Country Roads Magazine "The Fortieth Anniversary Issue" September 2023

SEPTEMBER 2023

Contents

REFLECTIONS

Mentors and milestones by James Fox-Smith

8 NEWS & NOTEWORTHIES

50

54

The new Emmett Till monument, two poems & the Congress of Country Music 58

Events

REAP THE HARVEST Dream of an impending fall with outdoor concerts, farmers market finds & more 11

40 STORIES FOR 40 YEARS

A journey through the archives by the Country Roads editorial team

ANOTHER HONOR FOR JOHN FOLSE

The culinary icon hasn’t run out of enthusiasm for his local cuisine by Beth

D’Addono

FOLKWAYS OF THE LOST LANDS

VOLUME 40 // ISSUE 9

Publisher James Fox-Smith

Associate Publisher

Ashley Fox-Smith

Managing Editor Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

Arts & Entertainment Editor Alexandra Kennon Editorial Intern Audrey Livigni Creative Director Kourtney Zimmerman

66

Cuisine Culture

RAMOS AT THE BRAKES

Mixologist Alan Walter revives forgotten cocktails at his Baton Rouge speakeasy

by Lucie Monk Carter

70

Maida Owens leads the way in preserving Louisiana culture in the age of the climate crisis by Chris Turner-Neal 62

WHEREVER THE ROUTE TAKES YOU

From the Smithsonian to Dewey Balfa’s farm, Nick Spitzer’s story is still one for the ages by John Wirt

On the Cover

“A TREE FOR ALL

SEASONS,” 24” X 30” MIXED-MEDIA ACRYLIC COLLAGE

Art by Ramsey

Ayers

To longtime readers of Country Roads, Lafayette artist Ramsey Ayers will be no stranger. Since first stumbling across her shimmering, mixed-media collages almost twenty years ago, we’ve asked Ramsey to create CR covers time and again, because her pieces—which celebrate the lifegiving connection between people and the places they call home—often seem to capture exactly what we’re trying to say. When considering the cover for this 40th anniversary issue, which explores how we and the region are simultaneously evolving and enduring, we imagined a great tree—as a landmark, a symbol of endurance, a source of shelter, a process of renewal, and a marker of the passage of time. In Ramsey’s hands we think a tree gets to be all these things, and also a bright, sparkling celebration filling the space between earth and heaven, bringing both just a little closer together in the process.

78

STILL “THE BEST” LeMieux Galleries

celebrates 40 years, too by Elizabeth Weinstein

80

81 A RECKONING AT THE BIG HOUSE

Considering the future of plantation tourism

by Jordan LaHaye Fontenot & Alexandra Kennon

A WHITE HOT PLAN

Introducing a new book review column by Chris Turner-Neal

READING RADIO

WRBH remains a rich, creative resource for the New Orleans blind community (and far beyond)

by Catherine Comeaux

Escapes

84

MOMENTUM IN WEST FELICIANA

Tourism-focused passion projects are taking hold in St. Francisville

by James Fox-Smith

89

GETAWAY

Escaping to the Homochitto forest by Kristy Christiansen

94 Perspectives

ART BY L.V. HULL

The legendary late folk artist of Kosciusko is having a moment. by William Browning

Contributors: William Browning, Kristy Christiansen, Paul Christiansen, Catherine Comeaux, Beth D’Addono, Sean Gasser, Lucie Monk Carter, Alison Pelegrin, Stephanie Tarrant, Chris Turner-Neal, Elizabeth Weinstein, Bruce West, John Wirt Cover Artist Ramsey Ayers

Advertising

SALES@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM

Sales Team

Heather Gammill & Heather Gibbons Advertising Coordinator Melissa Freeman President Dorcas Woods Brown

Country Roads Magazine 758 Saint Charles Street Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Phone (225) 343-3714 Fax (815) 550-2272

EDITORIAL@COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM WWW.COUNTRYROADSMAG.COM

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Copyrighted. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in Country Roads magazine are those of the authors or columnists and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, nor do they constitute an 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

For this fortieth anniversary issue, our editorial team turned to the Country Roads’ archive of around four hundred published issues—searching for milestone stories that revealed something interesting about the region, about ourselves, or sometimes, simply about a moment in time. (You’ll find an introduction to our “40 Stories from 40 Years” project on page 50, and the entire collection online at countryroadsmag.com). Of course, to do this we had to go right back to the beginning, digging out a copy of the Autumn, 1983 issue to see what it had to say. There on page 4, above a house ad offering mailed subscriptions ($3 a year), was the first-ever “Reflections” column. It was written by—who else—Dorcas Brown: Country Roads’ founder and publisher, mother of my wife; and our mentor, neighbor, and companion during the twenty-eight years since Ashley and I became involved with this esoteric enterprise. Being thirteen-year-olds, Ashley and I didn’t have much to do with the production of the Autumn, 1983 issue, although there’s a photo from around that time that shows mother and daughter in the dining room—which, in a foretelling

