads will be there, hosting a booth to mark the publication of this “Film & Literature Issue,” meeting longtime readers, and also, I feel certain, making the acquaintance of some new ones. This year, we’ll be playing a little game at our booth, inviting visitors to share their own six-word memoir in return for the chance to win a signed copy of Matt Dawson’s painting, “Marquees and Manuscripts Along the Mississippi,” featured on this cover.

So, members of the sixteen percent: come see us, and let’s connect around our shared love for reading, literature, and the eternal quest to find just the right word.

—James Fox-Smith, publisher james@countryroadsmag.com

Natchez Turns the Page

DIXON BOOKS OPENS ITS DOORS, JOINING THE STATE’S CELEBRATED TRADITION OF INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES

Literature, intertwined with legend, has long held a gravitational power around certain Mississippi cities— drawing readers together around a shared sense of story, of telling, rooted in place. In bookstores, this energy is cultivated into community which, over the decades, has earned a prestige particular to the practice and consumption of Southern writing. Places like Square Books in Oxford, Lemuria in Jackson, and Lorelei in Vicksburg have become destinations of the literati, and homesteads of the Southern writer.

And now, another one of Mississippi’s most mystical destinations, steeped in story, joins in the tradition: Natchez once again has an independent bookstore.

Dixon Books opened on October 11 to a full house, gathered in the kids’ section around a circa-1983 antique hot air

balloon. At the ribbon cutting, Mayor Dan Gibson gestured to the balloon, a whimsical symbol of the Bluff City and its famous fall festival, and declared, “The sky’s the limit.” The store was, he said, “far beyond everyone’s imaginations.”

Set into historic downtown Natchez like a puzzle piece that’s been missing, the bookstore is co-owned by Jennifer and Walter Boone and John and Ginger Weaver—who bought the circa-1868 Dixon Building in 2021. Together, the couples have operated a short-term rental upstairs while leasing the downstairs storefront out to Olivia Pate, of the Olivina gift shop.

When Pate decided to take her business to Baton Rouge earlier this year, Jennifer started envisioning new ways to use the iconic space, with its sky-high ceilings and wood floors. Originally from Hattiesburg and having lived most of her

Now You See It

adult life in Jackson, Jennifer’s relationship with Natchez has been framed by a certain nostalgia: she and her mom used to come and spend weekends in the river town, exploring the downtown shops and eating their fill of Natchez’s classic Southern dishes. “I’ve always been drawn to Natchez,” she said.

Once the idea of a bookstore entered her mind, she couldn’t imagine anything else in the Dixon space. “I thought, ‘Somebody really needs to open a bookstore in here,’” and then, “Well, maybe I need to open a bookstore in here. . . I knew I loved Natchez, and I knew I loved books. I figured we’d figure the rest out.”

A retired nurse, Jennifer has spent the last several months getting hands-on training and advice from staff at Square Books, Lemuria, and Lorelei. “I’ve just felt really welcomed by the whole community,” she said. “They didn’t treat me

as any kind of competition, they were just glad to have another bookstore coming to Mississippi.”

Lemuria’s John Evans gave her a bit of advice that now informs the shopping experience at Dixon Books: “In order for your bookstore to be authentic, you want to curate what you actually read.” Jennifer said that the selection reflects books that she and her husband personally love—historical fiction, nonfiction, and spirituality for her; Mississippi and Civil Rights history for him. “But I also want to have something that everybody likes to read,” she said. “I want this to be a third space where people come in and feel connected and welcome, and find something that interests them. So, we did order books we read, but we also want there to be something for everybody.”

Learn more about Dixon Books at dixonbooksnatchez.com.

—Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

NEW ORLEANS’S MUSEUM OF ILLUSIONS BLENDS MIND-BENDING SCIENCE WITH CRESCENT CITY WHIMSY

New Orleans has always been a city of mischief, of trickery, of magic. It’s a place of contradictions and senselessness, but always delight, and always depth. This, perhaps, more than

anything, is what makes the Crescent City a great location for Tomislav Pamuković and Roko Živković’s Museum of Illusions.

Opened on October 17 in the historic Jax Brewery building at 600 Decatur

St., the 9,000 square foot museum provides an immersive, mind-bending tour through eighty optical illusion exhibits.

“You will see things that you will not believe,” said Pien Kooman, the Public Relations Manager for the Museum of Illusions. “You know not to believe what you’re seeing, but your brain is telling you it must be something else.”

Pamuković and Živković’s concept for a museum of mind tricks began a decade ago in Zagreb, Croatia, and has since expanded to sixty museums globally— making the Museum of Illusions the fastest growing private chain of museums in the world.

It’s not blind growth they’re looking for, though—the cities chosen as homes for these experiences play a role in the illusions themselves. In New Orleans’s location, for example, there are exhibits inspired by jazz culture and the architecture of the French Quarter.

“New Orleans has been on the cards for a while,” said Kooman, “just because it is such an iconic city, with such a rich

history.” She went on to explain that wherever they go, the museum’s team makes efforts to integrate the site into the fabric of a neighborhood. “We take in the culture, and want to become an integral part of the community, to be a great neighbor and work with local companies. All of that is really important to us.”

The experience itself is built, like so much in New Orleans, on a combination of wonder and satisfaction. Each mesmerizing exhibit—turning you upside down before your eyes, breaking your face into kaleidoscopic pieces, transforming you into a giant—can be explained with science and psychology, via signs on the walls and Illusion Experts stationed throughout the museum.

“It’s like this whole game of figuring out, ‘What is really happening?’ And then, suddenly, when you grasp it, it’s very satisfying,” said Kooman.

Learn more about the museum and find tickets at moineworleans.com.

—Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Books Behind Bars

A NEW PARTNERSHIP BRINGS POETRY TO THE IMPRISONED

On a fundamental level, reading creates access— and with access, opportunity.

“A community’s literacy rate is tied to its overall health,” said Dr. Megan Holt, executive director for One Book One New Orleans (OBONO). “Once you have a high literacy rate, you have a low crime rate, a low poverty rate, a low incarceration rate, better healthcare outcomes—you also have an increased likelihood of citizens participating in the democratic process. So literature and literacy are literally tied to our freedom in a very real way.”

This symbiotic relationship between literacy and social justice is at the heart of a new partnership between OBONO and Alison Pelegrin, Writer-in-Residence at Southeastern Louisiana University and former Louisiana Poet Laureate. During her tenure as poet laureate, Pelegrin founded the Lifelines Poetry Project to bring poetry into corrections facilities across the state. Around the same time, Holt established a book club inside Orleans Parish Justice Center allowing local authors to visit the incarcerated. Once the two met, they hit it off—and started making plans.

Their collaboration led them, first, to visit the Historic New Orleans Collection’s exhibition, Captive State: Louisiana and the Making of Mass Incarceration, which explored the long history of the state’s reliance on incarceration to fuel its economy. Pelegrin invited poets to view the exhibition and respond to its contents in verse. Through Holt’s sponsorship, the works then debuted at OBONO’s annual Words & Music Literary Festival in November 2024. But they had more ideas to explore.

“My position as Louisiana Poet Laureate ended in August, but it was very clear to me that I had zero intention of not visiting the carceral facilities anymore,” Pelegrin said. “I was looking for ways to continue that work.”

The resultant Big Read project, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, will bring poets featured in a recently published poetry anthology to jails and prisons across Louisiana. Once inside these incarceration facilities, the poets who contributed to You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, which was edited by Ada Limón, will write about, read from, and discuss the anthology’s overarching theme of changing landscapes that shape us. Then, they will reach beyond the bars, participating in several free,

public events in New Orleans, creating a shared literary experience to bridge two communities normally cut off from each other.

“When you are incarcerated, you are completely isolated. People are speaking for you,” Pelegrin said. Amid the disruption and loneliness of imprisonment, it can be profoundly impactful having “a space on the page where your heart and your mind can kind of be free to articulate whatever’s going around in there.”

Holts’s commitment to improving literacy and fostering literary connections has real-world implications. Picking up the right book can be transformative; a pathway to a new career, a helping hand, a window into someone else’s emotional journey.

“It is so critical that we see one another

as human beings, and we do what we can to uplift each other,” she said. “The idea of infusing literature and literacy with social justice is at the forefront of what I do. It’s about giving out books, but really, it’s about empowering folks to find their voice, and use it.”

This new partnership will be given a platform on November 22 at this year’s Words & Music Literary Festival. At the Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice in New Orleans, Pelegrin will join You Are Here contributors for a discussion of the anthology and their literary experiences with incarcerated individuals.

Learn more at wordsandmusic.org and onebookonenola.org.

—Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

Events

THE RECIPE'S RIGHT FOR GOOD EATS, LIVE MUSIC & FESTS ALL FALL — WITH A DASH OF THEATRE, ART SHOWS & MAKERS MARKETS FOR GOOD MEASURE. • NOVEMBER 2025

UNTIL NOV 2nd

HISTORICAL CELEBRATIONS

SABINE FREESTATE FESTIVAL

Florien, Louisiana

Turn back time to the days when the "Neutral Strip" between Spanish lands and the fledgling United States fostered a unique "No Man's Land" culture in Western Louisiana (1806–1821). Live out your Wildest West adventures with a shootout, or point your guns to the sky for a skeet shoot. Take part in pioneer demonstrations, jam sessions, a minnow race, axe throwing, an exotic petting zoo, and more—plus plenty of live music all day long. It all takes place on the Sabine Freestate Festival Grounds at 237 West Port Arthur Avenue Florien, Louisiana. Details at sabinefreestatefestival.com. 1

UNTIL NOV 2nd

TURN IT UP

OZONE SONGWRITER FESTIVAL

Mandeville, Louisiana

The Ozone Music Foundation returns with its annual Ozone Songwriter Festival, spotlighting over one hundred local, regional, and national songwriters—from skilled amateurs to #1 chart topping Nashville songwriters with songs you'll be surprised to recognize (Tim McGraw and Keith Urban don't

write all of their songs)—while raising money for music youth education. Expect concerts and round-robin songwriter sessions to be held across the Northshore in venues like the Covington Trailhead, Encore Bar & Grill, the Southern Hotel, and more. There will also be a special hands-on songwriting workshops and symposiums; a "Garage Band" workshop series teaching skills in songwriting, live sound, studio mixing, and other industry skills; and a songwriting contest. Find the full schedule, lineup, and more details at ozonemusic.org. 1

UNTIL NOV 2nd

IT'S ALL GOOD C'EST BON SEASONING FEST

Carencro, Louisiana

How did no one think of this before?

A seasoning fest is exactly the spice that Louisiana's eccentric festival lineup celebrating frogs and gators and petroleum needed. Carencro's got it covered, bringing in a lineup featuring Rusty Metoyer & the Zydeco Krush, Clay Cormier & the Highway Boys, Lil Nate & the Zydeco Big Timers, and many more beloved local acts. Expect activities like a seasoning taste-off, a cornhole tournament, a car show, line dancing classes, a midway carnival, and plenty of

delicious local dishes hopefully seasoned just right (though if not, the options for flavor add-ons will be a plenty). Ca C'est Bon. cestbonseasoningfest.com. 1

UNTIL NOV 2nd

THEATRE "WORLD BUILDERS" PRESENTED BY LSU'S LAB THEATRE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

LSU Theatre presents World Builders by Johnna Adams, a poignant and powerful story about two characters with schizoid personality disorders finding connection and meaning in a psychiatric ward. The play, which aims to complicate and provide nuance surrounding discussions of mental health, is staged at the Studio Theatre at LSU's Music and Dramatic Arts Building. 7:30 pm Tuesday–Saturday; 2 pm Sunday. $12; $9 for students. lsu.edu/cmda/theatre. 1

UNTIL NOV 8th

VISUAL ARTS

"A TALE OF TWO CITIES"

New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts, in partnership with Asheville-based ArtsvilleUSA, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area, and River Arts District Artists, presents A Tale of Two Cities,

Events

Beginning November 1st

inspired by the natural disasters that have shaped both New Orleans and Asheville. The exhibition, on display at the Academy and virtually at artsvilleusa.com, features arts and crafts from artists in each city, produced in response to these catastrophes, creating an artistic and empathetic bridge between both communities. noafa.org. 1

UNTIL NOV 29th

ALL A FLUTTER

“HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT” BIRD PHOTO EXHIBITION

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Show your appreciation for Louisiana's photographers and feathered denizens alike while viewing the Hit Me with your Best Shot Bird Photography Exhibition at the historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center in Lake Charles. Featuring fifty vibrant photographs of birds from all over the world, this exhibition showcases wildlife photography while celebrating the enormously popular pastime of birdwatching. Open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am—6 pm, and Saturdays from 10 am–2 pm. Free. gallerybythelake.org. 1

UNTIL DEC 12th

HAND SANITIZER

“PUBLIC PATHOGENS: LOUISIANA’S HISTORICAL STRUGGLE WITH DISEASE”

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

At the Hill Memorial Library, LSU

Special Collections presents an exhibition that explores Louisiana's response to historic diseases, from yellow fever, cholera, and typhoid, to influenza, HIVAIDS, 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. llib.lsu.edu. 1

UNTIL DEC 20th

MILITARY MEMORIALS "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 by 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

UNTIL DEC 30th

MILITARY MEMORIALS "AN AMERICAN WAR IN VIETNAM"

Port Allen, Louisiana

In remembrance of the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War, the West Baton Rouge Museum hosts an exhibition highlighting the contributions of several local service men and women during the war. westbatonrougemuseum.org. 1

UNTIL JAN 25th

VISUAL ARTS

"THE SCULPTURE OF SCOTT, PAYTON, HAYDEN, AND BECHET"

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The LSU Museum of Art presents its newest exhibition The Sculpture of Scott, Payton, Hayden, and Bechet, showcasing four artists—pivotal figures in the

modern art movement—connected through a series of experiences five decades in the making. Sharing common themes and interests, they each explored Black heritage through various lenses, such as the Civil Rights movement, the city of New Orleans, Caribbean legacy, African symbolism, and more. The exhibition showcases the intricately entwined work of these colleagues, friends, mentors, and muses. lsumoa.org. 1

UNTIL MAR 8th MATRIARCHIES

"RAVEN HALFMOON: FLAGS OF OUR MOTHERS"

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art presents Raven Halfmoon: Flags of Our Mothers, an exhibition featuring featuring new and recent works by the Norman, Oklahoma-based artist and sculptor. This includes her largest works to date, such as Flagbearer, a stacked ceramic sculpture standing over twelve feet tall. Working largely in portraiture, Halfmoon is inspired by ancient Indigenous pottery, often working at an enormous scale to create arresting visual monoliths. Flags of Our Mothers honors the matriarchs in her life, along with all Indigenous woman, and their enduring strength. ogdenmuseum.org. 1

NOV 1st

BOOKSWORMS

LOUISIANA BOOK

FESTIVAL 2025

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Louisiana's excellent annual literary festival returns this year, bringing hundreds of authors, literary-minded organizations, and bibliophiles together again, at last. Sprawling over the grounds of the Louisiana State Capitol, the State Library of Louisiana, Capitol Park Museum, and Capitol Park Event Center; expect book talks, workshops, signings, and plenty more literary loveliness. 9 am–4 pm. Free. Full event schedule at louisianabookfestival.org, and tickets to the annual Wordshops writing workshops at bontempstix.com. 1

NOV 1st

SOUND ON NOLA ZYDECO FEST

Slidell, Louisiana

Each fall, the biggest names in zydeco convene in a celebration of culture, the Creole way. Think high-energy dance floors (and dance lessons, for those who need to brush up), jam sessions, a gumbo cook-off, and dozens of local makers selling their treasures. And of course, live performances by Lil Nathan & the Zydeco Big Timers, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, Rusty Metoyer &

the Zydeco Crush, and Wayne Singleton and Urban Creole. Stepping out from its traditional location at Crescent Park in New Orleans, this year the festival will make its Slidell debut at Heritage Park. 11 am–9 pm. $28.52, with options to upgrade. Free tickets are available at a limited capacity in person at the Visit the Northshore Visitor Center, with a limit of two tickets per person. More details at nolazydecofest.com. 1

NOV 1st

FARMERS MARKETS

BREADA'S 29TH ANNIVERSARY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Celebrate BREADA's 29th Anniversary at the Main Street farmers market, featuring live music from John Gray Jazz, live cooking demonstrations, photo opportunities, and more—along with the usual wide selection of fresh produce. Free. 8 am–noon. breada.org. 1

NOV 1st CRUISES

RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The cheetahs have some competition this fall at the Baton Rouge Zoo. For the first time, the animals play host to a car show, sporting classic cruisers to custom builds. Expect animal encounters and a

family-friendly atmosphere while perusing an impressive fleet of vehicles. 9:30 am–3 pm. $15; $12 for seniors, members, first responders, and veterans; $10 for children twelve and younger; free for children one and younger. brzoo.org/rumble. 1

NOV 1st FELLOWSHIP

MUSIC ON THE MOUNT

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Stop by Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church St Francisville this fall for Music on the Mount. It's a day of good food, music, and fellowship. Join a fun run, 5K or 10K in the morning, then catch the festivities later. Stick around to witness the signature firework show set to close out the night. Running activities begin at 7:30 am; festivities at 5 pm. $15; $20 at the gate; free for ages seven and younger. bontempstix.com. 1

NOV 1st

TAKE A HIKE

NATURE ON THE GEAUX FIELD TRIP: ABITA CREEK FLATWOODS PRESERVE

Abita Springs, Louisiana

Join Nature on the Geaux, an environmental education program, for a free, family-friendly field trip to Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve. Pack your hiking

shoes for an adventure through the trails, discovering native plants, local wildlife, and the unique South Louisiana ecosystem along the way. 3 pm. For more details, contact natureonthegeaux@gmail.com. 1

NOV 1st

MAKE A MOVE CHESS FEST

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Historic New Orleans Collection's Chess Club celebrates the long legacy of chess playing in New Orleans established by historic international chess champion Paul Morphy with its annual Chess Fest. Craft your own chessboard, compete in a friendly chess tournament, play "human chess" on a giant chessboard, and more. At the Tate Etienne and Prevost Center in New Orleans. 10 am–2 pm. Free. Find a full schedule and register at hnoc.org. 1

NOV 1st

FALL FAVORITES WIDEWATER MUSIC & ART FESTIVAL

Mandeville, Louisiana

The Mandeville lakefront comes alive during the fall, and the WideWater Music & Arts Festival (formerly known as Rockin' the Lake, now renamed for

St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival

ON NOVEMBER 8TH AND 9TH, CULINARY EXCELLENCE COMES TO THE FELICIANAS

Delicious, innovative food. Lively, danceable tunes. Live fire cooking craft, boutique and small-batch wines, beers, and spirits: All the elements of Louisiana and Mississippi's inimitable culinary cultures come together in perfect, joyful synchronicity at this, the seventh annual St. Francisville Food and Wine Festival—now expanded to fill a whole weekend with fare fit for the fall season. With four unique, delicious events, there's a little something for everyone to enjoy across the gastronomic spectrum—although the most adventurous may prefer to attend them all. In the charming and picturesque small town where this magazine got its start, foodies, oenophiles, music lovers, and diners come together to enjoy elaborate seated dinners, spirited live music, and exuberant tasting events in the company of some of our region's most celebrated chefs.

Here's what's on the roster this year:

Saturday morning Jazz Brunch at the St. Francisville Inn

Pop the cork on the 2025 festival with a lyrical, luxurious lunchtime feast at the St. Francisville Inn. The event features a four-course menu by Chef Michael Dardenne, cocktail pairings by master mixologist Alan Walter, and a rousing jazz performance by New Orleans's Tom Fischer Trio. 11 am–2 pm. $200.

Saturday afternoon Bubbles & BBQ at North Commerce

The champagne, craft beer, and barbecue bonanza at North Commerce returns to historic downtown St. Francisville. Expect live fire cooking stations helmed by the Gulf South's

most creative barbecue masters, a bottomless champagne bar, local and regional craft beers, live entertainment; and opportunities to sample natural wines, regional spirits, and specialty foods presented by regional purveyors. 11 am–3 pm. $95.

Saturday evening— Visiting Chef Eric Cook at Restaurant 1796

A delectable, seated dinner with wine pairings, served at The Myrtles. In a culinary collaboration, Restaurant 1796's Executive Chef Nick Kent will welcome Eric Cook, Chef and Owner of award-winning Gris Gris and Saint John restaurants in New Orleans, and author of the acclaimed Modern Creole cookbook. Together, Cook and Kent will deliver a sophisticated, fivecourse tour of contemporary Southern flavors, paired with bespoke cocktails,

fine wines by Eberle Family Winery of Paso Robles, California, and spirited entertainment. 5 pm–9:30 pm. $195.

Sunday —

St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival Grand Tastings at The Myrtles

Sunday's Grand Tastings present celebrated Mississippi and Louisiana chefs serving signature dishes from 30+ tasting stations arrayed around The Myrtles' grounds. Attendees explore The Myrtles property while discovering participating chefs' dishes, wine stations serving 50+ notable wines, a beer garden serving craft beer by Mississippi and Louisiana brewers, and a "Spirits of The Myrtles" Courtyard serving craft spirits and cocktails by regional distillers. See a full list of participating chefs on the event's website. 1 pm–5 pm. $135–$275. 1

The seventh annual St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival is November 8 and 9. At press time, tickets for the festival were close to sold out. Get yours while they last at stfrancisvillefoodandwine.com and bontempstix.com.

