Stories, culture, community: taken together, it's hard to come up with a package the South values more. Luckily, the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival has volumes upon volumes of all of these! Set for April 5—7, 2019, this festival celebrates the literary tradition of New Iberia and surrounding areas as well as the relationship that tradition has with the region's vibrant and colorful culture.
Visitors can witness the hometown of Dave Robicheaux, James Lee Burke's famous fictional detective, come alive through Dave's Haunts and Jaunts Tour of local attractions, but the fun doesn't stop there. There's no shortage of opportunities to load up on Louisiana flavor in spades (and hearts, and clubs, and diamonds) with lessons on the traditional Cajun card game Bourré, a good ol' fashioned fais-do-do with Cajun music and dancing, and, of course, plenty of soul-satisfying food, from the Allons Manger Food Truck and Music Event to a cooking demo with 2018's King and 2017's Queen of Seafood, chefs Ryan Trahan and Bonnie Breaux.
There's plenty of fare to indulge literary appetites as well! A performance by former Louisiana Poet Laureate Darrell Bourque, a panel on writing children's books, and an academic symposium on James Lee Burke and Louisiana politics all make an appearance on the roster, as well as screenings of Southern books taken to the big screen, readers theatre performances, and a book fair on Saturday with local authors galore. Make room on your bookshelf and bring an extra pen for signings!
The highlight of the festival is this year's Great Southern Writer: Rebecca Wells. Her wildly popular Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood made a place in readers' hearts around the world, but the deep and often complicated themes of community, mother-daughter relationships, and female friendships, seem to resonate particularly strongly in the southern climes where the book is set. Wells, also an accomplished playwright and actress, will discuss some of these intimate themes in a special symposium on April 6.
Tickets are available separately for individual events, or a complete bundled pass is available to help you make the most of the weekend. Visit booksalongthetecheliteraryfestival.com for tickets and a complete schedule of events.