of the work-from-home phenomenon, for many years served as Country Roads’ global headquarters, complete with a paste-up table, photocopier, and fax. In the column Dorcas welcomes readers to Country Roads, defines the region that the magazine will cover (Natchez to Baton Rouge, aka “English Louisiana”), and promises “pilgrimages, concerts, art, craft, and antique shows that forecast the seasons as reliably as the calendar.” This she delivers—and this is vintage Dorcas—in about 111 words. Despite having apparently decided to be a magazine publisher of her own free will, Dorcas showed no great enthusiasm for the actual writing side of things. Rather, her talents were in the realm of ad sales (thank God), and in meeting people and making friends. You know that old quip: “Where else but Louisiana would you meet someone in the porta-potty line at a festival and they end up on your Christmas card list?” That might have been written about Dorcas. She didn’t have time for writing long editor’s columns; there were concerts and art shows to attend! So, when a son-inlaw with a weakness for run-on sentences wandered into that dining room around 1995, she was happy to hand over responsibility for the “Reflections” column. We had to find a bit more page space to accommodate it.

“Pilgrimages, concerts, art, craft, and

antique shows that forecast the seasons as reliably as the calendar.” Forty years since Dorcas’s original Reflections column, the Calendar of Events she conceived as a mainstay still occupies about a third of every edition. And in it, a reader can still expect to read about those old-school events, alongside a galaxy of others that early editions and their readers could only dream of. In any given calendar, for every old event (I’m looking at you, Shrimp & Petroleum Festival—held every Labor Day since 1935; appearing in every Country Roads since 1983), there’ll be a Federales Fest (inaugural festival coming to Baton Rouge October 7). The calendar is still forecasting the seasons, too. In fall the number of events it contains can swell into the hundreds, and

describing them in a manner both informative and pleasurable is a labor of love that has reduced more than one calendar editor to tears. Hardly seems a job for the constitutionally long-winded, does it? As you read, spare a thought for CR Arts & Entertainment Editor Alexandra Kennon, who loves a run-on sentence almost as much as I do. Who was it who said, “What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure?” Today, that’s a motto Country Roads’ editorial department has gotten behind.

There’s one more aspect of Dorcas’s personality that drove the development of Country Roads, that I think continues to animate its pages to this day. That’s her unbreakable commitment to active participation—of showing up to support every kind of community and cultural event, and making everyone a friend.

From that very first issue, the magazine she established encouraged its readers to get out, meet people wherever they are, and celebrate the cultures that define us and bind us together. Forty years on, I hope that spirit—of meeting people and making them friends—is still what you find when you open a copy of Country Roads. It’s Dorcas through and through, and it’s our privilege to be part of it.

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

Country Roads founder Dorcas Woods Brown, pictured with the first edition of our magazine, published forty years ago in Autumn 1983.

A Prophetic Vision

Ahead of its time in 1983, Pennington Biomedical Research Center continues to raise the bar on scientific understanding of how nutrition impacts devastating diseases.

Every day, thousands of Baton Rouge motorists zip past the iconic Pennington Biomedical Research Center on bustling Perkins Road—its expansive campus stretching 222 acres between Quail Drive and Kenilworth Parkway. The average Capital City resident no doubt knows that important research is happening inside, but few appreciate the extent of its worldwide impact.

Around the globe, Pennington Biomedical is known as a trailblazing institute whose scientists have advanced the fundamental understanding of nutrition’s impact on human health. From groundbreaking research on diabetes, to pinpointing the causes of obesity, scientific breakthroughs made at Pennington Biomedical are helping to combat the thorniest health issues of our time.

But that should come as no surprise. After all, this is an institution whose very ethos is rooted in taking chances. Pennington Biomedical was born of the pioneering vision of Louisiana oil man C.B. “Doc” Pennington, who, with wife, Irene, donated $125 million to Louisiana State University in 1983 to build “the biggest and best nutrition research center in the country.”

During the decades that followed, Pennington Biomedical achieved breakthrough after breakthrough, radically expanding the scientific community’s understanding of the cellular relationship between nutrition and health. While the science is complex, its potential for making everyday life better for millions is plain to see.

Maximizing Performance for U.S. Military Personnel

Pennington Biomedical scientists, for example, have helped protect the health of those who defend our country. Since 1989, the center has worked with the U.S. Army to understand how nutrition on the battlefield impacts troop performance and health, identifying the caloric requirements soldiers need to perform optimally. Since then, more than 130 studies have helped the Army to shape policies that are helping to keep our armed forces healthy in conditions that push their bodies to the limit.