Events

Beginning November 1st

the English translation of the Choctaw word for the Pontchartrain, "okwa-ta") activates the scenic neighborhood with multiple stages of live music, local artisan shopping, and a selection of food trucks. Go VIP ($50) for access to a buffet, free drinks, premium seating, and special bathroom access. 11 am–7 pm. Free. oldmandevillebusiness.com. 1

NOV 1st

RETAIL THERAPY

SOUTHDOWN MARKETPLACE

ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL

Houma, Louisiana

It happens for one day, twice a year in spring and fall—the outdoor arts & crafts show that brings scores of local and national vendors and their unique handmade products to the grounds of Southdown Plantation House and Museum in Houma. They arrive bearing jewelry, clothing, woodcrafts, furniture, pottery, paintings, photography, toys, dolls, metalwork, florals, candles, and more. There are usually books by local authors, home-grown plants, antiques and collectibles, and children’s hands-on craft projects. Alongside, food vendors bring

a huge sampling of Cajun food favorites. Tours of the house, too. $5 adults; free for children 12 and younger. 8 am–4 pm. southdownmuseum.org. 1

NOV 1st - NOV 2nd

ART EXHIBITIONS

"BRUSHSTROKES AND BEYOND"

Abita Springs, Louisiana

Stop by the Abita Springs Town Hall for Brushstrokes and Beyond, the Lacombe Art Guild's fall show. Featuring art that explores landscapes, seascapes, cityscapes, people, animals, birds, still life, plants, flowers, and abstract pieces, the two-day exhibition also distributes awards with cash prizes for winning art on display.

5 pm–8 pm Saturday; 11 am–4 pm Sunday. lacombeartguild.com. 1

NOV 1st - NOV 2nd

GREEN THUMBS

BATON ROUGE GARDEN

CLUB'S FLOWER SHOW & TEA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Join the Baton Rouge Garden Club for its annual flower show and tea at the Baton Rouge Garden Center this fall. Guests

will immerse themselves in a wonderland of floral designs crafted by members. 1 pm–4 pm. Free. Details at the Baton Rouge Garden Club 's Facebook page. 1

NOV 1st - NOV 2nd

CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS

BAYOU BACCHANAL

New Orleans, Louisiana

Hosted by Caribbean Carnival/Friends of Culture, an organization run by New Orleans locals native to parts of the Caribbean, Bayou Bacchanal exists to share the festive traditions of the Caribbean with the Crescent City community. Be sure to catch the kick off dance and opening night "White Party" on the first, and then head to the celebration and parade in Congo Square the next day—which will feature performances by Pan Vibrations, Lady Peppertree, DJ Trek, DJ Fire Flame, and Messiah. Free (except for the opening night party, which costs $45 at the door). bayoubacchanal.org. 1

NOV 1st - NOV 2nd

EGG-CELENT EXCURSIONS

GIANT OMELETTE CELEBRATION

Abbeville, Louisiana

The locals of Abbeville will be highly eggcited if you choose to join them for

their annual Giant Omelette Celebration. No less than five thousand eggs—five thousand—go into the giant omelette in question, and there are plenty of other activities to keep festival-goers occupied while the omelette cooks in a twelvefoot skillet balanced over an open fire in historic Magdalen Square. Eggspect one of Acadiana's largest juried art shows, the procession of chefs, kids' world activities, exhibits of antique cars and farm equipment, a charity walk and bike ride, an egg cracking contest; and live music. Visitors from abroad will be present to represent "the sisterhood of cities who celebrate the omelette." Free. 9 am–5 pm Saturday; 6 am–4:30 pm Sunday. giantomelette.org. 1

NOV 1st - NOV 30th

VISUAL ARTS

"FOLLOWING THE FEU FOLLET"

New Orleans, Louisiana

For the month of November, Gallery 600 Julia presents Following The Feu Follet, a solo exhibition by artist Thomas Lofton. Lofton depicts Acadiana backroads landmarks "clinging onto the past," from hunting and fishing camps to the live oak. An artist reception is November 1 from 6 pm–8 pm. gallery600julia.com. 1

NOV 1st - DEC 7th

YE OLDE TIMES

LOUISIANA

RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL

Hammond, Louisiana

The Louisiana Renaissance Festival is upon us! Bring your falcon and step back in time every weekend through December 7 to party like it's 1499. Each autumn, the festival gathers more than six hundred artists, entertainers, and educational demonstrators, converting the ten-acre compound into a sixteenthcentury English "Village of Albright" that features a Queen's Arms Pavilion, Village Common, Blacksmiths Way, and Piper's Pub. Festival-goers enter the turkey-legwaving, mead-guzzling, knight-andpeasant-infested Renaissance village to experience period shows, music, games, food, and more. With more than fifty shows on a dozen stages, different themes each weekend, and one hundred booths featuring arts, crafts, and demonstrations, it's a jousting good time at RenFest, as it's affectionately known. Too many special events and highlights to list here, so be sure to visit the website. $30 per day for adults; $15 for children ages six to twelve; free for children younger than six. Weekend camping options. 9:45 am–5 pm Saturdays and Sundays, rain or shine at the Louisiana Renaissance Grounds. larf2023.org. 1

NOV 1st - DEC 14th

STITCHES

"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 quilting, embroidery, weaving, felting, and 3D fiber constructions. An opening reception will be held November 1 from 2 pm–5 pm; a closing reception will be held December 14, 2 pm–5 pm. kelwoodcontemporaryart.com. 1

NOV 1st - DEC 31st

RETAIL THERAPY

WRAP IT IN RIDGELAND

Ridgeland, Mississippi

Ridgeland is ready to make this holiday season truly a time for giving. For this promotion running through and beyond the holiday season, find the perfect gifts on your Nice List along the Ridgeland Retail Trail, while grabbing a bite at top-tier dining destinations. You can even book a stay at participating hotels for special savings. Learn more at exploreridgeland.com. 1

Events

Beginning November 2nd - 7th

NOV 2nd

BREWS

CAP CITY BEER FEST

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Baton Rouge's annual Cap City Beer Fest pops tops today in Downtown Baton Rouge. Local, national, and international beers will be here for the sampling, complementing a festive fall mix of food, music, and games—all benefitting the Companion Animal Alliance. 2 pm–5 pm. $45 in advance; $55 at the door; $10 designated driver ticket. capcitybeerfest.org. 1

NOV 2nd

CULTURAL PRACTICES

NATIVE AMERICAN BASKET WORKSHOP

Port Allen, Louisiana

Learn the artistry and craft of long-leaf pine needle basket weaving at the West Baton Rouge Museum. Coinciding with the exhibition Weaving Nature: Louisiana’s Native American Basketry, the beginner workshop will be led by Elisabeth Pierite, a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe and Cultural Specialist for the Language & Culture Revitalization Program. 1 pm–4:30 pm. Free, but registration required by calling (225)-336-2422. westbatonrougemuseum.org. 1

NOV 2nd

GRUB FOR GOOD HEROES WHO COOK COMPETITION

Covington, Louisiana

Gear up for this tasty fundraiser for a good cause. Heroes Who Cook will take place on the rooftop of the St. Tammany Parish Justice Center Parking Garage in downtown Covington, where sixteen celebrity and restaurant teams will face each other in a competitive cook-off to raise funds for the Children’s Advocacy Center—Hope House. Be sure to take part in the complimentary cocktails, beer, and wine, and enjoy the live music by Groovy 7. An online silent auction will also feature luxury items and one-ofa-kind experiences. 4 pm–7 pm. $105. cachopehouse.org. 1

NOV 3rd

UNDER THE SEA "THE LITTLE MERMAID"

Crowley, Louisiana

Make the Grand Opera House in Crowley part of your world this November for the Panto Company USA's production of the beloved Hans Christian Anderson adaptation. This classic has all

the audience favorites—a little mermaid with big dreams, a handsome prince, a sarcastic sea witch, and the songs that bring the characters alive. Shows at 10 am and 7 pm. $10 for adults; $5 for children. thegrandoperahouse.org. 1

NOV 3rd - NOV 16th

LIVRES

MY FRENCH BOOK FEST

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Sponsored by the Consulate General of France in Louisiana, Villa Albertine, and in partnership with the Alliance Française de La Nouvelle-Orléans, the annual My French Book Fest spans three Louisiana regions—New Orleans, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge—in celebration of the French language. Grounded in immersion, culture, and history, the book festival promotes youth literacy in French and encourages children to learn more about French-language literature and cultural connections. Find a full schedule and details at af-neworleans.org. 1

NOV 6th - NOV 7th

GOOD EATS

2025 CHEFS TO WATCH DINNER

Covington, Louisiana

Louisiana Cookin' magazine is bringing half a dozen of the Bayou State's fastestrising culinary talents to the Greenwood in Covington, where they will prepare a six-course meal showcasing their skills as well as the delicious bounty of the area. Jackets are required for men. 6:30 pm–9:30 pm. $175. For the first time, the event will extend to a second night, during which guests can enjoy small plates from three chefs, served tasting style in the courtyard of the Southern. 7 pm–9 pm. $125. More details at louisianacookin.com. 1

NOV 7th

GOOD EATS

BIG BOY'S MAIN STREET COOK-OFF

Thibodaux, Louisiana

Big Boy’s Main Street Cook-Off is a culinary showcase of Cajun cuisine prepared with the freshest ingredients found along the bayou. In a two-block area of historic downtown Thibodaux, Big Boy’s celebrates the Cajun lifestyles of Thibodaux and Lafourche Parish. Admission goes to benefit Downtown Thibodaux and includes servings from over thirty cookoff participants. 5 pm–10 pm. $15. downtownthibodaux.org. 1

Events

Beginning November 7th

NOV 7th

FUNDRAISERS

NORTHSHORE FOOD BANK'S PALLETS WITH PURPOSE

Covington, Louisiana

It's officially the giving season, and the Northshore Food Bank invites all to participate in a good cause. At its Covington warehouse, enjoy an evening of casino games, with don't-miss prizes for winners, as well as Jose Balli grab bags, silent auction items, and raffles. Guests will also enjoy a buffet from Gary Bonanno Catering, a full-service bar, and DJ entertainment. All proceeds will benefit the work of the food bank. 6:30 pm–9 pm. $150; sponsorships available. northshorefoodbank.org. 1

NOV 7th - NOV 8th

INKLINGS

FESTIVAL OF WORDS

Grand Coteau, Louisiana

Grand Coteau's annual Festival of Words returns this year with three featured authors and two days of wonderfully wordy events—all for free. Enjoy workshops, community readings, and author meet-and-greets around the

inspired small town. This year's authors are all Louisiana writers, including poet and memoirist Sheryl St. Germain, short story writer Gabriel Houck, and poet Gina Ferrara. Details to come at festivalofwords.org. 1

NOV 7th - NOV 9th

LUMINARIES

LIGHTHOUSE FESTIVAL

Berwick, Louisiana

The Town of Berwick once again sets up along the riverfront for a festival of local libations, arts and crafts, cookoffs, bake-offs, mass on the river, a cornhole tournament, and a carnival— not to mention a pageant, bike ride, and fireworks. Live music will play all weekend. 6 pm–11 pm Friday, 9 am–11 pm Saturday, 9 am–5 pm Sunday. cajuncoast.com. 1

NOV 7th - NOV 9th

THEATRE

BAY SAINT LOUIS LITTLE

THEATRE PRESENTS: "TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD"

Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi

In this adaptation of Harper Lee's

Pulitzer-Prize-winning story, a young girl named Scout watches her father grapple with compassion, courage, and morality in a sleepy Alabama town during the Great Depression. To Kill a Mockingbird , presented by Bay Saint Louis Little Theatre, explores themes of race, class, coming-of-age, and the bond between a father and daughter. 8 pm; 2 pm Sundays. $28; $22 for seniors, military, and firstresponders; $14 for children twelve and younger. bontempstix.com. 1

NOV 7th - NOV 9th RETAIL THERAPY MERRY MARKET

Gonzales, Louisiana

Merry Market, held at Lamar Dixon in Gonzales, is back just in time for your seasonal shopping needs this winter. Check out over 400 booths with both local and out-of-town vendors hawking jewelry, clothing, candles, toys, art, and other do-dads. Kids can enjoy a petting zoo, Santa visit, Christmas crafts, face painting, and more. 10 am–5 pm Friday; 9 am–5 pm Saturday; 10 am–4 pm Sunday. $10. Free for children under the age of 10. Mimosas in the Morning VIP Shopping on Saturday morning from 8 am–11 am, with advance purchase tickets at $25. Cookies & Crafts with Santa will be both Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm,

with advance purchase tickets at $30. merrymarket.shop. 1

NOV 7th - NOV 9th

CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS

THE NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL Jackson, Mississippi

The nation’s longest-running traditional arts event comes to Mississippi—and the Deep South—for the first time. This three-day multicultural celebration will bring music, dance, and art to downtown Jackson at a beloved event that has drawn more than 150,000 in the past. Expect seven stages of music, more than three hundred performers and craftspeople, parades, regional foods, and so much more. Free. nationalfolkfestival.com. 1

NOV 7th - NOV 9th

FALL FAVORITES

HOLY GHOST CREOLE FESTIVAL

Opelousas, Louisiana

Live Creole and zydeco music, Creole food favorites, and a gospel choir concert that's drawn crowds for over twentyfive years now—the Holy Ghost Creole Festival returns. The fun begins Friday morning with finger-lickin' fried catfish, with the tune of gospel choirs from Holy Ghost Catholic Church serenading the public that night. Rise early for more music, and arrive with an empty belly—

Events

Beginning November 7th - 8th

ready to sample famous backbone stew and barbecue pork steak—not to mention sweet dough pies, boudin, cracklins, and other local delicacies. Or, start with the 5K or 1-mile fun walk, then get to eating. Sunday brings the Creole Festival Parade, running from Landry Street to Union Street. Bring lawn chairs and a blanket. Free. hgcatholic.org. 1

NOV 7th - NOV 16th

THEATRE

"A TUNA CHRISTMAS"

Slidell, Louisiana

The unforgettable characters of the tiny town of Tuna, Texas (third-smallest town in the state), set out to prove that they've got city-sized Christmas cheer in this comedy favorite, to be performed by Cutting Edge Theater. 8 pm Fridays and Saturdays; 2 pm Sundays. $35. cuttingedgetheater.com. 1

NOV 7th - DEC 12th

HALF-FULL

"8 FLUID OUNCES"

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Wander through one hundred ceramic cups and vessels at the LSU School of

Art's biennial "cup show" at the Glassell Gallery. More than twenty-five artists from across the country submitted works, curated by visiting artist Ruth Easterbrook. And for those who want to do more than admire, rejoice: the pieces are for sale. design.lsu.edu. 1

NOV 8th

FEASTS

AIOLI DINNER UNDER THE OAKS AT SHADOWLAWN

Franklin, Louisiana

Enjoy an elegant evening outdoors at Grevenberg House Museum & Shadowlawn, hosted by the St. Mary Chapter of the Louisiana Landmarks Society. The Aioli Dinner includes Cajun food and music by Les Freres Michot. 6 pm–9 pm. $100 for a ticket, available at Grevemberg House Museum, Chic and Shabby, The French Door, and Gather on Main. cajuncoast.com. 1

NOV 8th

COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS

THIBODEAUXVILLE FALL FEST

Thibodaux, Louisiana

Since its 1992 beginnings with just

the festival makes its Slidell debut at Heritage Park on November 1.

Fest organizers. Learn more on page 13.

thirteen vendors, this festival has grown to welcome nearly two hundred vendors and thirteen thousand visitors. In addition to the plentiful arts, crafts and Cajun food on Saturday, Thibodeauxville will feature several stages' worth of continuous live musical entertainment. Activities for the whole family include the popular Duck Race in Bayou Lafourche—the rubber ducky's day in the sun. 8:30 am–5 pm. Free. Details at the Thibodeauxville Fall Festival Facebook Page. 1

NOV 8th

SOMETHIN' COMFY

BLUE DENIM NIGHT

Folsom, Louisiana

Don your favorite pair of blue jeans and head to the second annual Blue Denim Night at the Giddy Up Grounds in Folsom. It's the chance to go full-on country-western glam. Bring lawn chairs, grab a pet, and listen to live music by Woods on Fire—all while enjoying local bites, businesses, and pop-up art. 5:30 pm–9:30 pm. giddyupgrounds.com. 1

NOV

8th

GREEN THUMBS

RE-WILD THE LIBRARY: COMMUNITY GARDENING DAY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Join East Baton Rouge Parish Libraries for a collaboration with the Louisiana Wild Society to plant a new, large-scale native plant pollinator garden at the Main Library at Goodwood. Attendees will learn about the plants and the pollinators they support, get hands-on planting experience, visit the seed library, participate in garden workshops, crafts, and activities, shop for native plants, and more. 8 am–3 pm. ebrpl.com. 1

NOV 8th

CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS

ATCHAFALAYA

BASIN FESTIVAL

Henderson, Louisiana

Settled right on the great water basin itself, Henderson's Henry Guidry Memorial Park makes an ideal site for the annual celebration of this beloved and unique landscape. Expect a day of dancing, eating, fun jumps, rock wall climbing, and more. In addition to a lineup of local musicians, festival-goers can expect car and truck shows, live and silent auctions, raffles, and cooking contests. All funds raised will go towards Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church and Sacred Heart of Jesus Chapel. 7 am–10:30 pm at 103 Park Drive. Free. basinfestival.com. 1

NOV 8th

THEATRE SHAKESPEARE IN THE LIBRARY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Delmont Gardens Branch Library welcomes the Louisiana Shakespeare Company as they engage children in an interactive program about the Bard-ofAvon's famous, beloved tragedy, Hamlet This Shakespeare-centric program is appropriate for children ages five to eleven. 10 am. Free. ebrpl.com. 1

NOV 8th - NOV 9th

POLITICS

"JULIUS CAESAR:

STICKIN' IT TO THE MAN"

Abita Springs, Louisiana

William Shakespeare's political tragedy Julius Caesar has long been performed and taught—but perhaps has never been staged like this before. Jonah Boudreaux, a Shakespeare aficionado, brings the Bard's play into a modern setting by, for one, turning the Abita Springs Trailhead Museum amphitheater into the office of the Roman Senate. So bring a friend

(or a Roman, or a countryman)—and hope they don't stab you in the back. 5 pm. $15; $5 for students and seniors. bontempstix.com. 1

NOV 8th - NOV 9th

TARTANS

SCOTTISH HIGHLAND

GAMES & CELTIC

MUSIC FESTIVAL

Gulfport, Mississippi

Keeping Celtic traditions alive, the Harrison County Highland Games feature all the classic events: Scottish dancing, pipes and drums, a broadsword exhibition, food, drink, and much

more. Head to the Harrison County Fairgrounds for the opportunity for the whole family to learn about Scottish/ Celtic heritage and culture. 9 am–5 pm Saturday; 9 am–4 pm Sunday. $15 for adults; $10 for students 13 and older; free for children under 12. mshighlandsandislands.com. 1

NOV 8th - NOV 9th

FALL FAVORITES

PETER ANDERSON

ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL

Ocean Springs, Mississippi

The Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival was created to honor master

artist, Peter Anderson, original potter of Shearwater Pottery, and to celebrate the arts community that has grown up in today's Ocean Springs. Come spend a weekend exploring one of the most appealing little towns of the Mississippi Gulf Coast—and take a little bit of it home with you. 9 am–5 pm both days. peterandersonfestival.com. 1

NOV 8th - NOV 9th

FUNDRAISERS

FALL FESTIVAL AT DESTREHAN Destrehan, Louisiana

The annual Fall Festival Fundraiser returns for its fifty-third year, presented

Events

Beginning November 8th -

by the River Road Historical Society, operating as Destrehan Plantation. Explore more than 180 arts and crafts booths on the beautiful grounds, or stop by the historic Mule Barn to view distinctive antiques. The weekend will feature pony rides, fall-themed arts and crafts, a bungee jump, face painting, a southern-style food court, and live music performances by Ryan Foret and Foret Tradition, and Peyton Falgoust Band. 9 am–4 pm. Free parking on-site. $10; $5 for children six to twelve; Free for children under five. destrehanplantation.org. 1

NOV 8th - NOV 9th

GOOD EATS

TREMÉ CREOLE GUMBO FESTIVAL

New Orleans, Louisiana

Back in the day, the Tremé neighborhood was the stomping grounds of the city's free people of color, and historically the area has churned out countless cultural contributions, including Creole food and brass band music. The annual Creole Gumbo Festival celebrates this legacy,

15th

drawing together over a dozen culinary wizards offering their own carefullycurated takes on the city's finest gumbos, with the annual vegan gumbo contest tipping its hat to those who have gone green. Live music will feature local favorites like Da Truth Brass Band, Hot 8 Brass Band, Quiana Lynell, and Rebirth Brass Band, plus many more. 11 am–8 pm Saturday and Sunday at Louis Armstrong Park and Congo Square. Free. tremegumbofest.com. 1

NOV 9th

FILMS

POINTE COUPÉE HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL SOCIAL

New Roads, Louisiana

The Pointe Coupée Historical Society hosts its annual social and presents a showing of Ancestral Artistry: The Influence of Africans and Creoles of Color on Louisiana Architecture. This 58-minute documentary film, produced by the Louisiana Architecture Foundation, explores the history of enslaved Africans bringing with them building trade knowledge and developing a distinctive

architectural identity when they arrived in French colonial Louisiana. Noon–5 pm. pointecoupeehistoricalsociety.com. 1

NOV 11th

GREEN THUMBS

OVER-WINTERING NATIVES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

In recognition of winter as nature's special—and vital—time of rest and slowing down, learn how care for your garden in the coming months. Presented by the Louisiana Wild Society at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum, this workshop will reveal the secrets of tending to your plants while taking into account pollinators and other ecological factors. 6:30 pm–8 pm. $15; $10 for students/members. lsu.edu/hilltop. 1

NOV

12th

FOODWAYS

GALLIER GATHERINGS BOOK

CLUB: "CREOLE ITALIAN"

New Orleans, Louisiana

Learn more about Sicilian immigrants and their impact on New Orleans foodways in this evening of wine and conversation, part of the Gallier Gathering series at Gallier Historic House. The discussion of historian Justin A. Nystrom's Creole Italian: Sicilian Immigrants and the Shaping of

New Orleans Food Culture will be led by Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses Director of Educational Programming, Dr. Amy Katherine Medvick. 6 pm–8 pm. $23; $17 for members. hgghh.org. 1

NOV 13th

TURN IT UP MUSIC ON MAIN

New Iberia, Louisiana

Music on Main comes to New Iberia’s newest venue, Bayou Teche Trading Company. Expect a musical evening featuring Fifth Edition and the Sharona Thomas Band, plus food and drinks to round out the fun. 6:30 pm–10 pm. $60. bayoutechemuseum.org. 1

NOV 13th - NOV 15th

FALL FAVORITES

CHIMNEYVILLE

ARTS FESTIVAL

Ridgeland, Mississippi

Head to Waller Crafts Center in Ridgeland this holiday season to celebrate the incredible craftsmanship of artisans from Mississippi and beyond. Look forward to live demonstrations, unique handmade items, and fine craft. Preview party at 6 pm–9 pm Thursday; 10 am–7 pm Friday; 10 am–5 pm Sunday. mscrafts.org. 1

NOV 13th - NOV 16th

REELS

SOUTHERN SCREEN

FILM FESTIVAL

Lafayette, Louisiana

The Southern Screen Film Festival is again bringing filmmakers and film lovers together for four days of film fandemonium in the heart of Acadiana. Conceived to blend creativity and ingenuity with the unique Cajun joie de vivre, Southern Screen shows award-winning, independent films from around the world in the form of shorts, documentary, and feature-film formats, then presents open discussion panels, workshops, and demonstrations for filmmakers hosted by artists and professionals. This year's event will be hosted in downtown Lafayette and virtually. All access passes are $75; $105 VIP; with discounts for students and industry professionals, plus various piecemeal attendee options. southernscreen.org. 1

NOV 13th - NOV 16th

GOOD EATS

PORT BARRE

CRACKLIN' FESTIVAL

Port Barre, Louisiana

Celebrate over three decades of partying around crispy fried pork skin as you crunch your way through this pork-fueled fiesta in Port Barre at Veteran's Park. In addition to a cracklin' cook-off, there will be carnival rides, live music, a parade, and other blood-pressure-raising kinds of excitement. Live bands, featuring Cajun, zydeco, and swamp pop will be playing all through the rest of the weekend. cracklinfest.com. 1

NOV 13th - JAN 8th

ART EXHIBITIONS

"A HOLIDAY RETROSPECTIVE": ARTIST GUILD OF LOUISIANA MEMBER SHOW 2025

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Art Guild of Louisiana presents its 2025 member show titled A Holiday Retrospective, on display at Independence Park Theatre. The exhibition will showcase all types of original twodimensional media, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, fluid ink, graphite, colored pencil, pen and ink, original lithograph, mixed media, pastel, gouache, encaustic, and more. artguildlouisiana.org. 1

NOV 14th

SOLOS FROM THE VIEUX CARRÉ TO VERSAILLES: ECHOES OF THE FRENCH ORGAN

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Historic New Orleans Collection

hosts a rare solo recital featuring visiting scholar and organist Dr. Joyce Wei-Jo Chen. Dr. Chen will perform works by French composers—including François Couperin, Louis Vierne, and others—on HNOC’s restored Aeolian residence organ located in the Barbara S. Beckman Music Room on Royal Street. Free, but registration required. hnoc.org. 1

NOV 14th

ARBOREAL EVENTS

GREEN UP RED STICK

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

If the best time to plant a tree was fifty years ago—well, Baton Rouge Green is ready to swing back to the '70s. Attire? Bell bottoms, groovy threads, and disco digs (awards will be given for those costumed the best). The mission? Support and celebrate community greenspaces and trees, in style. And let's not forget the entertainment—live music by Karma & the Killjoys, food and beverages by Chow Yum and Huft Marchand Hospitality, live art, a silent auction and more. 7 pm–9 pm. See ticketing options at batonrougegreen.com. 1

NOV 15th

MATRIARCHS "VENUS ENVY: A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN EMPOWERING WOMEN"

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Radio Bar in Baton Rouge presents Venus Envy, a jam-packed night celebrating women uplifting women through collaboration, creativity, and community. The evening includes an all-female DJ set, an all-women comedy performance, a makers market, onenight-only pop up fine art gallery, and more. 4 pm–2 am. For information, email natalieclayart@icloud.com. 1

NOV 15th

FALL FAVORITES

THREE RIVERS ART FESTIVAL

Covington, Louisiana

As it has each November for years now, the largest juried art festival in the Southeast region will celebrate the work of over two hundred artists from across the country. Across Covington's historic downtown district, discover works of art in every medium, from ceramics to paintings to fiber art to jewelry. In addition to the vibrant parade of art booths, the festival will also present a children's area, an "Arts Alive!" demonstration tent, live music, and an impressive demonstration of our region's culinary arts—featuring local vendors, too. 10 am–5 pm. covingtonthreeriversartfestival.com. 1

RETAIL THERAPY HOLIDAY SHOPPING ON DA BAYOU

New Iberia, Louisiana

It's time to prepare for Papa Noël at Bouligny Plaza, where local vendors flock to sell their holiday wares. Find handmade goods, boutique items, gourmet products, and more, all while enjoying live music by Audio Remedy. There will also be pictures with Santa, food trucks, drinks, and face painting to boot. 8 am–3 pm. Free. Learn more at the event's Facebook page. 1

NOV 15th WILDS FORESTIVAL

New Orleans, Louisiana

A Studio In The Woods once again welcomes the public into its creative haven for the annual FORESTival, a celebration of art and nature. One of a few live-in artists’ retreats in the Deep South, A Studio in the Woods occupies seven-and-a-half acres on the Mississippi River in New Orleans and fosters both environmental preservation and the creative work of artists. This year's FORESTival will showcase the work of residents and guest artists—including Asante Salaam, Hali Dardar, Trinity City Comics, Alex Gunderson, and more—as well as the history and happenings of this unique environment. It's a chance to experience Louisiana’s wetlands set to live music, with food, artistic demonstrations and activities, a walk in the woods with

This year's musical lineup includes Leyla McCalla, Big Chief Juan Pardo & The Golden Comanches, Casa Samba, the Creole Cutie Babydolls, and Andrina Turenne. 11 am–5 pm. $15; children are free. astudiointhewoods.org. 1

NOV 15th

GOOD EATS

BEIGNET FEST

New Orleans, Louisiana

Let's just say that for this flavorful festival, you're going to want to avoid wearing black. Expect powdered sugar galore at this sweet celebration at New Orleans City Park's Festival Grounds. With forty unique takes on the dessert featured, don't be surprised to see some savory twists on the classic, along with vegan, gluten-free, and non-beignet options. Pair this vast array of tasty treats with a day of live music, featuring Marc Broussard and the Rebirth Brass Band—and be sure to bring the littles for an interactive kids village. Festival proceeds benefit local autism programs for children and families. $25; free for children ages ten and younger. Full schedule at beignetfest.com. 1

NOV 15th

DANCE

BODYTRAFFIC WITH PRESERVATION

HALL JAZZ BAND

New Orleans, Louisiana

In commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina,

Events

Beginning November 19th - 30th

BODYTRAFFIC returns to New Orleans at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts with an evocative, oneof-a-kind performance choreographed by internationally acclaimed choreographer Trey McIntyre. The evening revolves around a special restaging of Ma Maison and excerpts from The Sweeter End —works that honor and celebrate the Crescent City's indomitable spirit. Performed with Preservation Hall Jazz Band on stage, the evening's performance also includes McIntyre’s Mayday, set to the music of Buddy Holly. 7:30 pm. $32–$212. nobadance.com. 1

NOV 19th - NOV 22nd

LYRICS

WORDS & MUSIC FESTIVAL

New Orleans, Louisiana

One Book One New Orleans returns with its popular music, literature, and activism extravaganza, the Words & Music Festival. Some of the dozens of presentations taking place around the city this year include a panel on "Art, Climate Change, and the Louisiana Landscape" and a screening of Free for All: The

Public Library. More details to come at wordsandmusic.org. 1

NOV

20th

MUSIC

PAUL SIMON’S “GRACELAND” WITH SCOTT MULVAHILL

Lafayette, Louisiana

Scott Mulvahill—a singer-songwriter, upright bassist, and multiinstrumentalist—presents Paul Simon’s Graceland at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. Mulvahill is known for fusing the genres of Americana, bluegrass, folk, jazz, rock & roll, and roots music to create a new, innovative sound. Graceland, his inspiration to become a songwriter, is given a loving homage in this one night performance. 7:30 pm. $45. acadianacenterforthearts.org. 1

NOV 21st

FALL FAVORITES

WHITE LIGHT NIGHT

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

White Light Night returns to Mid City Baton Rouge this November as the neighborhood's largest art

festival. Wander down Government Street exploring artist tents, makers markets, and more. Admire the white lights bedecking the streets, enjoy live music, and feast at area restaurants along the way. 6 pm–10 pm. Free. midcitymerchantsbr.org. 1

NOV 21st - NOV 23rd

RETAIL THERAPY

HOLIDAY MARKET AT THE MILL

New Roads, Louisiana

A spectacular shopping experience lands in New Roads for the holidays with the annual Market at the Mill. The nearly 40,000 square foot Cotton Seed Oil Mill will be packed with country furniture, architectural pieces, pottery, glassware, ceramics, art, woodwork, metalwork, and of course loads of good cheer. 9 am–6 pm Friday, 10 am–5 pm Saturday, noon–4 pm Sunday. $5. marketatthemillnewroads.com. 1

NOV 22nd

NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURE RETURN OF THE XACTCI DANCE

Opelousas, Louisiana

In honor of National American Indian Heritage Month, citizens of the Canneci Tinne Apache Tribe present the Xactci Dance at the Opelousas Museum. The ritual has not been performed in

Louisiana for over 160 years after Native American dancing was halted in the early 1800s. For more than a year, tribal citizens have created regalia and learned rhythms and rituals to present the dance. A Talker will also be present sharing the history of the Xactci, along with tribal culture. 11 am–1 pm. cannecitinne.com. museum@cityofopelousas.com. 1

NOV 22nd

RETAIL THERAPY

ART GUILD OF LOUISIANA

CHRISTMAS ART MARKET

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Make merry at the Art Guild of Louisiana's Christmas Art Market, ideal for finding handmade work by local artists. Held at BREC Cedarcrest Park, enjoy the fall weather and shop local. 10 am–4 pm. artguildlouisiana.org. 1

NOV 22nd - SEP 27th

ARTISTIC ICONS "MICHALOPOULOS: MYSTICAL EXPRESSIONISM"

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Cabildo hosts an exhibition celebrating and exploring the prolific forty-year career of artist James Michalopoulos and his efforts to immortalize New Orleans's vernacular architecture in his work. From depictions of Creole cottages and ornate Victorian

The LSU Museum of Art's Glassell Gallery hosts its biennial cup show, one hundred ceramic cups created by more than twenty-five artists are displayed and available for purchase. The above image displays pieces by artist Maria G. Albornoz, courtesy of LSU MOA. This year's show runs from November 7–December 12. Learn more on page 22.

façades, to modest shotguns and iconic neighborhoods, Michalopoulos's pieces burst with color, energy, and life, marked with layers of thick impasto paint. The exhibition features more than sixty paintings. louisianastatemuseum.org. 1

NOV 23rd

OPERA

LISETTE OROPESA & SUSAN GRAHAM

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

First Baptist Church in Baton Rouge hosts two of the most celebrated voices in opera for an unforgettable afternoon of musical excellence. International soprano Lisette Oropesa and mezzosoprano Susan Graham join forces to dazzle their audience, their vocal stylings amplified by the elegant acoustics of the church sanctuary. 5 pm. $76. operalouisiane.com. 1

NOV 26th

LIVE MUSIC A TRIBUTE TO ART NEVILLE

New Orleans, Louisiana

Tipitina’s presents "A Tribute To Art Neville: The Specialty Years & More and Eddie Bo," the seventh installment in the venue's recent fundraising tributes. The night, honoring two giants of New Orleans music, will feature performances by Cyril Neville, Deacon John, Jon Cleary, Ian Neville, and more. Doors at 7 pm; show at 8 pm. $60. tipitinas.com. 1

NOV 29th

CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS

LOUISIANA CANE SYRUP HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Jeanerette, Louisiana

Things are bound to get a mite sticky at this down-home celebration of cane syrup at Jeanerette Main Street Mercantile. Don't miss a cane syrup cooking and old-fashioned cane grinding demo,

heritage tractors, antique engines, and more—along with some quality cane syrup to purchase for your own table, and Cajun and Creole music. 10 am–5 pm. Learn more at Jeanerette Main Street Mercantile's Facebook page. 1

NOV 29th - NOV 30th

SEASONAL THEATRE "'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS"

Covington, Louisiana

Kickstart the holiday season with this charming retelling of the classic children's Christmas story, starring a mouse, an elf, and a spunky little girl. At the Playmakers Theater in Covington. Saturdays 7:30 pm–10 pm; Sundays 2 pm. $28; $22 for seniors and military; $17 for children. bontempstix.com. 1

NOV 30th

CONCERTS

LOUISIANA CHRISTMAS DAY: ANDRÉ COURVILLE & THE ATCHAFALAYA ORCHESTRA FEATURING HUNTER HAYES

Lafayette, Louisiana

The Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette presents an all-star evening of musical prowess featuring Hunter Hayes, with Sweet Cecilia and Jourdan Thibodeaux, along with opera powerhouse André Courville and his Atchafalaya Orchestra. 6 pm. Tickets start at $51. heymanncenter.com. 1

For more events visit countryroadsmag.com/eventsand-festivals.

VISIT ST. FRANCISVILLE

The Culture Club

A long-awaited expansion of St. Francisville’s Cultural District brings more notable businesses, and buildings, into the fold

Think of St. Francisville. What jumps to mind? Strolling along a street lined with Victorian homes and Creole cottages, perhaps? Wandering the sun-dappled churchyard around Grace Episcopal Church? A lunchtime table for two at the Magnolia Café or gin & tonics on the porch at the St. Francisville Inn? Browsing book titles at The Conundrum Bookstore or picking out the perfect T-shirt at District Mercantile? It’s understandable, because all these landmarks lie within or close to the town’s National Register Historic District. But if you limit your St. Francisville adventures to the Historic District, you’d be missing the chance to tuck into a hot roast beef and provolone sandwich on ciabatta at Basel’s Market or a vegetarian Shroom Burger at Audubon Café, to browse antiques and collectibles at Back in Time or the West Feliciana Antiques Mall, or stock up on native plants at Ins ‘n Outs Nursery. These merchants and many more stand to benefit from the recent expansion of St. Francisville’s Cultural District, which extends the district’s boundaries to encompass an area stretching along Commerce Street between Burnett Road and Wilcox Street, and extending almost to Highway 61 to include the one hundred-room Hotel Francis, which is currently undergoing renovation.

According to St. Francisville Main Street Manager Laurie Walsh, the expansion represents the latest phase in St. Francisville’s ongoing Commerce Street Overlay District project, which began two years ago as an effort to make the town center more pedestrian-friendly by extending sidewalks, restructuring parking, and adding walking paths and shade. Administered through the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, the Louisiana Cultural Districts program aims to spark revitalization by extending

state historic tax credits for rehabilitation of historic structures, which in turn helps communities to develop hubs of cultural activity. The St. Francisville expansion brings the total number of Louisiana’s cultural districts to 127, situated in forty-three parishes all over the state.

Among more than a dozen established businesses included within the new cultural district’s extended boundaries is Findings, an antiques, collectibles, and gifts marketplace. Owner Marsha Daniel launched Findings two years ago after the Bohemianville antiques mall closed in the Historic District. “We used to have a booth in Bohemianville,” said Daniel, “and when Dawn Savell retired, a lot of the vendors said that they loved the side business. They wanted a new place to go.” Today Findings is home to more than fifty booths offering antiques, collectibles, and original crafts and gifts—many run by former Bohemianville merchants. “At Findings we’re really appreciating the way the town is working to unite all its commercial enterprises,” said Daniel. “The Historic District is already well-established, so we’re delighted that the town is working to include its outer edges. Daniel also noted that many Findings customers are traveling along Highway 61 without realizing there’s more to of St. Francisville than meets the eye. She’s glad to tell them otherwise. “They think we’re a two-traffic-light town,” she said. “So, I think this is going to benefit everybody. It's going to be good for the town as a whole.”

To learn more, visit www.stfrancisville.net.

BEHIND-THE-SCENES

The South Plays Itself

THE LOCAL ARTISTS WHO SHAPED THE MUSIC AND MYTH OF THE GENRE-DEFYING BLOCKBUSTER, SINNERS

Story by John Wirt

Mand Mississippi musicians plays a major role in the supernatural thriller Sinners. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler—whose previous films include Black Panther and Creed Sinners is this year’s fifth highest grossing movie at the U.S. box office.

Sinners’ musical patchwork features Irish and Scottish folk songs, old-time fiddle music from North Carolina, gospel music and, most of all, blues. A vastly influential genre that originated in the Mississippi Delta, blues received massive mainstream exposure via Sinners; in the film, the music is well-nigh a character.

Coogler’s Mississippi roots and ancestral connection to blues inspired his Mississippi-set, Jim Crow-era vampire tale. The director has since described Sinners as his most personal project. “I was digging into two relationships,” he reveals in the film’s production notes. “One with my maternal grandfather, who was from Merrill, Mississippi. The other is my Uncle James, who I came up with my whole life … He wouldn’t talk about [Mississippi] unless he was listening to the blues, and he’d had a sip of Old Taylor whiskey.”

Coogler’s family members were among the estimated six million African Americans who left the rural South in the twentieth century in search of economic oppor-

such as Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and the place Coogler’s family migrated to: Oakland, California.

Coogler told the Los Angeles Times this year that after his Uncle James’s death, listening to the blues helped him “conjure” his uncle’s spirit. And hearing the party song, “Wang Dang Doodle,” one particular night synced the director’s juke joint-meets-vampires concept for Sinners

The film takes place in 1932 over a twenty-four hour period in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The story begins as identical twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan) return to Mississippi from Chicago. Flush with cash, they’re opening a juke joint in their hometown and recruiting musicians to play for the grand opening.

Filmed in various Louisiana locales, including New Orleans, Bogalusa, Labadieville, and Donaldsonville, Sinners contains more than two dozen musical selections crafted for corresponding scenes. The music ranges from a plaintive voice-and-guitar solo and a romping guitar-and-harmonica duet, to grand production numbers featuring crowds of extras.

Louisiana’s Buddy Guy and Bobby Rush, as well as Mississippi’s Cedric Burnside, are among the musicians who get star billing on the Sinners soundtrack. More

ing players whose work deftly informs sive deep South milieu.

The movie’s original score is the work of Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, collaborating on his fifth film with Coogler. He also co-produced the compilation soundtrack with his classical violinist wife, Serena, and the director.

Göransson initially expected to spend a week on the movie’s New Orleans set. He changed his tune upon realizing how intertwined music is in Coogler’s cinematic conjuring of fantasy, history, and culture. He and Serena consequently moved to New Orleans so they could be on the film’s set every day.

With authenticity in mind, the Göranssons enlisted dozens of regional musicians. As Serena told Variety: “New Orleans is a city full of extraordinary musicians, but we didn’t want to have jazz musicians who also play blues. We wanted blues musicians. We wanted people who were devoting their lives to this.”

The Gulf Coast talents who contributed to Sinners include blues star and Pointe Coupée Parish native Buddy Guy; from New Orleans, singer and multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla (of the Carolina Chocolate Drops), singer and jazz banjo and guitar player Carl LeBlanc (of Sun Ra and Preservation Hall Jazz Band), and the

Pleasant Valley Youth Choir. There was also Irish musician Pete Dawson from Baton Rouge and Mississippi musicians including fife-and-drum player Shardé Thomas Mallory and blues artists Cedric Burnside and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. St. Landry Parish is represented by zydeco accordionist Jeffery Broussard from Opelousas and Irish musician Tony Davoren from Sunset.

Göransson prepped for Guy’s quietly dramatic epilogue scene in Sinners by visiting the blues master at his Chicago club. He asked Guy to tell him stories about blues artist Son House, an inspiration for the movie’s preacher’s son-turned-bluesman character. When the time came to shoot Guy’s acting debut, the eighty-nineyear-old bluesman inspired everyone on the set.

“I was worried when we finished off with the song, because he had been doing dialogue and acting for eight, maybe ten hours,” Göransson told Variety. “But once we

did the last scene, where he is playing guitar, it was such a magical moment . . . you could hear a feather drop.”

Guy accepted his Sinners role because he believed the film could promote the music he’s devoted his life to. “Whatever can help the blues stay alive, I’m all for it,” he told Variety

Bobby Rush recorded his original “Delta Slim Railroad Blues” for the film, as well as his take on Marksville native Little Walter Jacobs’ 1952 hit, “Juke.” With less than twenty-four hours’ notice, he arrived on set to play harmonica off camera during the train station scene featuring Delroy Lindo as the busking Delta Slim.

Rush and Lindo, Serena Göransson told Variety, “have twin souls . . . In that scene . . . Delroy is feeling out what Bobby is doing, Bobby’s looking at what Delroy is doing, and they created this thing together . . . without rehearsal!”

To this writer, Rush commended Sinners’ feverish brew of blues and fantasy. “The guy was smart enough to sneak it in the backdoor with the vampire thing,” he said. “You can lead the horse to the water, and try to make him drink.”