A New Approach to Treating Obesity

Pennington Biomedical is pioneering new approaches to the treatment of obesity. More than half of the world’s population is projected to suffer from obesity by 2035—a looming public health crisis since the condition is linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease and various cancers. Pennington Biomedical research is raising public awareness about the ways in which obesity affects bodily function at a metabolic level and developing treatment paths that attack the disease’s core pathologies instead of blaming and shaming those who suffer from it.

The research center is bringing hope to those around the globe suffering from severe obesity, a condition that often leads sufferers to live isolated lives. Pennington Biomedical has partnered with Our Lady of the Lake to create the Metamor Metabolic Institute, which first opened in 2022 and is one of the first integrated, interdisciplinary centers designed to treat severe obesity. Its innovative approach combines bariatric surgery with targeted drug therapy and one-on-one counseling to facilitate lifestyle change. To date, over 1000 have had surgery at Metamor and more than 4000 had some form of obesity treatment, giving all those who enter the clinic a new lease on life.

Targeting Diabetes

Also on its Baton Rouge campus, Pennington Biomedical has introduced a patient-facing Diabetes Clinic to deliver innovative treatments directly to those who need them most. Using science-based methodologies, the clinic helps patients manage and treat diabetes, resulting in better health and increased longevity.

In Baton Rouge and beyond, many are aware of Pennington Biomedical’s groundbreaking research into the complex relationship between diet, exercise, and wellbeing. Less well-known are the hundreds of other health initiatives to which Pennington Biomedical has contributed since its founding in 1983. These initiatives are helping millions of Americans to attain a better quality of life, yesterday, today, and into the future. It’s a dream realized by a visionary philanthropist and delivering worldwide impact. Visit pbrc.edu to learn more.

A National Monument for Emmett Till

On July 25, 2023, on what would have been Emmett Till’s eighty-second birthday, President Biden signed a proclamation making three sites associated with his legacy, two in Mississippi and one in Chicago, national monuments. In doing so, fourteen-year-old Till’s brutal murder—and his mother’s selflessness in ensuring his life was not

taken in vain—are finally being acknowledged as an integral chapter of our nation’s history

“That is like our nation's way of saying that this is as much part of America as the geography,” said Benjamin Saulsberry, Public Engagement and Museum Education Director for the Emmett Till Interpretive Center in Sumner, Mississippi. “This is as much of our nation's narrative

as any and every other park service, and a monument that speaks to the identity of our society. So in addition to that, that affords us I think an opportunity for a larger audience of persons to come into these narratives concerning not just race and racism, but in some ways what racial reconciliation could look like.”

Because of Mamie Till-Mobley’s bravery in insisting on her murdered son’s

“Mildly Prophetic”

A POEM FROM LOUISIANA’S NEW POET LAUREATE, ALISON PELEGRIN

Because I chewed gritty sassafras once, chasing the burn of root beer on my lips, I felt I was a survivor, or that I could be when the time came, which it most definitely would. Alarmist, AC diva, mildly prophetic Cassandra pantomiming my distress— nobody believed how easy it was to trace on an antiqued globe a path from every danger to my backyard. I prepared by keeping my treasures portable— sand dollars, rabbit’s foot keychain, pencils too small, too valuable to write with unless it was to mark thrilling pictures in the books I’d have to leave behind. Poor Medusa—alarmed, collared with gore. I vowed never to be shocked like that— mouth moving after death, but without words. On my globe the equator was a raised line— a decal I took literally. The day was coming when life would be halved. In science class we refashioned shrews from owl pellets studded with bones, so naturally I believed a new world might grow from trinkets rattling in a cigar box where chain letters came to die.

Learn more about how Pelegrin will support regional literary programs through her role as Poet Laureate at leh.org.

open casket funeral, and the resulting outrage-provoking media coverage of his badly-beaten body, Till is regarded today as one of the first martyrs of the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech was delivered on the eight-year anniversary of the lynching, and Rosa Parks cited Till as inspiration for her own protest, which further launched the movement. Now, Till and Mamie Till-Mobley’s contributions to the fight for equal rights for all will be solidified on the American landscape.

“It is without a doubt that the bravery and fortitude of Mrs. Mamie Till-Mobley would give way to not just people becoming aware of the conditions and circumstances that Black folks face, primarily in the South, but not exclusive to the South—her decisions gave way to, dare I say, the modern Civil Rights Movement,” Saulsberry said.

The sites that have been designated national monuments include the Graball Landing where Till’s body was recovered, the Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse where his murderers were tried and acquitted, and the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Chicago where Till’s open-casket funeral was held.