In addition to Lindo’s Delta Slim and other principal characters, the railroad scene features real musicians as extras. Serena Göransson explained: “As they’re walking through the train station, you see Alvin Youngblood Hart, Shardé Thomas Mallory, and James “Super Chikan” Johnson. They felt seen, and it was important

to them, the fact that Bobby showed up that day.”

Leyla McCalla and her likewise New Orleans-based sister, Sabine, recorded banjo parts for the Sinners soundtrack. The McCalla sisters are extras as well, with Sabine playing guitar in a juke joint scene and Leyla somewhere in a gang of dancing vampires.

“They wanted as much representation from the musical community as possible,” McCalla said. “I was on set with Jeffery Broussard, Saul Williams, and a bunch of people I know. So many people I’ve known over the years in the community are a part of the film. I appreciate that.”

Broussard’s accordion is heard on the movie’s soundtrack and he can be seen as an extra. He recorded his contribution at Esplanade Studios, the Göranssons’ headquarters in New Orleans. Broussard thinks Sinners is a great movie, but he doesn’t see it as a horror flick, despite the otherworldly happenings. “It’s just based on life, things that people go through,” he said.

Pete Dawson’s pennywhistle enlivens the movie’s vampire ensemble performance of “Rocky Road to Dublin.” Dawson and his wife, Julia, also sang in the ensemble that sings the traditional Irish favorite.

“I was a little starstruck,” Dawson said of his one-onone session with Göransson at Esplanade Studios. “He’d just won the Oscar for Oppenheimer. And my kids love his The Mandalorian music. We did a few takes. I could only guess at how he was going to use pennywhistle in a vampire movie, but it lifts the song well.”

Acadiana-based musician and music educator Tony Davoren made multiple contributions to Sinners. A native of the village of Hollywood in County Wicklow, Ireland, Davoren recorded bouzouki and bodhrán (Irish drum) for the soundtrack; coached cast members in singing and dialect; and recommended Broussard, Dawson, and Austin-based Irish fiddler Niamh Fahy to the Göranssons. In addition to his own two weeks of Sinners work, Davoren’s wife, Sheila, and daughter, Roisin, coached Jack O’Connell, the film’s lead vampire, in Irish dance. In one of his most memorable moments in the film, the high-stepping O’Connell dances to and sings “Rocky Road to Dublin.”

“Jack learned the steps directly from my daughter, Roisin,” Davoren said. “But he had a lot of his own steps, too. He showed up with a legitimate background in Irish dancing. And I connected the dance and music.”

A cultural as well as musical consultant, Davoren is impressed by the world Coogler created for Sinners and integration of music therein. “The treatment of the blues and some of those old-timey songs is just brilliant,” Davoren said. “The original material that Ludwig composed, it’s fabulous. And it’s astonishing how the movie works on a lot of different levels. Ryan Coogler packed a lot of history and metaphor and all kinds of things into that movie to get his point across, and he did it all under the guise of a Hollywood vampire movie, which is genius.”

Sinners opened in wide theatrical release in the U.S. on April 18. After debuting at No. 1 domestically, it earned $366.6 million worldwide. A hit with audiences and critics, the blues-and-vampires spectacle unexpectedly introduced millions of moviegoers to the roots of American music. 1

LIGHTS. CAMERA. ACCESS.

Behind the scenes at Louisiana Academy of Production High School, a world of opportunity awaits Baton Rouge’s future filmmakers

“Hollywood South,” the unofficial moniker for Louisiana’s burgeoning film industry, is poised to grow exponentially in the coming years—sourcing talent from its own backyard. As Louisiana’s film industry has expanded over the last two decades due to attractive tax incentives, the state has transformed into a hub for film and production. In Baton Rouge, a new charter school aims to meet the need this evolution brings, training students to become the technical experts the industry demands.

Opening in August 2026, the Louisiana Academy of Production aims to equip Baton Rouge high schoolers with the skills to launch successful careers in the state’s film industry. An accredited charter school offering immersive film and production programming, LAAP’s campus in Baton Rouge will provide students with a supportive environment in which to develop concrete and soft skills that can serve them in both the workforce and/or college—whichever path they choose.

While gaining a thorough grounding in the core educational curriculum, LAAP students will have additional opportunities to choose between a number of in-depth tracks including technical, craft, postproduction, and business. The school promotes projectbased learning, allowing the relatively small class sizes (enrollment is capped between seventy-five and ninety students) to collaborate while learning real-world skills.

“You’re going to get your core courses,” said Fallon Buckner Ward, LAAP Executive Director. “But in addition to that, imagine being able to integrate that core coursework with film production. What an exciting way to learn! Why not bring it to those kids here? Why not bring it to Baton Rouge? Why not give them a different educational experience?”

“The generation is changing,” she added. “Education is changing.”

Joining the ranks of such renowned institutions as Roybal Film and Television Magnet in Los Angeles, Motion

Picture Technical High School in New York City, and Robert Halmi Sr. Academy of Film and Television in Yonkers, LAAP will share curriculum with these sites as it aims to build a dedicated pipeline of both college and career-ready students to enter the film, television, and digital media industries. LAAP also plans to partner with LSU, Southern University, and Baton Rouge Community College to offer dual-enrollment courses.

“Content creation is part of our world these days,” said Katie Pryor, Baton Rouge Film Commissioner and LAAP Board Chair. “There is such a community in this field, and

I think the collaborative nature and the personal nature of the work that you do in film creation—there’s nothing that really parallels.”

Ward explained the school intends to connect students to the industry, providing them with transferable skills that go beyond a traditional education. According to Ceasar Hendricks, LAAP’s founding principal, the school’s strategy for success is based upon developing a closeknit, vibrant culture of trust, predicated on access and inclusivity.

“I want to build a learning culture,” he said. “It’s one of including students. It’s definitely one of respect, for sure. I want students to feel comfortable, where kids want to come to school. I want to create a culture where staff want to come to work.”

By training students to meet the film industry’s needs, school leaders also hope to keep local talent and academic excellence at home. With promising career prospects right here at “Hollywood on the Bayou,” there will be no need to leave the state to achieve success in the industry.

“The innovation behind the educational approach really aims to provide our students with immersive, hands-on experience, directly addressing the workforce needs for our Louisiana creative economy,” Ward said. “The workforce has to live here, and if you can learn here and work here, then we can keep the economy here as well.”

“I’m excited,” Pryor added. “I hope in a few years I’ll be watching those kids work at the Baton Rouge Underground Film Festival.

Priority Open Enrollment is now open for all current eighth grade students. This priority application window closes on December 8, 2025. Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to secure their spot now at laapbr.org.

Anatomy of a Bestseller

LOUISIANA AUTHOR ASHLEY ELSTON ON CRAFTING TWISTY

THRILLERS, CAPTURING THE SOUTH, AND NAVIGATING LITERARY SUCCESS

Interview by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

After more than a decade of success writing young adult novels, Shreveport author Ashley Elston never expected her first foray into adult fiction to be her big break. A pandemic project, her 2024 novel First Lie Wins began with Elston’s fantasies of a tense dinner party, and emerged as a twisty, fast-paced psychological thriller that quickly rose to the top spot on The New York Times bestseller list—even catching the attention of actress, producer, and book club maven, Reese Witherspoon.

For our 2025 Film & Literature issue, editor Jordan LaHaye Fontenot sat down with Elston to discuss how her former career as a photographer continues to impact her work, the method behind her intricate plots, the realities of massive literary success, and what we can expect from her forthcoming novel, Anatomy of an Alibi

Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’ve said in other interviews that your career as an author began “while your baby was napping.” What was it that propelled you, at that point in your life, to start writing?

So, I had been a wedding photographer for ten years, but as my older boys started to get into school ages, they were doing things on weekends I didn’t particularly want to miss—their sports, birthday parties. And then we had this new baby. So, I thought I’d take a break, then come back to it when the kids were older. But I missed that creative outlet. I've always been a big reader. Always. Oh, I love to read. But I never really thought I would be a writer. I didn't know how you became a writer. And I don't know, I had an idea, and I said, ‘well, let me just write it down.’ And he’d nap, and I'd kind of write.

It was not a book that's ever been published. It's not very good. I call it my 'practice book,' because I kind of taught myself how to write off of that book.

But I enjoyed the process. And so, once I finished that, I felt like a door opened—like, I don't know, maybe I could write another book, maybe a better one.

How does a book concept begin for you?

Because of my photography background, I am very visual, and I do sort of see my scenes. I build them in my mind before I start writing them, thinking about, like, how I would frame a photograph. What does the room look like? What are the details that come into focus for me? And then I sort of grow from there.

So, I had this scene in my head of this girl standing at a sink in kind of a dilapidated looking bathroom, like a single

bare bulb over the sink. And she's kind of sad. So why is she sad? And then, I think, let me just write that scene. So, that was actually the opening scene of my first young adult novel that was published.

What is your process like, of constructing and plotting a novel from start to finish?

For my first drafts, I'm usually sort of along for the ride as we discover what's happening. Now, you can only do that for a certain amount of time before you have to stop and ask, “Okay, what's the plot?” But I don't go in knowing. I have maybe some ideas or some themes I'd like to really play on. But really, I kind of wing that on the first draft. And that’s like a skeleton, the bones. Like, where are we starting? Where are we trying to finish? How does it all connect? Then, I have to go back and add the muscle, the organs. Where’s the heart of the story? What’s going to get the heart racing, the heart pumping? Where are the brains of the story, the clever twists? And then I go back through again and put the skin on it, make it look good, dress her up. What’s her hair color? It’s layering, and every layer sort of makes it better, more real, and when you’re done, you have a real finished thing, like a person.

So, how does it feel when you finally get to that point? Where you feel like you have a complete ‘person’ of a book?

It’s hard sometimes to know that you’re there, because you’re always like, “Is there more I can do?” But it’s a feeling, really, more than anything. At some point you have to be like, you know what? This is it; it’s done. It’s really a gut thing.

It’s really interesting to learn that you are more of a ‘pantser’ than a ‘plotter,’ especially because First Lie Wins has so many twists and turns from a plot perspective.

Right? In that book especially, it was like that. I started writing First Lie Wins during that horrible March 2020 of lockdown. And everybody was home, and nobody wanted to be there. My peaceful day was gone. And I didn’t know what I wanted to do next. I had written four mystery thrillers at that point, and then two rom coms. So, I was like, “Am I going back to rom com?” But I had that opening scene of the dinner party in my head. I could see the table, I could see those people sitting around that table. I started thinking about what those people would say, how catty they would be, and I knew it wasn’t young adult. It felt older. I decided I would just write the scene and go from there.

I didn’t know who Evie was yet, if she was good or bad. Was she an undercover

cop? Was she a con artist? I just thought, well, we’re all locked at home, and nobody can do anything. What does it matter? I’ll just play with it.

And it became my little escape from just a really not great time in the world. I would lose myself in that book. It’s a pretty complicated plot, but it didn’t start that way. I would write it pretty straight, and then say, “Oh my gosh, there is so much here that I could play with.” But I rewrote and rewrote. Once I had the bones, I’d come back and tweak, twist things up. That’s where the magic really comes for me. I changed the ending seven times before it was all said and done.

What was it like developing Evie?

Once I figured out who I wanted Evie to be—you know, she’s got her own moral line in the sand. It might not be where mine is, but it’s where she is. She’s not bad, but she’s not good either. And once I got to know her, I’d start thinking, “Well, she’s smarter than that. She could have done this, but she’s better than that.”

Louisiana is the primary setting of First Lie Wins. How important is place in your writing?

I think place plays a huge part. I treat setting like a character. I think that the way the South loves SEC football is important in First Lie Wins —the Kentucky Derby party, even those women at the dinner party in the beginning. Those are women from here. We know who they are. I like for setting to be like, it has to be here, or the story doesn’t work.

I also think sometimes the South really gets the shorter end of the stick when people think about how we are here. And it was really important to me to show that there could be sophisticated crimes, sophisticated things, being done in a part of the country most people don’t consider sophisticated.

So, before First Lie Wins, you had already built a successful career as an author. But this book propelled you to the top of The New York Times Bestseller List and was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick. What has that kind of meteoric rise to literary fame been like for you?

It was crazy, yeah. It was my seventh book; I had been doing it for ten years at that point. It was all very surprising. It happened the year I turned fifty, and I was like, “You know what, this is going to be great. I’m just going to enjoy it, because I might not ever get any of these opportunities again.” Publishing is so fickle. I told my publisher, “I’ll do whatever you want me to do.” And I did, I mean, I traveled. I went everywhere, went on tour, went to every book festival that invited me. I was on the road. Two of my kids are out of the house now, there’s one in high school. I took full advantage of it. And I’m glad it happened on my

seventh book, ten years in. Because I think that if I was a brand new author, and this was my first book, and this happened to me, I don’t know how that would have set my expectations for everything else coming my way. The stars aligned for this one book, and that’s all I’m given. I do feel like I was able to stay pretty grounded in it, but I’m not gonna lie, it was amazing. Like really amazing. I’ve met some incredible people, and done some really, really cool things.

What kind of advice would you give aspiring authors, especially living here in Louisiana?

I think you have to have your community. My agent told me early on that I needed critique partners and set me up with two of her other clients. And we are still very, very close to this day. They read everything I write as I’m writing it, and I do the same for them. My local friends could not be more supportive, but when I’m like “I don’t know where to put that body …” it’s easier to talk to other writers. Or when I get a terrible review, and need to vent to somebody about it, I’ve got someone who understands what that feels like. I also make an effort to go and meet my agent and editor face-to-face in New York every year. I consider it an investment. I think a personal connection is super, super important—taking it beyond just emails.

And finally, a lot of people try to chase a trend when they’re writing, and you have to understand that when you have an idea for a book, it won’t hit the shelf for two years. The trend will be gone. Write what you want to write, what you enjoy reading. Don’t worry about who is going to love it. You have to love it, and it will show in the writing.

Last question: what can you tell us about your newest book, Anatomy of an Alibi ?

This was probably the hardest book I’ve ever written. It took me the longest of all to decide when to step away from it. It’s set in St. Francisville and in Baton Rouge, as well as in a town I made up— which is very corrupt, so I didn’t want it to be a real place.

I’ve never had to write a book after such a successful book, and that played some mind tricks I was not prepared for. There was a lot of self-doubting. Writing is a weird thing, because you know, it’s you and your brain and your creativity and your imagination, and sometimes it turns on you. Like, “Is this good enough to follow up First Lie Wins?”

So, I was in my head a lot for the writing of this book. In the end, I’m very proud of it. I’m proud that I did it! 1

Learn more about Ashley Elston at ashleyelston.com, where you can order First Lie Wins and preorder Anatomy of an Alibi, which comes out on January 20, 2026.

Southern Exposure

SIX NEW DOCUMENTARIES ZOOM IN ON SUBCULTURES & SECRETS FROM ACROSS OUR REGION

Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

In recent years, filmmakers in Louisiana and Mississippi have followed scientists into ancient, disappearing ecosystems, focusing in on their hands as they plant seeds ensuring a future. Some traveled around the country seeking out aging civil rights activists to ask them what they remembered of a largely forgotten hero. Others sat in close quarters with convicted criminals as they detailed the devastating abuse they faced while incarcerated. One man took his camera out into the swamp, alone—and what he found there kept him coming back for more than a decade. Our regional filmmakers have stepped into alternate worlds in the middle of our communities, where language is not heard or seen, but felt; and immersed themselves in the indescribable euphoria of HBCU football and its soundtrack.

The Film & Literature issue at Country Roads is one of our favorites, because it is full of stories about stories. Here are six of these stories, told via the art of documentary, that we found especially compelling.

Shelby

For over a decade now, the cinematographer Daniel Fiore has spent much of his time deep in the remote swamps around Lake Pontchartrain. He began by following the lore: stories of a wild man living alone in an unforgiving place, hunting rougarou, biting the heads off snakes, and searching for Jean Lafitte’s treasure. The existence of a “wild man,” for one, turned out to be true.

As his relationship with the “swamp man” evolved into a kind of friendship, Fiore’s angle shifted into something like a character study, which expanded into an exploration of place, and inevitably, of the history that shaped the mysterious ecosystem of the swamp itself, as well as the man who now calls it home: Shelby. The journey takes us through the long history of violence in lower Mississippi region, folklore about buried treasure and the feu follet, and stories about bootlegging, political corruption, and vigilantism.

When we first meet the namesake of Fiore’s film, his person is accompanied by the unholy sound of a loogie shamelessly hawked. “I’m a dirty son of a bitch,” he says, scrubbing his face, while admitting he hasn’t showered in six months (though he does always “wash his ass” in the lake). We meet Shelby’s dog, Piss Willy, and Fiore’s camera slowly peels back more and more of Shelby’s sprawling, chaotic world of tents, tools, machinery, and piles of what the average person could only deem as trash, scattered in campsites all across the swamp.

Shelby is the kind of storyteller that folks raised in rural South Louisiana will likely recognize—the stories are vulgar and outlandish, difficult to believe, but so fun to listen to that you stick around until the end. “Mama said when I was born, I was born dead,” he tells us of his origins. His body is covered with what he describes as alligator bites, snake

bites, and gunshot wounds from a dustup with a biker gang years before. His breakfast is a piece of raw venison he hung from a tree branch the night before. Early on, he tells Fiore that the swamp is rife with treasure, and that he knows where most of it is.

Part of Shelby’s isolation in the swamp is a basic eccentricity, a preference for life in nature opposed to that in society. But part of this existence is also derived from a profound distrust of others that borders on paranoia. To tell Shelby’s story, Fiore knew that gaining his trust would be everything.

“I was always authentic with him, whether that was on camera or off,” he said. “I think from the beginning he kind of sensed that of me. I feel that being pushy is the easy, crude, unrefined way of getting somebody to do something for you. The real art is working together with a talent, even if they don’t realize it.”

To protect the tenuous trust he was building with Shelby, Fiore always filmed entirely on his own. “I was literally the one who filmed and shot everything,” he said. As a filmmaker, Fiore has found himself in this situation before—embedding himself in the Alaskan wilderness and on crab boats to shoot for projects like the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch.

“I think it makes this project unique,” said Fiore. “It just had to be that way for various reasons, because of [Shelby’s] idiosyncrasies, as well as the resources it would take to have a big crew out there. And when you take up a large footprint, all that space with people, it also changes the vibe of the characters, their natural pacing day to day.”

Watching Shelby, it certainly feels as though Shelby forgets the camera is there at times. The interactions don’t feel performed or overly facilitated. Even the more formal interviews have a sitting-

around-the-campfire feel to them. And the shots Fiore is able to get, gaining such intimacy with this mysterious individual, are remarkable: close ups of Shelby’s face with a gun up to his eye as he looks through the scope at a kid fishing on his territory; drone shots of the swamp, gators parting the waters; the glow of Shelby at work late at night, sitting in his “swamp mobile” tractor contraption, pulling hundred-ton logs up from the Pontchartrain.

Shelby’s line of work is a laborious one practiced by very few, but there is a certain wonder to it. Using his “swamp buggy”—a custom-built amphibious tractor—along with a system of boats and other equipment, he recovers oldgrowth sinker cypress logs that fell off rafts during the timber operations of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The tragic effect of that industry was the decimation of old-growth cypress forests, meaning that such wood today is extremely rare and valuable. Often, Shelby pulls these logs from their resting place

deep in the mud of Lake Pontchartrain. And occasionally, he pulls up other, more mysterious relics of history. Fiore captures the moment in which Shelby recovers slabs of ancient wood that they quickly decipher as the side of an ancient sunken ship.

Fiore said that when he first started working on the film, he took Shelby’s stories of treasure with a grain of salt. But when Shelby began to reveal some of the artifacts he’s collected over the years, Fiore began paying attention. “In the end, you start to believe he probably does know where the stuff is,” he said. “There’s enough smoke there to know that, you know, I’m pretty sure there’s a fire.”

Shelby received its world premiere at this year’s New Orleans Film Festival in October. Visit shelbymovie. com to stay up to date on upcoming screenings and future streaming opportunities

Everlasting: The Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers

“Medgar was the love of my life.”

These are the very first words in Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s (MPB) new documentary, Everlasting: The Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers, spoken by Myrlie Evers-Williams sixty years after the tragic assassination of her husband, the civil rights leader Medgar Evers, in Jackson, Mississippi.

The line sets the tone for this telling of Evers’s story, which goes beyond his remarkable contributions to America’s fight for racial equality to emphasize what his participation and leadership cost him—and the legacy he’s left behind. All these years later, his widow recounts a conversation in which she asked him why he would risk so much while he had his wife and young children at home.

“Don’t you understand that I am doing this for you and my children,” he responded. “And all the other women and children of our race?”

The film has been in the works for five years at MPB, led by the organization’s Chief Content Officer Taiwo Gaynor. It was all Evers-Williams’s idea, though. “Myrlie Evers herself came to MPB many years ago and said, ‘Hey you all need to tell my husband’s story. We need to get his legacy out there.’”

That legacy includes Evers’s role as Mississippi’s first field secretary for the NAACP, a position that put him on the frontlines of the 1950s and ‘60s Civil Rights movement in Mississippi. Evers worked to educate the Black public on voting rights, encourage civic engagement, and advocate for desegregation— while also supporting nonviolent protests and chronicling instances of racial violence. As a figure of the movement, his life and tragic death has inspired songs by Bob Dylan and Nina Simone, as well as Eudora Welty’s famous short story “Where is the Voice Coming From?”

Still, Evers tends to be left as a footnote in Civil Rights history outside of Jackson itself. “[He’s] been kind of disappeared from history,” said Gaynor. “But he is such an important part … he was on par with Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, and these other giants of the movement.”

Funded in large part by the Mississippi state legislature itself, the film features stirring interviews with historians, Civil Rights activists who worked alongside Evers, and members of the Evers family—including Myrlie and her daughter, Reena. The result is a tapestry of oral histories piecing together a man who seemed by many to be larger than life, and by a precious few to be the steadfast guardian who tucked them in at night.

“We went into it thinking we wanted to get as many first-hand accounts

as possible,” said Gaynor. “We wanted to let you hear what actually happened from the people who were there”—many of whom won’t be around to share their stories much longer, he pointed out.

In one such interview, MacArthur Cotton, who served as the chairman of the Attala County NAACP for a time, said of Evers, “He didn’t show any signs of fear . . . how blessed I was to be in the presence of someone like that.”

The interviews are interspersed with a remarkable collection of archival footage—photography, film, letters, newspapers—in which we are granted a small glimpse of Evers’s impact as a speaker and leader. “Most people have never heard Medgar Evers’s voice,” said Gaynor. “No one has ever seen him smile.” We watch him telling a story of refusing to move to the back of a bus in Meridian, Mississippi; leading meetings regarding James Meredith’s attempts to enroll in the segregated University of Mississippi; and recounting threats to his life. After one caller shared that he had a pistol in his hand reserved for Evers, Evers merely responded, “Whenever my time comes, I’m ready.”

“We knew what was gonna happen,” says Evers-Williams, as well as many other interviewees in the film, who recall the imminent threat Evers faced as he became more and more public-facing and recognizable in the fight against segregation. “It was written in the sky. It was written in our hearts. We knew. We knew that we had a very short time together.”

Evers-Williams, without whom this film wouldn’t exist, has made a name for herself as a woman with deep wells of power and wisdom. Even at age ninety, her appearances in Everlasting are some of the most moving. And toward the film’s end, she is given her due as the leading figure of Evers’s legacy. We see her rise after his death, completing her degree at Pomona college, working as a journalist, running for Congress, and becoming the first Black woman to serve on the board of public works in Los Angeles. In the 1990s, she “saved” the NAACP after a period of tarnished reputation for the organization, acting as the first Black woman to serve as chair of the board and helping to raise enough funds to eliminate its growing debt. And in 2013, she became the first African American and the first woman to give the invocation at a United States Presidential Inauguration for President Barack Obama’s second term.

“She lived out the vision that Medgar Evers had for this country,” said Gaynor. “She lived it out literally, how far that history came in such a short amount of time.”

Everlasting: The Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers was released in September, coinciding with Evers’s 100th birthday. Gaynor believes Evers’s story is as urgent as ever, as America approaches its 250th birthday and we contemplate what our country’s constitution stands for. “He was fighting for that,” he said. “And when you hear his voice say the things that I’m often thinking about our country right now, in this moment, it is remarkable.”

You can stream Everlasting: the Life and Legacy of Medgar Evers for free at mpbonline.org, where you can find tons of bonus content and interviews, including Everlasting: The Legacy Podcast hosted by Rita Brent and produced by Zeke Brandy.

Dead

People, Crazy People, Drugs and Politicians

Editor’s note: This film (not this article) requires a trigger warning: includes graphic and disturbing descriptions of sexual abuse.

When filmmaker Brett Roblez first met Terry King, he thought the man had to be a liar.

The sensational stories King told—of working with other citizens of St. Tammany Parish to bring down their parish coroner, who they suspected of criminal fraud—were so incredibly unbelievable. But, as a Google search quickly confirmed, every word was true. King and his wife Laura acted as whistleblowers in the case against Peter Galvan, joining up with the Concerned Citizens of St. Tammany (CCST) in an effort that resulted in Galvan’s 2013 conviction for conspiring to steal government funds.

Roblez, who grew up in St. Tammany Parish, couldn’t believe the remarkable story of blatant government corruption and citizen-led investigation hadn’t yet been told on a larger scale.

Roblez turned to his collaborators at Dinosaur Rumblings Entertainment, an award-winning film studio and production company based in Baton Rouge. Over the next year, he and his team conducted dozens of interviews with St. Tammany Parish residents, attorneys, journalists, and others involved in the case against Galvan—as well as other

instances of corruption in St. Tammany.

The result is Dinosaur Rumblings’ first feature-length documentary, Dead People, Crazy People, Drugs and Politicians named for King’s memoir on the Galvan case. The story begins in 2004 with Galvan’s successful passage of a parish-wide tax for the coroner’s office, promoted on a platform of crime-fighting amid anxieties following the conviction of infamous Louisiana serial killer Derrick Todd Lee. The tax more than tripled the agency’s budget and reportedly made him the highest paid government official in the United States after the President.

Laura, a Ph. D toxicologist, took a job in Galvan’s “Taj Mahal of DNA labs,” and immediately began observing a culture of excess and extravagance, usually paid for with taxpayer dollars; in a later lawsuit, she alleged sexual harassment and racism in hiring practices. Eventually, she lost her job after refusing to use grant funds allocated for lab equipment to purchase computers.

When she and King decided to file suit for wrongful termination, King’s meticulous audit of discovery documents revealed incriminating evidence of much deeper malfeasance. By partnering with the CCST, civil rights activists, and FBI investigators, King successfully championed the case—all the way to Galvan’s conviction.

The second half of Roblez’s film focuses on one of the almost thirty other corrupt public officials who King and the CCST have helped expose since the Galvan investigation. The case of the former St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain began with concerns about conditions at the local jail and suspicions that Strain was abusing the work-release program for financial gain. It turned out to be something much more harrowing. In 2021, in large part due to the work of community watchdogs like King and the CCST, Strain was convicted of four counts of aggravated rape, two of aggravated incest, one of molestation of a juvenile, and one of sexual battery.

Included in Roblez’s film is a victim’s account of the horrific sexual abuse that Strain engaged in while acting as St. Tammany Parish sheriff. It was a much-discussed decision to include such graphic descriptions in the film, but Roblez felt it was important. “People hear ‘sexual misconduct,’ and it can mean so many things,” he said. “I felt we would be doing the victims—the ones who wanted to talk to us—a disservice by sanitizing it. I want people to really grasp the things these people have used their power to get away with.”

Beyond holding corrupt public officials to account, Roblez hopes the film shows what an impact regular citizens can make when they get involved. “This isn’t just a St. Tammany problem,” he said. “This is an everywhere problem. And what can we do about it? Terry got the community organized, and it’s completely turned St. Tammany around. When the community is involved in local politics, positive change can, and will, happen.”

Learn more about Roblez and Dinosaur Rumblings Entertainment, and find out where to screen Dead People, Crazy People and Drugs and Politicians at dinosaurrumblingsentertainment.com or @dinosaur.rumblings.ent on Instagram.

SHORTS

The Quiet Cajuns

What is it to be Cajun, if you cannot hear a fiddle play? If you have never heard a single French word?

“You look at our cultural identity, the foodways, the music, dance,” said folklorist and filmmaker Connie Castille, who has studied the intricacies of Cajun and Creole lifeways in films like T-Galop: A Louisiana Horse Story and Ancestral Artistry: The Influence of Africans and Creoles of Color on Louisiana Architecture. “It’s like, what does it actually mean to be Cajun? Most of these people, for example, aren’t going to be able to learn to speak French.”

The people she is referencing are those who live with the Acadian form (USH1C) of Usher Syndrome—an inherited disorder characterized by profound deafness at birth, balance problems, and progressive vision loss. The condition is a rare one—considered an “orphan disease”—affecting between 20,000 and 40,000 people in the United States in total. But there are only two hundred documented people in the world who carry the Acadian variant, almost all of whom live in Louisiana.

The high prevalence of USH1C in Louisiana is the result of a “founder effect”—a genetic mutation brought by the original Acadian settlers in the eighteenth century, which was then genetically isolated over generations of intermarriage between families within the same

“founder” group. Biologist Phyllis Griffard points out that it was not “cousins marrying cousins,” but instead the fact that “the first Acadians, those 6,000 people who came, had a high frequency of this allele. They then married other families within the Acadian group, and the gene persisted.” Even today, a significant percentage of people of Acadian descent marry other people of Acadian descent, increasing the odds of having a child with Usher Syndrome.

Castille and Griffard are both producers of the short documentary, The Quiet Cajuns, which premiered on Louisiana Public Broadcasting on September 26 and tells the story of the subculture of the “DeafBlind” community in Acadiana, as well as the work currently being conducted by Dr. Jennifer Lentz at LSU School of Medicine’s Laboratory for Usher Syndrome Research.

Griffard approached Castille with the idea for the film, hoping to educate people on Usher Syndrome while also exploring cultural aspects of the condition. Joining biology to cultural identity has been a core tenant of Griffard’s work as an educator at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, especially through her educational media initiative OurBio. “It’s about how biology has shaped our biography,” she explained. “So that’s why I was interested in using Usher as a genetic example. There are other [conditions], but this was something I understood and had connections to people, and it’s got so many interesting characteristics.”

Castille, despite growing up in Acadiana, had never encountered Usher Syndrome, and was totally unaware of its connection to Acadian history. “So I said, ‘Yeah, let’s make a documentary to share this story,’” she said.

The film centers on two Louisiana individuals with the USH1C gene. Dan Arabie, at fifty-seven years old, is completely deaf and blind. With humor and warmth, he shares his story by way of sign language and a tactile interpreter, beginning with the line, “I was born a Cajun.” The story of Hunter Faucheaux, aged six and born deaf, is told by his mother, Elise.

The film, therefore, showcases a cultural shift currently taking place within the collective experience of Usher Syndrome in Louisiana as technological advances continue to evolve. Arabie tells of how his parents didn’t learn he was deaf until he was fifteen months old, when he’d run to the window every time a nearby train would pass. “My parents started to realize I was feeling my environment, not hearing it,” he says.

At age six, Arabie’s parents sent him to the Louisiana School for the Deaf in Baton Rouge, where he learned sign language and became immersed in Louisiana’s deaf community there. He received his Usher diagnosis as a teenager, around the same time he was noticing

his eyesight diminishing. Learning that he would eventually become completely blind in the future allowed him the opportunity to prepare. While he could still see, he learned braille, as well as tactile interpreting, and how to use a cane. He began to spend time with other DeafBlind people, training in how to accomplish everyday skills without the ability to see or hear. Some strategies include adding braille labels on clothing describing things like color, and learning to fold cash in particular ways to indicate amount. Today, Arabie and his wife, who is also DeafBlind, are largely independent. Through the Louisiana Commission for the Deaf’s Support Service Provider Program—which Arabie himself advocated for as a resource for the local DeafBlind community—he gets monthly access to an aid who can provide tactile translations and transportation.

Hunter’s experience as someone growing up with Usher Syndrome in the twenty-first century is drastically different. His parents learned of his deafness within a few days of his birth, and two weeks after his first birthday, he received cochlear implants. The ability to hear has granted Hunter access to a world most deaf children fifty years ago couldn’t imagine. When Arabie’s parents brought him to Cajun music festivals growing up, he was often bored, waiting in the car. Hunter, by contrast, takes hip hop classes and plays the piano. “That’s what makes him happy,” said Elise.

“Of course, it’s absolutely a good thing that these kids have access to the exact same educational opportunities and experiences as hearing children,” said Griffard. “But on the other hand, unless they learn sign language, they don’t get to experience being a part of Louisiana’s deaf culture.” As is so often the case with technological advances, even when they are positive, something beautiful is lost in the shift. In the film, we see footage of Arabie smiling and communicating, via clutched, moving hands, with other DeafBlind individuals at a gathering at a local Starbucks. “And that aspect is important, too,” said Griffard.

Because of genetic testing—which today is encouraged for all parents whose children are born deaf in Louisiana—Elise knows that the day is likely coming when Hunter will begin to lose his sight. Every birthday, she can’t help but think, “That’s 365 steps closer to possible vision loss.”

In the meantime, she has connected with other families of children with Usher Syndrome, started a 5K fundraising effort, showered Hunter in prayers, and worked to ensure that his eyes collect as many beautiful memories as possible while they still can. “I used to pray for a cure … while I still pray for a cure, I just pray for him to be happy,” she said.

Together, Arabie and Hunter’s stories demonstrate a dynamic portrait of a challenging, but shared, experience within the Acadian story. At some point, Arabie describes his heightened sense of smell, and how it helps him to identify who enters his home, or where to find the “lunch counter.”

“Perhaps,” said Castille, “these Cajuns even have a richer cultural identity, in the categories they can participate in, than we do.”

You can stream The Quiet Cajuns for free at pbs.org.

Louisiana Grass Roots

In the first couple of minutes of the short film Louisiana Grass Roots, Lafayette musician and cultural activist Megan Brown Constantin admits that, growing up in South Louisiana, she always thought that “the prairie” referred to swathes of monocultured tall grasslands. Her words are cut by close-ups of saltmarsh mallow, rattlesnake master, passion flowers, swamp sunflowers—just a handful of the thousands of species that actually make up Louisiana’s intricate Coastal Prairie ecosystem.

Today, Constantin is part of a growing collective of ecological and cultural activists working to restore the prairie. But her initial misperception of what the prairie is, or that Louisiana actually has prairie, is not uncommon—even to those whose families have lived in this region for generations. The landscape is increasingly rare, but where it does exist, “it’s not an easy ecosystem to drive by and recognize,” says botanist Larry Allain in the film.

“It’s been lost from the collective memory, as well as from what we see around us in the landscape,” said Phyl-

lis Griffard, a biologist and producer of Louisiana Grass Roots, in an interview.

“They were the first places we put cattle on, the first places we plowed and built cities on,” explains Steve Nevitt, owner of Louisiana Native Seed company, in the film. “So, we just kind of forgot they existed, because they weren’t there anymore.”

But once you discover the ecological wonder that is the prairie, and come to understand it, Allain asserts, “you’ll fall in love with it.”

This is what happened for Lafayette-based filmmaker Jillian Godshall. She was mostly unaware of the prairie until she set foot on the Eunice Cajun Prairie as part of an Acadiana Master Naturalists program in 2021. “It’s this landscape that is pretty iconic, that I had never ex perienced for myself,” she recalls. “These very tall grass es, all these insects, just in the middle of town. It was a very immersive, unexpected experience for me.” Local scientists Dr. Malcolm Vidrine and Griffard were guid ing the experience, explaining the importance, and the increasing rarity, of this distinctly Louisiana ecosystem. “It made such an impression on me, the ecological and cultural significance of the prairie.”

That very day, Godshall asked Griffard if she would be interested in assisting her in making a film about the subject, and the two set out on a two-year journey that has resulted in Louisiana Grass Roots in the spring of 2025 and has since made its way across Louisiana.

With the assistance of an entirely Acadiana team, Godshall set about filming as a mode of discovery and research—"which is not always the approach I take for a film,” she said. In the process, she collected over thir ty hours of footage documenting prairies growing at every stage of the year, including during planting and controlled burns, as well as interviews with individ uals at the forefront of the Cajun Prairie preservation

movement. Distilled into thirty minutes of well-packed (and well-paced) screentime, the result is its own immersive experience that joins science with unbridled beauty, informed by the determined passion of the activists we meet along the way.

Godshall and Griffard’s grand achievement in this film is in delivering an experience that mimics their own initial infatuations with the story of the Cajun prairie— sparking a sudden desire to be part of it, in even the smallest ways. “In order for people to care about this, they have to understand it,” said Griffard. “And in order to understand it, we need powerful tools, especially with such a complex ecosystem. The temptation of a scientist is to break it down into parts, but sometimes you need the artist to whisper in your ear and go, ‘Maybe there is another way.’”

Using a combination of footage, explanations from scientists, and animations by Camille Broussard, the film implants the ecological importance of this disappearing landscape as a diverse ecosystem and host for pollinators, as well as a carbon sink. But in addition to the science of it all, Godshall also carefully delivers a poignant message about culture.

Interviews with Jeffrey Darensbourg, a member of the Atakapa Ishak Nation— which called this region home long before Europeans arrived—connect the land back to a forgotten past in which the humans who lived upon the prairie understood it and cared for it. By integrating music, art, and folklore into the story, Godshall winds this thread of the region’s history deep into the cultural identities of those of us who still call the prairie—reduced as it is—home.

Louisiana Grass Roots includes homages to Pat Mire’s 1988 film, Wildflowers of the Cajun Prairie, with archival footage from that initial documentation of the then-emerging prairie movement. Almost forty years later, Godshall follows in Mire’s footsteps with a new generation in mind. “It’s a similar moment in time, where there are these younger folks involved who are continuing the work, and more and more people in the community who are feeling called to do something to benefit the environment,” she said. “The prairie is just one way to do that.”

As part of their hope that this film is a beacon of inspiration for its viewers, Godshall and Griffard end it with the promise of a new generation of prairie planters. Megan Constantin tells of raising her children on a property where prairie plants are part of their everyday vocabulary. Outside of the film, Godshall is doing the same on her own front yard pocket prairie. “My son helped me plant that,” she said. “He’s four years old and he knows why native plants are better. He can articulate it.”

As Darensbourg put it, “The prairie is a place of homeland.”

Follow @louisianagrassroots on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates on screenings around the region.

The Hidden Sport

“A football game without a band is just a football game, period. Now, when you come to Southern, a football game is like a day of holy obligation.”

The late Dr. Isaac Greggs sets the scene, via archival footage, for the short film, The Hidden Sport. Greggs was the founder of nationally acclaimed Human Jukebox Marching Band at Southern University, where he served as band director for almost forty years. In a filmed interview, Gracie Perkins, who worked closely with Greggs as the founder of the band’s Fabulous Dancing Dolls, recalls his influence on the early band members, “He had a voice, and he talked to them as though they were already at the top of the echelon.”

Southern’s current director of bands, Dr. Kedric Taylor, says Greggs’s passion for the music of Southern’s athletics helped establish the Jukebox’s influence today—which extends to performances with stars like Beyonce and Lizzo, an appearance at a presidential inauguration, and a Vice Media documentary. “He always thought the Human Jukebox was the show," said Taylor.

The Hidden Sport celebrates the Jukebox through new lenses: as a vital role in Southern’s culture of athletics. The creators—a group of Southern University students— even go so far as to position the band as a force of athletics in itself.

Mass communication students Sydney Cuillier, Ashley Lovelace, and Eric White, Jr. originally came together to work on a project to serve as an entry for a grant offered through Coca-Cola and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (The Emmys), which provides funding that recognizes students enrolled in an HBCU’s journalism program or media production program with a focus on sports broadcasting. The prompt was, “The past, present, or future of sports at your university.”

When they approached Loren Sullivan, a videographer and longtime member of the Human Jukebox Media team, to join them as director—she thought she was stepping in on a group project, “something we could put on Instagram . . . I just wasn’t expecting it to be as big as it got.”

When the Jukebox got invited to perform at the 2025 Super Bowl (for the tenth time), Sullivan considered how marching bands “drive” HBCU culture. “When I pitched it to the team, they were 100% for it. We didn’t turn back after that,” she said.

From there, she and the team began combing through years of archival footage, shot new footage of the football team and the band, and filmed original interviews with the leaders and members of both entities. They then brought on Verbon Muhammad, a

senior computer science major, to help with the tech and camera work.

Building off the long legacy of the band’s impact at Southern, the film illuminates its indispensable influence and hierarchy at the school today. “It transfers [you] from getting ready, to now you’re ready to go,” said Kendrick Rhymes, Southern’s former running back. “Once you hear that band, and the energy that comes with it, that’s Southern right there for you.”

“The band instills so much pride,” said Sullivan. “Music is such a big part of African American culture as a whole, it’s gotten us through a lot. I think the band bringing that energy . . . it puts you in good spirits.”

Inside the intimate world of Southern’s athletics, it’s well-understood that the band works as hard as the football team. “I definitely consider that a sport,” said Rhymes.

Sullivan depicts the physical demands of the bandmembers in an action reel that could double as a Nike commercial, filmed on Southern’s field, alternating between football players and bandmembers in action. “When you think of the band, you don’t necessarily see it as, like, action. You see it as more soft and soulful, but they are putting their bodies through the same effort as an athlete does, and practicing for just as long, if not longer. I really wanted to make sure that was highlighted, how hard they work.”

Last May, the team learned that The Hidden Sport was the winner of the grant, which awarded them $40,000 and recognition on stage at the 46th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in New York. The experience was emotional, following a production process hindered by two devastating losses at Southern—that of the school’s head coach at the time, Sean Wallace, and Human Jukebox bandmember Caleb Wilson.

Sullivan said that they had to stop the filming process at times to allow everyone to process their grief. “By the time we got to the Emmys, I couldn’t do anything but cry,” she said. “It was so surreal.”

The team donated $10,000 of their winnings back to the Human Jukebox and to Southern’s Mass Communication department. The first, Sullivan said, was as a thank you to the band for letting her have such incredible access, and for being such an inspiring influence. “There are a lot of people that cover the Human Jukebox from the outside,” she said. “But to be able to be in those rooms, to hear the speeches. It’s just such an honor to be able to be a part of Jukebox Media.”

Their donation to the Mass Communications department was a gesture to artists of the future, and a call to action to encourage investment in the arts. The entire film, Sullivan pointed out, was made on her own equipment and using their team’s personal resources. “Southern is often noted for its great nursing program, its engineering program, but we wanted to make sure people knew that if you invested in other departments and put resources into them—how many projects could emerge just like ours?”

The Hidden Sport will soon be available to stream on YouTube. 1

The Country Roads Bestseller List

FIFTEEN BOOKS BY LOCAL AUTHORS THAT HAVE FLOWN OFF THE SHELVES AT OUR INDIE BOOKSTORES

Story by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

It’s one thing to charm readers on a national stage; quite another to inspire and energize the folks at home. We asked independent bookstores across Louisiana and Mississippi to send us their lists of local bestsellers—all written by authors from the Gulf South.

Our Method

The following lists are aggregations of regional booksellers' top sales lists. Each book has been published in 2025 to local acclaim. Our rankings were informed by 1) where the books fell in each respective list 2) whether book titles appeared on multiple lists, and (3) the local critical reception and impact of each book. Booksellers who contributed to our data crunch include: Baldwin and Co. Books and The Garden District Book Shop in New Orleans, The Conundrum in St. Francisville, Cavalier House Books in Denham Springs and Lafayette, Lemuria Books in Jackson, and TBR Books in Baton Rouge.

The CR Bestseller List

1. Dominion by Addie E. Citchens Southern Fiction

“It’s rare that a debut author produces a work of such tenderness and ferocity, but that’s what Addie E. Citchens has done in her unforgettable Dominion. Rich with metaphor and thrumming power, it tells a vivid and unforgettable story of two Mississippi Black women. If Citchens didn’t exist, the South would invent her. But she does exist and our common literary soil is enriched because of it.”—Maurice Carlos Ruffin, bestselling author of The American Daughters

2. Home of the Happy by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot True Crime Memoir

“In an impressive feat of both memoir and original reporting, Jordan LaHaye Fontenot has cast a reporter’s gaze on her own family’s buried secrets. But the real value to Home of the Happy lies beyond the brutal crime at its center, in showing us Acadiana and its people as we’ve never seen them before—mired in complexity, rife with beauty, and haunted by injustice.”

—Walter Isaacson

3. The Jailhouse Lawyer by Calvin Duncan Memoir

“Duncan’s story is so incredible it strains belief. It is so heartwarming and hopeful that it will stay with you for a long time.”

—John Grisham

4. Firebird by Juliette Cross Romantic Fantasy

“Fresh and exciting . . . a scorching love story” — Cosmopolitan

5. Poison Wood by Jennifer Moorhead Suspense/Psychological Thriller

“Helmed by an iron-willed protagonist, this book is a wild, absorbing ride through the vicious world of teenage girls, buried secrets, and original wounds, guaranteed to keep you racing through the pages.”

—Ashley Winstead, author of This Book Will Bury Me

6. Bless Your Heart by Landon Bryant Southern Humor

"Landon Bryant talks about grits, prayer lists, and humidity, addressing a diverse audience bound by its fascination with a colorful, complicated place."

The New York Times

7. Lay Your Armor Down by Michael Farris Smith Mystery

"Lay Your Armor Down is a prophetic, propulsive tale that is sure to leave its lasting mark on the Southern gothic cannon . . . This novel is a masterclass in storytelling, with characters that are uniquely unforgettable, and an ending that’s well worth the journey."

—Scott Blackburn, author of It Dies with You

8. Proud Flesh by Catherine Gray Memoir

“I could not put this book down . . . A fresh, vibrant narrative for mothers, women, and anyone who has dared to fully look at the scars of the past.”

—Molly Caro May, author of Body Full of Stars

9. Split the Baby by Lauren Rhoades Memoir

"There is a circularity to Split the Baby as Rhoades explores the threads of a childhood bifurcated by divorce. In beautifully frank prose, she navigates her two homes and the two women she loved: the pain of a mother, a stepmother in competition. Split the Baby is an ethically generous memoir, told with compassion and grace, in which Rhoades shows us what it feels like to inhabit a body divided."

—Mary Miller, author of Biloxi and Always Happy Hour

10. Of Flesh and Blood: The Untold Story of the Cajun Cannibal by N.L. Lavin and Hunter Burke Horror

“A delightfully chilling debut steeped in Southern gothic, with a villain you won’t soon forget, Of Flesh and Blood is a page-turning success. Beautifully rendered atmosphere and a haunting structure pull you in fast and hold you tight.”

—Scott Carson, New York Times bestselling author of Lost Man’s Lane

The CR Children's Bestseller List

1. Scrim on the Run! by Madi Hannan

Fiction/Action and Adventure

Inspired by the true story of Scrim the dog, this book tells the tale of a beloved New Orleans pup known for his playful antics in his trek across the city.

2. Astronaut Hayley's Brave Adventure by Hayley Arceneaux

Fiction/Inspirational

Drawn from the author’s real-life experiences, Hayley’s journey from a little girl facing a challenging illness to a brave astronaut will inspire little ones everywhere to reach for the stars.

3. Gus & Glory by Sarah Guillory

Fiction/Mystery

This accessible whodunit follows twelveyear-old Gloria St. Romain—known as Glory—and a bloodhound named Gus as they try to solve the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.

4. Fais Do-Do by Shannon Kelley Atwater

Fiction/Bedtime Story

In this charmingly illustrated children’s book, readers can tap their toes in time to a Cajun fais do-do dance party.

5. Beignet Bunny by Alexandra Davis

Fiction/Beginner Readers

Beignet Bunny is convinced he's a sugar-covered treat as he hops through New Orleans in search of a friend.

ON THE MOVE

Sidewalk Suppers

THREE OF NEW ORLEANS'S HOTTEST POP-UP RESTAURANTS

Story by Kerri Westenberg

The pop-up culinary movement is thriving in New Orleans, and it is no wonder. Like the city itself, these moveable feasts are bold, a little nonconformist, and full of soul.

Typically, chefs set up folding tables with kitchen supplies, food warmers, deep fryers, griddles, and grills on city streets, take over a bar’s kitchen, or create masterpieces one plate at a time under tents in all kinds of spaces. These temporary hotspots have the informality, affordable pricing, and chef-driven originality of food trucks, without the “bricksand-mortar on wheels,” as one pop-up

maestro calls them. A newfound pop-up could well leave you wanting more, only to disappear—until you unexpectedly run into it again during a charmed encounter, perhaps at your favorite bar.

In a city renowned for celebrated restaurants, pop-ups offer a lower-stakes route for talented cooks to go out on their own and deliver their creations to the masses. The business requires little more than delicious recipes and the cost of food—no permanent location, few, if any, staff, and limited menus that get the food to fans with relatively little fuss. Before 2020, the city had some pop-ups, but when the pandemic shuttered restau-

rants, emerging cooks found the scrappy, open-air alternative a sustainable, and safer, avenue to not only earn a living, but to put themselves out there in a bolder fashion than traditional restaurants allowed. The trend has only exploded since.

On any given week, New Orleans hosts around fifty chef-driven pop-ups. A few samples: Matchstick Kitchen turns out delicious Asian-inflected meals, most frequently for patrons at Barrel Proof Bar in the Lower Garden District. Tropicalia Kitchen spices things up with Brazilian food at Anna’s in the Marigny. Oni Onigiri specializes in Japanese street food. Coops Table plates up boudin balls, seasonal salads, and BBQ.

In neighborhoods throughout New Orleans, these triumphs of open-air cooking feed people who stumble upon them unaware or avidly seek them out. The wise and addicted follow their favorites on Instagram or head to @lemonpop. nola on Instagram to see a daily listing of options, then race to get the goods while they can.

We dug into a few to get the uninitiated started.

Waska

Three black folding tables, plus a gas-fueled flat grill and deep fryer, occupied a parking spot on Freret Street. That was all the kitchen Chef Jose Chris Blanco needed to turn out Colombian-inspired wonders. He pivoted between work stations in a fluid choreography that resulted in delicious arepa sandwiches, fried plantains, and ropa vieja —a slow-braised flank steak in a rich sauce of tomatoes and pureed peppers that was flecked with olives and served over rice.

His arepas carry a rich golden hue, and you can taste in them the sweet density of the fresh corn he uses to make the dough. Rebuffing the convenience of pre-cooked cornmeal, each week he cooks the corn himself, dries and grinds it, rehydrates it, and then kneads it. The results are crisp vehicles for a range of fillings, from fried plantains to tender, zesty pollo asado While Blanco can fill your order in ten minutes or so—long enough to grab a drink and a table at Breezy’s, the open-air patio just outside the music venue, Gasa Gasa—this is not exactly fast food. From start to finish, his dishes take around six hours to prepare.

A passion to share the foods of his childhood with his community fuels Blanco’s work. The chef was born in Co-

lombia and moved to Miami as a child, where he tasted a host of other South American foods that influenced his palate. He named his pop-up restaurant Waska after the town in Colombia where he grew up until he was ten, Güicán (pronounced wah-ska).

Blanco studied fine arts in college (he paints the food trays his food at Waska is served on), but he has always been drawn to kitchens. He started flipping burgers when he was fourteen, and at age twenty-one started working in a restaurant kitchen in San Francisco. Eventually, he ventured to New Orleans, where he worked at Lilette and other venerable spots before moving to Vermont for a time. After losing work during the pandemic, he returned to New Orleans.

Struggling to find restaurant work, he helped a friend run a pop-up event—and got inspired to give it a try himself—just as a one-time thing, he thought. That was more than three years and hundreds of pop-up events ago. “I really never dreamed that pop-ups would become my full-time job and my source of income,” Blanco said.

“I like the freedom to be my own boss, getting to feed people my food. I get to talk to people because I am not tucked away in a kitchen,” Blanco said. “I do it from my heart, and I do it with love.” On Freret Street, that love showed up as Blanco sizzled chicken on the grill and dropped dough into the deep fryer to hiss while it cooked. As he sliced open the hot arepas, he told me, “I try to get food to make sounds so people hear it, and come.” The noises were a byproduct of

the food preparation and a clever marketing tool.

Just then, a trio of college students ambled down the sidewalk, stopped to inquire about Blanco’s food, and promised to return for dinner.

If they’re smart, they eventually did. waskanola.com

Two Bites/Latke Daddy

Outside the Tell Me Bar, Chef Adam Mayer stood beside a propane griddle sliding golden grilled halloumi onto pools of smoked beet hummus the color of pink Mardi Gras beads. He served it with house-made focaccia.

Next to the griddle, arancini sizzled in a deep fryer. Inspired by the Italian fried and breaded rice balls, Mayer’s arancini is formed with jambalaya. Tucked inside is a piece of pepper jack cheese for extra gooey goodness. Also on the menu that night were shrimp remoulade wontons and teriyaki bánh mì sliders, a combo that was a party for the palate. All this open-air artistry, in the shadow of a Crescent City Connection exit ramp, marked the winning debut of Two Bites, a rebrand of Mayer’s long-running pop-up Txow Txow.

As the new name implies, he sizes his plates so diners can order one of everything. Mayer made the name shift to reflect the evolution of his culinary practice. At Two Bites, Mayer delivers a blend of Mediterranean and New Orleans fla-

vors, what he calls Nolaterranean.

But Two Bites is only one half of Mayer’s culinary personality. The other—potato-based and unapologetically irreverent—is Latke Daddy, a pop-up devoted to creative takes on the Jewish potato pancake served at Hanukkah.

Growing up in San Francisco, Mayer first learned the joys of communal cooking at age six, when he assisted a friend and her mother in making latkes for a Hanukkah party. The party grew larger every year, and by the time he was a high school senior, they were turning out latkes for eight hours straight.

“With Latke Daddy, the whole idea is to see how much treif I can put on a latke,” Mayer said, using the Yiddish term for non-kosher foods. “When I put pulled pork on a latke, I can hear my grandpa rolling over in his grave,” he joked.

Each November and December, Latke Daddy fans feast on creations like the Aloha Daddy, topped with pulled pork and grilled pineapple, and the Monsieur Daddy, layered with ham and Gruyère Mornay sauce. Latke Daddy often appears at the Sunday and Thursday Crescent City Farmers Markets, generally between Thanksgiving and the New Year.

If Latke Daddy channels Mayer’s youth, Two Bites reflects his years of training and global travel. Raised by a single dad who worked long hours, Mayer grew up dining out, living the California mantra of eating fresh and local. After

college, he headed East, cooking in Philadelphia and New York restaurants, before moving abroad to sharpen his craft.

In Bilbao, Spain, he landed at Mina, a Michelin-star restaurant, and fell hard for Basque food culture. He also did stints at restaurants in Israel and Denmark, plus in New Orleans at Shaya and Bywater American Bistro. His Two Bites menu— which will soon include items like dirtyrice dolmas wrapped in collard greens and crab fritters over green papaya salad—brings together all of his influences.

Mayer likes the freedom of pop-ups, the small menus that allow for experimentation, and the community they create. “It is nice to be out in public and watching how people interact with your menu,” he said. “It is a fun, different way to approach cooking.”

Whether he’s dropping arancini in a fryer or piling pork on a Jewish classic, Mayer’s two pop-ups speak to the same impulse: to feed people with creativity and heart—one latke, or two bites, at a time. @latkedaddy on Instagram.

Xanh Nola

On a humid Tuesday night, Chef Anh Luu greeted customers beneath a canopy tent at the entrance to Miel Brewery in the Irish Channel. Steam rose behind her from a kettle filled with chicken and andouille gumbo. A grill hissed to life as she laid down skewers of tangy beef. A bright green pile of cilantro sat on a cutting board nearby, ready to top bowls of vermicelli noodles. Menus at the ordering table spelled out the offerings of Xahn Nola, Luu’s pop-up that is a delicious expression of her New Orleans childhood.

“My mom was stay-at-home,” Luu said. “She loved New Orleans food and she was constantly working on cooking projects.” As one of thirteen children in Vietnam, her mother stopped school in middle grade to cook for her family. In New Orleans, she turned produce from her own backyard garden and local ingredients—crab, shrimp, andouille sausage—into dishes at once Cajun or Creole and Vietnamese. “That inspires my food today,” Luu added.

Holy trinity, roux, lime juice, lemongrass: in Luu’s cooking practice, these are natural pairings. She finds that Vietnamese ingredients don’t change the soul of a dish, they just enhance and deepen the flavors.

At Xanh Nola, that idea is expressed in a richly flavored gumbo, its base enhanced by pho broth. Instead of a dollop of rice, the dish comes with fried sticky rice cakes, dense floating balls. The menu is brief and enticing, including wontons filled with lemongrass boudin, crisp sesame rice crackers sprinkled with a bright orange spicy shrimp seasoning, and oyster sauce-glazed beef skewers that could be added to a tofu vermicelli bowl made bright with pickled peaches and other garden-fresh goodies.

When Luu was a student at Ben Franklin High School, she got her first job at sixteen at the now-defunct Vaqueros. That began a long culinary exploration in kitchens across the Crescent City, from pizza shops to po’boy counters and sushi bars.

Then Hurricane Katrina displaced her family; they moved to Portland, Oregon, and she followed. There, she honed her kitchen skills at the Western Culinary Institute and at Tapalaya, a Cajun/Creole restaurant that was happy to hire a cook from New Orleans. Over a decade, she rose from line cook to chef, then owner. Her bold mash-ups—think crawfish étouffée with rice noodles and phorritas, pho-inspired burritos—earned her national attention, two appearances on the Food Network, and a reputation for fearless fusion.

Just three weeks after buying Tapalaya, Luu’s mother passed away. She remained in Portland for three years, but New Orleans tugged at her heart. “My mom’s death sparked a longing for me to return home,” Luu said. “She was my link to my culture. When she died, I lost that connection.” She eventually closed the restaurant, returned to the city, and began to rebuild her sense of home through food. “When I think about how to reconnect to my culture, it always starts in the kitchen.”

Her pop-up not only connects her to her culture, but allows her to share it with the broader community. “I’m trying to do this for the culture, to strengthen our culture,” she said. The name of her business, Xahn—which means “green” in Vietnamese—nods to fresh herbs used in Vietnamese cuisine.

Luu calls her work renegade cooking.“You can be anybody and do anything here,” she said of her hometown. “You don’t have to be stuck in a box . . . You can tear it down.” @xanhnola on Instagram. 1

Soupçon

A DASH OF DINING NEWS

By CR Editorial Staff

Bottoms Up at Bayou Sara Brewing Company

Brewing good beer takes time. How much time? According to Steve McKinney, co-founder of St. Francisville’s Bayou Sara Brewing Company, nine years is about right. Steve and Amanda McKinney, with partners Doug and Abby Cochran and friends John Kaspar and Jim and Kelly Flavin, began to research launching a craft brewery back in 2016. Serious planning got underway in 2018, and ever since renovations to the old Ford dealership on the corner of Commerce and Ferdinand streets began in June 2024, St. Francisville beer lovers have been tracking progress with obsessive interest. So, on October 24, when the taps at Bayou Sara Brewing Co. finally started flowing, there was great rejoicing.

The doors opened on a high-ceilinged 7,200 square-foot space divided between the brewhouse (towering stainless-steel kettles and fermentation vessels, a long bar with a fourteen-tap rail, picnic table seating, big fans), and a sunlit, front-of-house restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, casual and table seating and a long, L-shaped bar. McKinney bought much of the brewing equipment from Mandeville’s Old Rail Brewing Company, with additional components sourced from New Orleans’s Urban South Brewery and Bossier City’s Red River Brewing Company. The beer recipes, though, are all his own. Bayou Sara opened with five beers on tap: a west coast IPA, a New Zealand pilsner, an easy-drinking blonde ale, a classic American amber ale; and a single-hopped Citra American pale ale, which was full-bodied and refreshing, with a tight, creamy head and just enough pleasing bitterness to offset its citrusy, tropical notes. In the months to come, McKinney will fill out Bayou Sara’s fourteen-tap rail with a full complement, ranging from easy-drinking blondes to hearty porters and sea sonal brews, and his personal favorite: a crisp black lager brewed with chocolate and black patent malts, then cold-fermented for forty-five days. “It’s a very black beer,” McKinney noted, “but if you weren’t looking at it, you wouldn’t know because it’s light and crisp, with background notes of coffee and chocolate. That low-temp, long fermentation gives it a lighter, crisper mouthfeel.”

Like we said, good things take time. But while Bayou Sara’s fans await Steve’s Black Lager, there’s plenty to keep them occupied, including five excellent beers already on tap, a full bar, and a casually approachable pub menu that extends to taco and slider flights, smashburgers made with bacon and pimento, a grilled cheese with pulled pork, and salad options from Asian chicken, to Caesar, to blue cheese wedge. Bottoms up at 11943 Ferdinand Street. bayousarabrewing.com.

Louisiana Hot Sauce Trail

Louisiana has always known a thing or two about heat, in the air as well as in our cuisine. The land of peppers is home to globally recognized hot sauce brands the likes of Tabasco and Louisiana Hot Sauce, and this year—as part of the “Year of Food” campaign—the Louisiana Office of Tourism is capitalizing on our fiery reputation. The newly launched Louisiana Hot Sauce Trail takes visitors on a spicy journey show ing how the sauce gets made at destinations like the Tabasco factory on Avery Island. But it also travels down Louisiana’s back roads to wacky attractions like the Hot Sauce House in Abita Springs, and to smaller cottage industries like D.a.T. Sauce in Morgan City, or the sellers at the Lafayette Farmers and Artisan Market. See the sauce in action at restaurants like Crispy Cajun Fried Chicken in Bunkie and Cochon in New Orleans. The more sites you hit, the more points you earn towards exclusive prizes. explorelouisiana.com/louisiana-hot-sauce-trail.

A new boudin spot in New Orleans

I know, I know. Acadianians will be raising their eyebrows already. But the news was selected judiciously; the guy behind this boudin is not a Cajun. But he did fall in love with one, and a St. Martin Parish Cajun at that.

The owner of the Bywater’s newest restaurant, Beaux Church has traveled the state’s boudin trails with his partner Dillian Theriot, developing his Cajun palate along the way. Hoping to offer authentic Cajun cuisine in a city that often uses the descriptor a bit too casually, Church opened Frissons in the former Rosalita’s taco shop building in September—serving a menu of traditional, steamed, and grilled boudin with sides of Cajun potatoes, rice dressing, and gumbo. He’ll also offer gluten-free and vegan options for most of his dishes (yes, even the boudin), and weekly plate lunches. There are plans, naturally, for Cajun and zydeco bands to join the party, too. frissonsnola.com. 1

SUNDAY, NOV. 16 – FRIDAY, NOV. 21 AT 7PM

OUR SUSTAINABLE GARDEN

The Exterminator at the Garden Gate

RECONCILING PESTICIDE PRINCIPLES WITH A HOUSE UNDER SIEGE

Story by Jess Cole

With great irony, in the middle of writing this essay decrying the use of insecticides, an Orkin truck turned into my driveway. And yes, he did have the correct address … I intentionally sought these services. Such a move is so far out of my realm that I find it necessary to confess. And while I am at it, let me admit that this is actually Orkin’s third (and final) visit to my home.

Let me explain how we arrived at this juncture. My cottage is old, largely untouched since it was built by “some hippies from Old Tunica Road” in 1978, back in the days before permitting out here in the country. Nothing is to code, the building materials are mismatched, very few of the windows close entirely, and there are one-inch gaps beneath each door. When I bought it from Mrs. Peggy, she said with a chuckle that everything in the house was what they could find in the discount section. This was their magical weekend getaway; things did not need to make sense here.

Insert such a dwelling into six acres of woods and the extensive gardens we have since created, and you have an incredible recipe for bug action. I grew up in places even more rural than this, and am used to a lifetime of houses infested with roaches and spiders. But this year challenged me in altogether new ways: ants.

Ant infestations are nothing new in our cottage, especially in the warm seasons. But this year, there was no stopping them. Ant mounds were appearing in my trash can each day. No matter how many we removed, there were more, returning with seemingly double the troops. In fact, it was incredible to witness. Humans could never be so productive and physical. No level of diatomaceous earth, essential oils, or sticky ant traps would diminish the swarm, and now my child was being assaulted. Each morning, I’d wake to my son covered in bites, literally head to toe. They discovered his bedroom and marched in straight trails, a perfect ninety degree angle where his bed met the wall corner. In defeat, I decided to call the “bug guys.”

And friend, let me tell you: it was successful. Their treatment worked its lethal magic on nearly every living member of the insect order that dared to crawl under my doors. After two visits, there was no ant in sight, and any roach found was already dead. The spiders prevail, but they have a way of claiming the farthestto-reach corners, which I can only admire.

My experience with the three young “bug people” was kind of lovely, actually. All were entranced by my garden. They taught me new things about ants—one vital tidbit being not to squash them. In doing so, you release pheromones that then signal for even more ants to come. Previously, “squashing ants” had been my primary mode of defense.

In conversing with the bug people, I inquired about the exact compounds being sprayed, begged them to wear more protection, and tried to convince them I’m really not the Orkin damsel type. They, it seemed, were confused by me, and continuously reassured that the chemicals would not harm my child, dog, or the insects in my garden.

Yes, protecting the insects in my garden is important to me— in fact, my opposition to insecticides, and pesticides as a whole, is perhaps the most fundamental part of my work in sustainable gardening.

“Pesticide” is an umbrella term for any material aimed to reduce or eliminate a pest organism. Types of pesticides include herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides and insecticides. An even broader term, encompassing all of these, is “Biocides.” Biocides are defined as “substances that destroy or inhibit the growth or activity of living organisms.” Biocides take life.

There are dark histories behind the chemicals we use in our garden and keep in our sheds. The first generation of synthetic biocides were toxic byproducts from the mining industry, the second were repurposed waste from the creation of weapons and fuel during World War I, “The Chemists’ War.” One compound that was first (and still is) used to treat insect “problems” on citrus is the same used by the Nazis within their gas chambers: hydrogen cyanide. That is just one example of how powerful, and toxic, these chemicals are. On the back of every brilliantly marketed bottle or box of pesticides are carefully chosen words aimed to assure the consumer that said product will eliminate their “problem” (whether that be a weed, insect, fungi, or critter).

More to the heart of the matter than concern about chemicals is the way modern gardening culture has evolved into endless, and often excessive, efforts to control, whipping nature into shape, exactly the way we would have it.

But we are not separate from the natural world. No action we take affects us alone, especially within our gardens—which are not only frequented by us humans, but also by an intricate, and delicate, ecosystem of organisms. And even when we can’t see it, our actions can totally disrupt that ecosystem. Our gardens, as extensions of nature, are highways of life, with millions of living organisms bustling around bumper to bumper. With every action we take in the garden, all life is affected … the insects, the birds, and us humans, too. We have the immediate power for those actions to be acts that foster life, or death.

My recent personal endeavor with the bug guys has relieved my son and I of much skin irritation, but has left me conflicted. Life got in the way of my belief system, and I have been a bit at odds about how to reckon with it. Why is there not more education on the effects of syn-

thetic insecticides and regulation of their use? Should these products even exist? Who should be given the responsibility to decide when to use them?

These questions are big, and more than I prefer to tackle alone. The holistic perspective I hold of the natural world is crucial to my gardening practice. And I would love to use this platform to help you, reader, bet-

ter understand the symbiotic relationship that insects have with the other elements of your garden and why simply spraying them away can cause more harm than good. Stay tuned for next month's "Our Sustainable Garden" column, which will close out the year with resources for those reaching for more sustainable alternatives to synthetic pesticides in the garden. 1

NOVEMBER 2025

56 LES BLANK’S TENDER RECORD OF LOUISIANA’S VANISHING MICROCULTURES // 59 JOHN T. EDGE'S SOUTH, AND ALL ITS INTRICATE FLAVORS // 60 IN LOUISIANA, SOMETIMES A SINGLE SOUND IS A WHOLE SENTENCE // 61 BERNARDO WADE'S DEBUT POETRY COLLECTION

FOLKWAYS ON FILM

Always for Pleasure

LES BLANK'S ETHNOGRAPHIC LOVE LETTER TO SOUTH LOUISIANA

Story by Lauren Stroh

Who is the Cajun? Who is the Creole? Who is the Louisianan?

Such are the questions underwriting the twenty-year ethnographic study of the idiosyncrasies and aesthetics of South Louisiana endeavored by the independent filmmaker Les Blank. A native of Tampa, Blank first came to Louisiana to study English, and later acting and playwriting, at Tulane University in New Orleans.

He’d return years later, after acquiring a masters in filmmaking from the University of Southern California, to work on the crew of Easy Rider —his last project before committing himself to independent filmmaking.

Blank championed the idiomatic and the eccentric throughout his oeuvre, making muses out of gap-toothed women, folk musicians, and the flower children of California’s counterculture to great acclaim and renown. The South Louisianan, that oddfellow, made for an apt and enduring subject for the filmmaker.

If you didn’t know much about Louisiana folkways, Blank’s films on the subject—made between 1971 and 1990—would be a great place to start. The first of these projects, a 1971 film titled Spend it All , introduces the view-

er to myriad cultural icons and preservationists resisting the Americanization of the Cajun people. From there, Blank’s projects are set in destinations from Lake Charles to New Orleans, capturing both Cajun and Creole communities in a moment of particular vibrancy, just before their cultural decline in the latter half of the twentieth century.

Early works, such Spend it All and Dry Wood (1973), see lovers fais do doing in since-abandoned dance halls and the townsfolk of Eunice chicken chasing on Mardi Gras Day. In Always for

Pleasure (1978), Blank captures “Soul Queen of New Orleans” Irma Thomas detailing her recipe for red beans, and Hot Pepper (1973) documents Clifton Chenier’s introduction of zydeco to the world. Such iconic tableaux exist alongside a plethora of other gemmy relics—a man pulls a sore tooth from his mouth with pliers as men play fiddles behind him; Dewey Balfa drives a school bus in Acadia Parish and sells insurance policies.

Blank’s touch is light, his tone humorous, and his approach observational, rendering a holistic portrayal of

these cultural groups despite his status as an outsider. Though subjects were certainly aware of Blank’s creative objectives, they are said to have no recollection of a camera in their midst while the artist accumulated raw footage of their customs, accruing lasting artifacts of vintage South Louisiana which, to this day, have survived the threats of hurricanes, decay, and floods.

As such, the recordings also preserved the idiolects of the Cajun and the Creole languages, entrenched in organic contexts wholly foreign to the voyeur or the academic. In pastorals

like Dry Wood and J’ai été au bal (1989), Blank fashioned encyclopedic portraits of Southwest Louisiana’s cuisine, lifestyle, celebrations, and musical talent, preserving images of the microcultures as they existed in a particular point in time.

Blank’s epitome of “the Cajun,” is personified by Marc Savoy, an accordion maker and the proprietor of Savoy Music Center in Eunice, who is featured alongside his wife, Ann, in several of the aforementioned works, including their namesake film, Marc and Ann (1991), which captures the couple’s idyllic domesticity in rural Louisiana. The duo are determined preservationists, committed to the maintenance of a traditional Cajun lifestyle into the present and, hopefully, future. For Blank, they served as guides into the heart of the region, introducing him to the classic characters who would come to represent their people for all time.

Blank’s efforts to safeguard Louisiana’s heritage may prove as enduring as any other cultural reconstruction effort, on account of their expansiveness and proximity to the cultures at risk. The portraits he made are refreshingly uncommercial, and now especially tender, considering that many of those de-

picted within them have reached their twilight years or passed on.

Following Blank’s death in 2013, the filmmaker’s son, Harrod Blank, began remastering a handful of these works, including restorations of the classics J'ai Été Au Bal and Marc and Ann, which will be rereleased in coming months. The labor of love is one he sees as instrumental to the persistence of his father’s legacy into the digital age, similar to the elder Blank’s prescience of the need to establish a record of traditional Cajun culture in advance of the group’s homogenization into the present.

The images, stories, and ephemera we make and pass down are what establish the mythology of a people—hence the primacy of cookbooks, tall tales, and musical standards in Cajun lore. Blank’s films offer a refreshingly modern look at heritages endemic to South Louisiana while memorializing that which has already been lost, or forever changed. 1

Les Blank’s works can be streamed on demand on the Criterion Channel, on Kanopy (via your local public library), on Amazon, and on Vimeo.

House of Smoke

JOHN T. EDGE'S NEW MEMOIR RECONCILES

HERITAGE, IDENTITY, AND HUNGER IN THE MODERN SOUTH

Story by Chris Turner-Neal

My only real complaint about John T. Edge’s memoir and hymn to southern food, House of Smoke, is that I hcould never remember the title: as I read it, I kept saying to myself that it was such a warm and optimistic book for something titled (per my mismemory),“Up in Smoke.” Readers hoping for dish on Edge’s uncomfortable exit from the helm of the Southern Foodways Alliance (SFA) will be sent away mostly unfulfilled. While he describes the event, in some of the book’s most emotionally raw passages, and is frank about his feelings that some erstwhile friends betrayed him, the book is neither a retaliation nor an excuse. Instead, it’s a real-life picaresque—a life in food, curiosity, and misadventure.

Edge grew up in a scrap of a town in Georgia “famous” for a late and nearly irrelevant Confederate victory nearby. His parents brought him regularly to Atlanta for touches of sophistication and glimpses of the wider world, with his mother encouraging him to find different drummers to follow, even as she herself was led by the relentless beat of alcoholism. Edge boozed through a few years at the University of Georgia and spent a stint in corporate jobs before heading out to Oxford to finish his bachelor’s, planning to concentrate on Southern culture. From there, he built the career most followers of the Southern literary and cuisine beats will know. Throughout the book, Edge returns to the idea of trying to understand the South, renegotiating his relationship with it, starting from the uncritical Lost Cause nos-

talgia he learned as a child and emerging into a thornier, but more genuine, appreciation—an emotional journey familiar to me and probably to many. When we spoke over the phone, he noted that in attempts to “explain” our region, people often describe Mississippi as both microcosm and exemplar of the South. “If I’m going to live here, I need to know it to its fullest, in its beauty and terror, which Mississippi demands.” He continued, saying that outsiders try to explain Mississippi away, treating it as something outside the core of the American norm, “but to do that is to explain away American history, which is folly.” Edge, like the rest of us, is left with a place famed for violence and hospitality, for poverty as well as the richness of its tables—choosing to love Mississippi instead of leaning on the love-hate duality, but relenting that love isn’t uncritical.

Another theme readers will broadly (not quite universally) find relatable is the tension, at least in Edge’s early life, between the person he wants to be and the person he is. In some ways, this is a natural part of youth: you look forward to what/who you’ll be when you grow up, hopefully arriving at early middle age in the company of a self you can stand to accompany the rest of the way. At its worst, what Edge calls “the gerbil wheel of self-criticism in your head” can push us to be selfish and self-critical; if you bat this rickety demon away, there’s more room to treat others, and yourself, with grace. Edge also returned to his mother’s influence: she wanted to be a little more, a little different, a little grander than she was—and of course, addiction often creates a sort of double self. Though Edge struggled to grieve his mother when she died, he honored her death later in one of the book’s most affecting scenes, and in our conversation credited her with some of the personality traits that led him to becoming a writer: the little bit of vigilance, of distance, that lets someone observe a scene they’re participating in to record it later.

A less comfortable but valuable point Edge raises is the transactionality of intimacy between Black and white people in the South. Edge, and I, and probably thousands of others, have written about the unifying power of food, especially in the South, and while in the best cases the observation is true and we live up to the promise of broken bread, its success is not guaranteed. It’s easy, and tempting, to conflate proximity and intimacy, to assume that people who are cordial when one sells the other barbecue or fried catfish or what-have-you share something beyond a commercial relationship. But when Edge reports his difficulties in growing SFA stakeholders beyond a white audience and relays the criticism he received for benefiting off Black foodways, it’s clear that any unity is shaky. There’s any number of ways to divide the South, but the ancient chasm of white vs. Black remains unsealed.

When describing events put on by the SFA, Edge references that each multiday conference would feature a “keynote meal.” I asked him what the keynote meal for his life and career would be, and he gave two answers. For a restaurant meal, he’d go to Highlands Bar and Grill in Birmingham, now open only on special occasions but a marker in his life where he celebrated milestone birthdays. At home, he’d opt for the one recipe in his book, a family catfish stew refined by his wife, Blair Hobbs. And lest anyone accuse him of losing his sense of humor, he added that he’d like to preface the stew with a kind of passed hors d’oeuvre Hobbs makes, with a single black olive on a cheese wafer. She calls them “kitty buttholes,” and she gave one to Calvin Trillin. At the end of the book, I wanted to share a tray of kitty buttholes with Edge, Hobbs, and whoever else they might have to supper. You will too. 1 johntedge.com

Louisiana Sounds, Translated

DECODING THE LANGUAGE OF AIYEE AND AHT AHT!

Story by Megan Broussard Maughan

South Louisianians can say so much with so little. Sometimes, a single sound is the whole sentence. Here are a few of my favorites:

Kaw [kȯ] — an exclamation of shock

Ex. “Kaw! You like your in-laws?”

Kee-yaw [kē-yȯ]—also an exclamation of shock, but about size and distance, specifically Ex. “Kee-yaw! Yeah, that sign’s a lot bigger now that you pointed it out, officer.”

Shee [shē]—an expression feigning disbelief, typically to call out bull sh*t

Ex. “Shee. The girl who used to expense brunch mimosas as ‘client outreach’… lost her job? Nooooo.”

Shoo [shü]—shows relief, interchangeable with “whew”

Ex. “Shoo! I almost liked her Instagram post from 2016!”

Hot [hät]—a way to say, “I don’t know” and ask “how I’m supposed to know that?” at the same time

Ex. Four-year-old: “Why is the sky blue?”

Cajun mom: “Hot!?”

uh-UH [ə-ə]—means “I can’t believe this,” and “I’ve also known about this the entire time, I just didn’t want to be the ‘that person’ who brings up the gossip first.”

Ex. “uh-UH! Katie’s boyfriend who'd only hang out with her from 4 pm–6 pm on Tuesdays has a secret family?!”

UH-uh [ə-ə]—means “You must be mistaken” ; also a nice way of informing someone who thinks they know everything that they are outright wrong—like, super wrong, actually

Ex. “UH-uh! You didn’t think I was about to wait in that line.”

Luhluhluhluhluh [lələlələlə]—an urgent request for your bestie to hurry up and look at something funny before it goes away (e.g. grandma-influencer twerking in Target, an Italian Greyhound walking like Timothée Chalamet, your friend who said she was too sick to leave the house, who is driving in the lane next to you)

Ex. “Luhluhluhluhluh…you saw that?!

Aww-WHAW! [ȯ-wȯ]—means “ah, c’mon now”

Ex. “Aww-WHAW! I think I used dry shampoo as deodorant.”

Puhhhhh [pəəəəəə]—a way of saying, ‘you exhaust me’

Ex. “Puhhhhh. I want to try that seventeen-step skincare routine from TikTok, but my left arm gets tired.”

Chu meen [chü mēn]—A more efficient way of saying, "What do you mean?"

Ex. “Chu meen you can’t talk right now? You called me!”

Oh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh no [ ō nə nə nə nə nə ]—a complete sentence to be used when “no” wasn’t heard the first time

Ex. “Oh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh no. You’re not calling the HOA on ME when I already called them about YOU!”

Aye-yi [ī-yī]—an expression similar to “ouch” or “ow” but designated to be used for when there’s a higher level of pain

Ex. “Ouch! I just got a papercut from this envelope. Aye-yi! It’s this month’s electric bill!”

Aiyee [ä-yē]—the ancestral sound of Cajun glee, typically heard on dance floors and at football games

Ex. “Aiyeee! Alabama lost!”

Poo yiii [pü yī]—used to convey minor concern or worry; can be sarcastic, depending on tone.

Ex. “Poo yiii, I think that ferret story you told earlier was supposed to be funny…but I’m worried about your mental health.”

Aht aht [ät ät]—dismay usually taken out over a pot and emphasized by two smacks of a large spoon.

Ex. “Aht aht! Y’all kids better calm down.”

Huhn?! [ən]—used when someone says something about you, to you, that is untrue

Ex. “Meet you out after 8 pm… girl, you must o’ lost ya mind, hunh?!” 1

Take it on the Chin

A MEDITATION ON BLACK MASCULINITY AND BELONGING IN POST-KATRINA NEW ORLEANS

Story by Jacqueline DeRobertis-Braun

Sitting on my back porch early one morning in September hand stealing a few precious moments of solitude before my children woke, I found myself moved to tears by a poem about Popeyes chicken.

I was as surprised as anyone by this development, but Bernardo Wade pulls no punches when evoking the food that fueled and fostered a way of belonging during a childhood undergirded by survival, want, and tough love. In his Popeyes musings, love is a kind of hunger, imagined as a mother’s tenderness: a protective shield “nestling them just inside/her hip’s curve as she wraps them perfectly/down her back.” And taste is a vehicle for memory, triggering a “yearning to crawl back inside/a simpler time.” These bittersweet reflections are delicately tangled in an extended metaphor about the cuisine of a Louisiana fast food empire (“in New Orleans, a city where someone/simmers the cayenne-soaked grease bucket like/God lit the fire because He felt a mother’s pressure”)—capturing the fragile emotional encounters, juxtaposed against swaggering irreverence, that characterize this stunning debut collection.

A Love Tap (Lookout Books 2025) emerges from Wade’s “deep need,” as figured by the poet Ross Gay in his forward. The New Orleans native son spends just shy of seventy pages grappling with his fragmented sense of identity born of both his intrinsically fraught and racialized upbringing and the evolving city around him. In his expansive and unflinching search for meaning, for a singular purpose, he grasps at the disparate parts of himself as they coalesce and contradict each other. He does not fail in this mission, exactly, insofar as he seems to settle on a deliberate action to punch through the mire of historical and personal trauma, of so many fraught loves and losses: “to live.”

Meditating on substance abuse, navigating Black masculinity, falling into the churn of the prison industrial complex, and dwelling on the beauty and brutality of growing up under the oppressive thumb of a complicated, withholding father, Wade’s poems straddle an italicized line of vulnerability and bravado. His unbothered, hubristic mask donned to keep the harsh world at bay dissolves in moments of raw, bonedeep brokenness—on a fetid jailhouse floor, when a counselor rests a hand on his shoulder during an admitted moment of suicidal ideation, within an

apology whispered in vain to a partner falling out of love. Amid efforts to both reinscribe and take ownership of his hard-won pride, Wade’s weary search for identity, sobriety, and intimacy carries the unmistakable echo of shame, of submission to the not-knowing that burnishes each vignette with a kind of grace.

Interspersed copiously throughout these heavier thematic explorations are the persistent South Louisiana signifiers that transform the collection into something deliciously tangible, from music, architecture, and language to, perhaps most striking—food. Indeed, food is ubiquitous within Wade’s collection. In a poem about his drug arrest, he references his “mother’s gumbo on Christmas day.” After witnessing a stabbing, he picks up Popeyes for his father. He writes of a paramour unwilling to commit, a Parisian affair adorned in pâté and “cheap burgundy.” Taste serves to remind readers that Wade’s is a richly embodied world, even when the challenges of unknowable identity remain abstract, amorphous.

While the ghosts of friends, acquaintances, incarcerated fellows, and family haunt Wade’s collection, these figures, shadowy as they may be, are enveloped by the all-consuming energy of New Orleans itself. A character in its own right, the city serves not merely as a backdrop to Wade’s youth, but also as a constant companion that is not without its own ethos. Wade’s is a distinctly post-Katrina city, one that continues to recover not merely from that disaster, but all the ones that came after—even from the ravages of tourists flocking to the Super Bowl. The landmarks (the French Quarter, Lafayette Square), streets (Canal, Royal, Bienville), iconic establishments (Jesuit, the Hotel Monteleone), shotgun houses, and palatial mansions of New Orleans are so much a part of Wade he couldn’t disentangle them if he tried—and don’t even think about calling any of it “resilient.”

Yet within the setting and characterization of the city he loves, Wade also takes pains to invoke the omnipresence of the carceral state, painting a landscape of constant dread that reveals how Blackness (his own, and others’) is spatialized, limited, and entrapped in ordinary and everyday ways. The New Orleans Police Department and the blue lights of squad cars pervade this collection, sirens and tire squeals inciting fear from the quiet gloom of a city street. Even driving on a dark road far

from Louisiana, Wade continues to look over his shoulder, the death of Rayshard Brooks in Atlanta fresh on his mind as he imagines a reality in which the man who has become a grim police violence statistic is alive and free.

Among these meticulously deconstructed facets of the city, Orleans Parish Prison—infamous for allegations of corruption and abuse—draws the most scrutiny. Within the walls of the crumbling detention center, forgotten men ache for a little mercy, the warm arms of a mother, and the chance to return to an immaculate (often imagined) childhood. Though they are little more than specters in Wade’s hazy recollection, their emotional resonance feels urgent, all too real; Wade cannot help but redirect his readers to the humanity of those sharing his experience of incarceration,

the men desperate to be defined by something other than their confinement in this liminal, hellish space.

Some of Wade’s poems wander to other states, other countries: to New York, Indiana, Georgia, France. But his poems about New Orleans feel truest, containing within them an ineffable spirit that cannot be mimicked by the uninitiated, the unbaptized. And it is in this city where his addictions, his failures, his unrealized dreams are unapologetically laid bare. Toward the end of the third movement in Wade’s collection, he ponders: “Why aren’t my loves unchained?” This question does not demand an answer, necessarily; and yet, you get the feeling while paging through the remaining poems that he is slowly, ever so slowly, loosening the shackles himself. 1 bernardowade.com

62 A HOME FOR SOUTHERN VOICES IN THE LONG SHADOW OF WILLIAM FAULKNER // 64 A BOOKISH PILGRIMAGE ACROSS LOUISIANA’S LITERARY LANDMARKS

Going Back to Greenfield

AN EMERGING WRITER'S RESIDENCY REVIVES FAULKNER'S FARM FOR A NEW GENERATION OF SOUTHERN VOICES

Story by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

William Faulkner once said, “If I were reincarnated, I’d want to come back a buzzard. Nothing hates him or envies him or wants him or needs him. He is never bothered or in danger, and he can eat anything.”

Like so many writers and artists, Faulkner sought out isolation to conduct his best work, fleeing from the inevitable distractions of an engaged life in the world. He retreated from the main literary hubs of his time in favor of his family home in then-remote Oxford, Mississippi. His step-son Malcolm Franklin, wrote that when Faulkner had his “silent days,” the telephone, radio, and doorbell were all forbidden.

“What most writers need is a certain sort of thing. It’s time, where the equipment is a desk and the environment is quiet,” said John T. Edge, director of the Mississippi Lab at the University of Mississippi. “And the support is by way of stipends.”

The Mississippi Lab is a project of the university Office of the Provost and functioning as a kind of “humanities laboratory” incubating and supporting creative work in Mississippi and the larger South. When Edge came on board in 2022, he envisioned serving area writers through a residency, similar to the now-defunct Rivendell Writers’ Colony in Sewanee, Tennessee— which he had relied on to write his book The Potlikker Papers. They just needed the perfect place.

It's almost as though Greenfield Farm was waiting for him. The property is steeped in the legacy of Mississippi’s most famous literary giant; it was, in fact, his sanctuary. Faulkner purchased the original 362.5 acres in 1938 using money he earned after selling the movie rights for The Unvanquished. Located around seventeen miles from his home at Rowan Oak, the farm became a way for him to re-establish his connection to his Mississippi ancestry, and to the land itself. He wanted, at Greenfield, to forge an identity as “a farmer who writes.”

The 1930s were an era of innovation in agriculture, called by some the “golden age of tractors.” So, Faulkner’s decision to raise mules at Greenfield, in addition to growing crops like cotton and corn, was indicative of the pursuit of a particular way of life, rather than profit. “There are a bunch of different ways that [show] this was an attempt by Faulkner to reclaim a past and set up a kind of a kind of agricultural theater,” said Edge.

The farm operated on a variation of the tenant farming system of the time, hosting nine tenant family units between 1938 and 1942, all of them African American. Many of the people who lived and worked at Greenfield inspired characters in Faulkner’s stories, including the Snopes family, who appear in several of Faulkner’s books, and the Bundrens from As I Lay Dying. The land itself inspired the McCallum farm in Absalom, Absalom!

Even within the bounds of the racial inequality

inherent to Mississippi’s tenant farming system, Faulkner’s experience doing business and working closely with the skilled Black farmers on his property likely impacted the way he wrote his African American characters. In an article in the Journal of Mississippi History, titled “Greenfield Farm: Faulkner, Mules, and Time,” historian Jim Gulley argues that there is a detectable shift in Faulkner’s work from before Greenfield, when he adopted more stereotypical portrayals of African Americans, to after, when he created more dynamic and independent characters, such as Lucas Beauchamp.

Edge describes the property as a place with “deep legacy,” which served as both retreat and inspiration for one of the South’s most important storytellers. But Greenfield also holds legacies of agriculture, and African American relationships to the land, interwoven with the fraught realities of that relationship and the power structures that informed it.

When Edge came upon the property in the University of Mississippi’s books, he knew that it could be the ideal home for his envisioned residency—a place where the intricate histories and lived experiences of writers existing in the American South could be contemplated and built upon. The university had purchased twenty acres of the farm in 1990 after it went into foreclosure following several changes of ownership after Faulkner’s death. But since then, it had largely gone unused.

Once Edge got the green light, the university formed a committee of advisors comprised of Mississippi literary giants, including Beth Ann Fennelly, Ralph Eubanks, Kiese Laymon, Ebony Lumumba, and Natasha Threthewey. So far, organizers have raised $4.5 million for the project—including a $750,000 legislative appropriation—which will fund the construction of the retreat’s infrastructure.

Designed by the nationally acclaimed firm, Marlon Blackwell Architects, the campus will feature four overnight studios and a communal dining area. Some existing structures will be restored and contextualized with exhibits, and others—like the farm shed—will be transformed into day-commute studios for writers who live and work within driving distance. Mississippi writer and civil rights activist Will Campbell’s writing cabin will also be moved onto the property from its former home in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.

“It comes back to the idea of, ‘how do you reanimate this farm that went fallow?’” said Edge. “When you walk on this land, you’ll be able to glimpse the rootedness of this space, but you’ll also see the forward projection of it, where we are growing the future generations of writers who claim Mississippi in some way, or are inspired by Mississippi in some way.”

In addition to building costs, organizers have also secured funding from the Robert M. Hearin Support

Foundation to offer stipends of $1,000 per week for writers staying in the overnight studios. This was an important part of Edge’s mission to expand access to the vital “time and quiet” offered by residencies to writers of every economic class in the Deep South.

“There are just fewer access points for writers here than in cities like New York or California,” he said. “And writers’ residencies have traditionally been the province of the middle class, really upper middle class. We wanted to democratize access to this asset and ensure that no one will pay to be in residency here.” Edge added that when he says “writers,” he does so broadly: in addition to prose writers, the residency is open to librettists, screenwriters, songwriters, poets—“people who put words on a page.”

Such an investment in the arts, in the humanities, in storytelling is notable in an age when funding remains an existential struggle for so many creative institutions. But Edge thinks it’s vital.

“For a long time, we in the Deep South have taken it for granted that great writing will come up and out of here,” he said. “It’s almost an it’s-in-the-water theory. But that’s just not good enough. Our nation depends on Deep South writers to help America understand itself. That’s William Faulkner past and Jesmyn Ward present. These storytellers, especially in riven moments like this one, help us understand how our past imprints on our present. And we need a new generation of voices speak ing to that in this moment.”

Construction for the Greenfield Farm Writers Resi dency is expected to break ground in early 2026, with a planned early 2027 open date.

And the official logo? A buzzard. 1

Learn more about the Greenfield Farm Writers Residency at greenfieldfarmwriters.org.

The Literary Southbound

FOLLOWING IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF OUR REGION'S MOST ICONIC AUTHORS, FROM THE FRENCH QUARTER TO THE BAYOU

Story by Shanna Beck Perkins

Since its earliest beginnings, Louisiana has been a bottomless well hof inspiration, and of storytelling. There is magic in the murk, mysteries suspended in the humidity. The region’s eccentricities and oddities have lured some of history’s most iconic literary figures to call the state home.

Follow their lead. Absorb the wayward beauty, and the occasional sazerac, that fueled their creativity. A literary road trip awaits, with a chance at every stop to crack open a book, put pen to paper, or raise a toast to Louisiana’s literary spirit.

William Faulkner

New Orleans / Oxford

In the early 1920s, William Faulkner visited New Orleans with the intention of only passing through. He stayed with fellow novelist Sherwood Anderson at 540-B St. Peter Street in the Upper Pontalba Apartments overlooking Jackson Square, before eventually moving to 624 Pirate's Alley, where he wrote his first published novel, Soldiers’ Pay (1926). Today, his former residence is Faulkner House Books and serves as the headquarters to the Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society. Worth the Drive —Head to Oxford, Mississippi, where William Faulkner’s legacy looms even larger. Tour his home, Rowan Oak, a preserved Greek Revival estate, then visit the iconic Square to sit beside his bronze sculpture—an homage to the literary giant in the heart of his beloved hometown.

Tennessee Williams

New Orleans

Tennessee Williams was living in New Orleans when he wrote his most famous play, A Streetcar Named Desire (1947), in the 1940s—drawing from experiences he detailed in his New Orleans Notebooks (2007). He worked near the (still open) Pontchartrain Hotel’s streetcar tracks, from which he drew obvious inspiration. Over the course of his itinerant life, Williams frequently returned to New Orleans for stretches of time, and he occupied several residences in the Quarter—including those at 431 Royal, 722 Toulouse (now owned by the Historic New Orleans Collection and used as offices), 727 Toulouse, 710 Orleans, 632 1/2 St. Peter, and in The Audubon Cottages at 415 Dauphine St.. He also spent time writing at the (Omni) Royal Orleans Hotel and the Hotel Monteleone. The Greek Revival townhouse at 1014 Dumaine Street was the only home

he ever owned in the city.

Pro tip: New Orleans Historic Tours offers private tours focusing on the city’s lit erary history, with options to focus on iconic figures the likes of Williams and other icons mentioned in this article. Learn more at tourneworleans.com.

Anne

Rice

New Orleans

Anne Rice’s New Orleans is a city of Gothic allure, where vampires and witches roam beneath gaslit balconies. Her famed Garden District mansion at 1239 First Street is called The Rosegate House or LaLaurie Mansion. She owned it from 1989–2004 and used it as inspiration for her Lives of the Mayfair Witches trilogy (1990–1994). The home is a favorite stop for Garden District walking tours.

Other New Orleans destinations that appear in Rice’s novels include Command er’s Palace, Hotel Monteleone, the Gallier House, and Café du Monde. Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 is a haunting setting in both Interview with a Vampire (1976) and The Witching Hour (1990). You can also visit the recently departed author’s tomb in the Metairie Cemetery, where she is buried alongside her husband and daughter.

Lyle Saxon

New Orleans / Natchitoches

Lyle Saxon, often called the “Dean” of New Orleans writers, played a key role in the French Quarter Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s, restoring homes and using his influence as a writer at The Times-Picayune to champion preservation efforts. He spent much of his career overseeing field workers of the WPA Federal Writers’ Project in Louisiana, which resulted in books like New Orleans City Guide (1938), Louisiana: A Guide to the State (1941), and Gumbo Ya-Ya (1945).

Saxon purchased his 534 Madison Street home using money he earned from the making of the film, The Buccaneer, which was adapted from his work of nonfiction, Lafitte the Pirate (1930). The home became a gathering place for writers and artists, and its courtyard hosted the 1943 wedding of his close friend, John Steinbeck, to Gwyn Conger. Today, the exterior of The Lyle Saxon House is a stop on New Orleans literary tours, celebrating his lasting impact on the city’s cultural landscape.

A primarily nonfiction writer and journalist, Saxon wrote his only novel, Children of Strangers (1937), while in residence at Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches Par-

ish—which is where the controversial-at-the-time story exploring the area’s complicated race relations takes place. Melrose Plantation is still open today for tours.

Frances Parkinson Keyes

New Orleans

The prolific novelist Frances Parkinson Keyes made New Orleans her home after a visit during Carnival in 1940—which inspired the novel Crescent Carnival (1942), as well as dozens of romance novels set in Louisiana.

As research for her deeply-detailed stories, she fully immersed herself in the world of New Orleans. She lived at 1113 Chartres Street, now the Beauregard-Keyes House, where visitors can tour her beautifully preserved home and gardens.

A fan of classic Creole cuisine, she often dined at Antoine’s, weaving the city’s flavors and stories into her novels—including the mystery, Dinner at Antoine’s (1948).

John Kennedy Toole New Orleans

John Kennedy Toole’s A Confederacy of Dunces (1980) is one of the most beloved literary works set in New Orleans, capturing the city’s eccentric spirit through the misadventures of Ignatius J. Reilly. If you’re looking for deeper immersion than catching a Lucky Dog cart in the French Quarter, visit the bronze statue of Ignatius J. Reilly at 819 Canal Street, in front of the former D.H. Holmes department store (now the Hyatt French Quarter Hotel)—where the book’s unforgettable opening scene takes place. Other stops along Ignatious’s route include the (recently closed) Palace Café on Canal Street—which was once the site of Werlein’s Music Store—as well as St. Louis Cathedral Basilica.

Walker Percy Covington / St. Francisville

Walker Percy, known for his existential masterpiece The Moviegoer (1961), called Covington home for much of his life. The town, with its quiet Southern charm, deeply influenced his writing. As you explore the area, you can visit places that inspired his work while reflecting on the themes of identity and disconnection that run through his novels. There is a statue of Percy at the entrance to Bogue Falaya Park, and he is buried in the cemetery at St. Joseph Abbey a few miles north.

End the day by the Southern Hotel on Walker Percy Wednesdays for discounted Old Fashioneds, with proceeds going towards the Covington Public Art Fund.

Each fall, about two hours away in St. Francisville, community organizers put on a lively celebration of Percy’s literary legacy with readings, discussions, and bourbon-centered events honoring one of the South’s most celebrated writers.

Kate Chopin

Grand Coteau / Cloutierville / Grand Isle

The tiny community of Cloutierville, near Natchitoches, offers a glimpse into the life of nineteenth century author Kate Chopin. Known for her explorations of identity and freedom, Chopin’s legacy as an eccentric, independent, and socially exciting presence in the quiet town lives on.

Though her Main Street residence, which was built by the town’s founder, was tragically destroyed by fire in 2008, visitors can still explore the grounds that inspired much of her writing, including works like Bayou Folk (1894), A Night in Acadie (1897), and The Awakening (1899). It was while living in this area that she came to know the Cajun people who famously populated her fiction; her works are some of the earliest appearances of Cajuns and Creoles in nationally-recognized literature, especially by a woman.

For an understanding of Chopin’s early life, a drive out to Grand Coteau is in order. The young author-to-be wrote about her experiences at the (still-active) Academy of the Sacred Heart girls' school in surviving journals—which also give insight into her early literary interests in writers like Charles Dickens, Walter Scott, and Victor Hugo.

The Awakening was one of Chopin’s most influential novels, and itself is set in Grand Isle. Chopin drew inspiration from the island’s natural beauty and isolation, and visitors can still explore the area to connect with the setting that inspired one of America’s earliest feminist works of fiction.

Arnaud “Arna” Wendell Bontemps

Alexandria

The celebrated poet and short story writer Arnaud “Arna” Wendell Bontemps was born in Alexandria, Louisiana. Known for works like the novel Black Thunder (1936) and the poetry collection The Poetry of the Negro (1949), Bontemps was a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Over the course of his lifetime, he wrote or edited over thirty books—typically concerning the everyday lives of Black Americans and their struggles for equality. His home on 3rd Street in Alexandria once served as a memorial and museum; though it is now closed, visitors can still visit the exterior and observe the marker detailing his life.

James Lee Burke New Iberia

James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux mystery series famously captures the essence of New Iberia, immersing readers in Iberia Parish seat's swamps, small town politics, and secrets. Burke spent summers in the small Cajun town growing up, and lived on the Bayou Teche for some years as an adult. The Iberia Parish Convention & Visitors Bureau offers a free self-guided tour to iconic destinations featured in Burke’s novels, including the grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes—which Robicheaux could see from his office window at City Hall; St. Peter’s Church, the Teche Motel, the Iberia Parish Courthouse, and Shadows-on-the-Teche. Downtown, fans can purchase signed first editions of Burke’s novels at the local bookstore Books Along the Teche.

Each spring, the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival honors Burke’s love affair with the city, while also celebrating local authors. The festival includes author talks, readings, and a driving tour of key spots that inspired Burke’s stories, as well as the statue of the author on Main Street.

Dr. Ernest J. Gaines

Pointe Coupée / Lafayette

The work of Dr. Ernest J. Gaines has long offered a profound portrayal of the struggles and triumphs of Louisiana's rural Black communities. Gaines was born on Riverlake Plantation in Pointe Coupée Parish—a place that became the premier setting for many of his works, including his most famous, A Lesson Before Dying (1993). Towards the end of his life, he’d return here to build a home and live out the rest of his days. Visitors to the area can find his grave in the historic Mount Zion Riverlake Cemetery near Oscar, Louisiana—which he spent decades restoring to honor the deceased people of his community.

From 1981 until his retirement in 2004, Gaines lived about an hour away in Lafayette, Louisiana—where he was a Writer-in-Residence at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Today, the Ernest J. Gaines Center, a museum and research center at the university, is the holding place for most of Gaines’s early papers, manuscripts, and artifacts—as well as a growing collection of scholarship on the writer’s work. Gaines’s home near the UL campus is also a point of interest for those exploring his roots. 1

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PERSPECTIVES: ART OF OUR STATE

A Director’s Eye

THE CINEMATIC CANVAS OF ARTIST BLAKE BOYD

Story by Cayman Clevenger

Thhe language of cinema isn’t just an influence for Blake Boyd. It is part of his creative DNA. The subjects of his art, in painting and photography, are often drawn from pop mythology. Whether they be Disney icons, Star Wars villains, or the great artists and creatives of our time, each becomes a cast member in an autobiographical epic about memory, fame, and the fragile boundary between illusion and identity.

Boyd’s fascination with film began early, long before he became one of New Orleans’s most enigmatic visual artists. At sixteen, he left Slidell for Hollywood. He wanted to act, to step into the frame. Within days, he found himself behind the camera instead, photographing Johnny Carson. The single portrait became the opening scene of his career behind the camera.

From that moment on, Boyd was less an actor and more a director, curating and composing portraits and eventually short films to accompany his exhibitions at such hallowed galleries as Simonne Stern, Hall Barnett, and Arthur Roger. In his later photography projects—including The Photobooth Project, The Polaroid Series, and Louisiana Cereal— he captured the essence of New Orleans itself. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Boyd documented the most significant players of the disaster, capturing the city’s narrative frame by frame, person by person, in a series of portraits lauded by critics.

Boyd often describes his life in cinematic terms. He refers to his father as “Darth Vader,” viewing his own path as akin to that of Luke Skywalker, his art a duel between the sacred and the profane. One of his most haunting works, a portrait of Vader rendered in his own blood against white clay, feels like a Rorschach test from a psychological film still.

Boyd studied at the feet of mentors who treated cinema as scripture. He and filmmaker Kenneth Anger shared an interest in the occult magic of Walt Disney, and his profound impact on the American ethos. Anger, who Boyd dubs his final mentor, profoundly influenced both his belief system and his plans for an eventual return to art after a long respite. Anger among them, the cast of Boyd’s life includes some of the most recognizable figures in contemporary art. For fifteen years, he apprenticed with George Dunbar, founder of the original Orleans Gallery and considered the father of

contemporary art in Louisiana. Dunbar introduced Boyd to the ancient practice of clay painting and gilding. Boyd taught himself the balance of clay and precious metals, the patience of layering, and the humility of process. Later, he combined that old-world craftsmanship with the energy of street art and the spectacle of pop cinema, creating a language of contrasts both refined and raw. Boyd has pushed the medium of clay and gilding to the bleeding edge of possibility, incorporating self-invented practices of mark and line-making that were previously viewed as impossibilities for the ancient media.

His friendship with famed photographer Andrés Serrano introduced him to the performative and transgressive power of imagery; the shock, beauty, and moral tension that define great storytelling. Serrano photographed Boyd as a subject, shifting him from behind the camera to inside the frame.

Boyd’s use of blood, gold, and clay make for a kind of cinematography through other materials. Blood, once used in ancient gilding, becomes his red filter, a means of giving himself fully to his artwork. It ties him to the body, to sacrifice, and to the physicality of storytelling.

When Boyd paints Snow White in his own blood, he creates a meditation on mortality wrapped in the innocence of a fairytale. The result is visceral storytelling rendered through texture and hue, the kind of honesty filmmakers spend a lifetime chasing. His focus on Snow White, Pinocchio, and Mickey Mouse contemplates how others tell stories that are not their own, and how they capitalize from it. Disney did not actually write or create any of the characters of Boyd’s fascination. Mickey Mouse was conceptualized by Ub Iwerks, a name virtually lost to history. Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella were characters written by the Brothers Grimm, who themselves pulled from folklore. Pinocchio was a creation of Carlo Collodi. It was Disney’s ability to capitalize on the work and creativity of others, simply by signing the Disney name, that solidified his legacy and built an American empire.

In Boyd’s hands, pop culture becomes sacred iconography, proof that our modern myths—Disney, Lucas, DC Comics—are as lasting as the saints once glorified in fresco and reliquary. Each of Boyd’s compositions could be read as a film still. The colors are

saturated, the figures of legend. The narrative pulses just beyond the frame, clues and breadcrumbs left for the viewer to decipher. The result is a visual language entirely his own, part movie poster and part illuminated

When Boyd returned to the public eye during White Linen Night 2024 with Works from the Museum Collection: 1991–2014 at Boyd Satellite Gallery, critics hailed it as a homecoming, a reintroduction, a reminder that Boyd’s vision had never gone dark. The exhibition felt like a retrospective edited by its own subject, a filmmaker revisiting his greatest hits.

Every great film needs its sequel, and now, for the first time in more than a decade, Boyd is painting again. His studio, tucked above the blue façade of Orleans Gallery, hums with renewed purpose and the sound of a hand sander. He is preparing an entirely new body of work. “It’s a tribute,” Boyd says, “but

manuscript. It is no wonder his breakout Pinocchio show borrowed from the iconic poster of A Clockwork Orange

At the peak of Boyd’s career, just as the film was rolling, the reel suddenly stopped. Boyd’s brushes went still, not from creative drought but from devotion. His wife, Ginette Bone, a gifted architect, professor, and former president of the Arts District of New Orleans, was diagnosed with early-onset dementia. She is more than his partner. She is his muse and collaborator, the quiet presence behind his Swan Series, a meditation on creatures who mate for life. When her memory began to fade, Boyd turned from creation to care. Their story became an extraordinary love film of its own—two artists bound by imagination, facing the slow fade of memory together. “It’s still art,” Boyd says softly. “Just a different kind.”

also a continuation.”

In this next act, Boyd is looking backward and forward at once. He is hard at work on his April 2025 Orleans Gallery debut, titled Revisited: The Mickey Mouse Years 1987-2002 / An Homage to Kenneth Anger.

In Revisited, Boyd reckons with history, mentorship, and memory. Clay, water gilding, Disney, Dunbar, Serrano, Anger, and Warhol will all appear, refracted through the lens of Boyd’s lived experience and illustrated in his unwavering hand.

For New Orleans, his return is more than revival. It’s a premiere. The red carpet has been rolled out, the lights are dimming, the projector hums to life, and the next scene begins—shot on location, directed by memory, and starring an artist whose vision has never failed him. 1 blakeboyd.com