“Having our government put in place for perpetuity a protection of this story points to, in my opinion, the continued efforts of people all across the country who are willing to one, recognize our history, recognize our past, recognize the customs and practices that, to say the least, have done a disservice to us,” said Saulsberry. “But then also looking at the importance of choosing to be brave, choosing to be girded with the truth, to be girded with objective history. And then using that knowledge to create a path where Americans and others can come into these spaces and learn about the bravery of citizens, and the stories that make up our country”

While an important development, the designation of these sites does not come with national funding. To learn more or donate to this and the Emmett Till Interpretive Center’s other efforts to uplift the legacies of Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley, visit emmett-till.org.

—Alexandra Kennon

THE LYNCHING OF A CHILD, AND HIS MOTHER’S COURAGE, SPARKED A MOVEMENT. NOW OUR NATION COMMITS TO REMEMBERING

Country Music Finds its Home in Philadelphia

Last year, Dolly Parton made headlines when she proclaimed her touring days were behind her, despite the fact that she was working on a whole new album (titled Rockstar, and set to be released in November). She’d still play some shows, she said. “Special” ones.

In August, one such a special show brought Dolly to the one-horse town of Philadelphia, Mississippi—as the opening act for the 2023-2024 performance season at Marty Stuart’s Congress of Country Music’s Ellis Theatre.

The circa-1926 theatre’s re-opening as a music venue, which took place in December 2022 with a four-day grand opening weekend featuring performances by Marty Stuart, Ricky Skaggs, and Bill Gather, completes Phase 1 of the ambitious, $40 million project that is the Congress of Country Music.

The Congress, which at completion will include a Ryman Auditorium-style community center and museum, is Stuart’s tribute to the cultural heritage of country music—a project he’s dedicated himself to all his life. When completed, the museum will house Stuart’s massive collection of over 20,000 country music artifacts, the largest private collection

of its kind in the world, featuring pieces he’s held onto over his Grammy-winning career spent performing with musical icons the likes of Doc Watson and Johnny Cash. Some of the collection’s prized jewels include original manuscripts from Hank Williams, Merle Haggard’s guitar, and Johnny Cash’s iconic “Walk the Line” costume.

Combining live performances, held at the already operational Ellis Theatre, with educational programming and changing displays celebrating this rich sector of American music—the Marty Stuart Congress of Music will be, according to documentarian Ken Burns, a cultural center on par with the nation’s presidential libraries.

In addition to the Center’s national impact, it has also already ushered in a new era of economic development in Stuart’s hometown of Philadelphia—setting the stage for the little town’s future as a cultural center and place of pilgrimage.

While Phase 2—the completion of the Congress’s community center—is underway, the Ellis Theatre’s exciting slate of performances is already drawing attention, bringing some of Americana’s most talented artists, established and emerging, to its stage. Besides Dolly’s

August appearance, which served as a fundraiser for the Congress, upcoming September shows include performances by Dorothy Moore (September 1), John Anderson (September 9), the Paragon

Ragtime Orchestra (September 14), and Philly Hillbilly Rockin’ Round Up featuring Junior Brown (September 30). congressofcountrymusic.org.

—Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

“Mama’s Blues”

A POEM FROM BATON ROUGE’S NEW POET LAUREATE, TAYLOR SCOTT

Katrina put a tree on top of our roof. The flood of 2016 would soak Parquetry walls rotten

Pictures drowned, journal entries erased But that is not why the house stands gutted Its front door: a jeering mouth

The electric stove one short away from Catching fire in the middle of the night

Elements of words, tears, and misery

Shook the house worse than Rita did

The love escaped through the windows, Inducing sleepless nights And silent early mornings.

THE NEW MARTY STUART CONGRESS OF COUNTRY MUSIC KICKS OFF ITS FALL PERFORMING SEASON AT THE ELLIS THEATRE

Events

UNTIL SEP 4th

SHRIMPLY

THE BEST SHRIMP AND PETROLEUM FESTIVAL

Morgan City, Louisiana

Booth after booth after booth of festival food is the calling card of the longrunning Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, which has returned to Morgan City every summertime for over eighty years. Famous for its Historic Blessing of the Fleet and boat parade, which features decorated shrimp boats, pleasure crafts, offshore supply boats, and some of the biggest "muscle" boats of the offshore industry, this festival has been rated a Top Twenty Southeast Tourism Society event. TIME magazine described the festival as "...the best, the most unusual, the most down-home, the most moving and the most fun that the country has to offer." This five-day crustacean celebration is one of Louisiana's oldest harvest festivals, and with loads of events, there is something for everyone.

The entertainment includes continuous live music by local and national acts, an arts & crafts show and sale, a children's village, fireworks, a car show, bass & softball tournaments, the huge Cajun Culinary Classic cooking contest, and lots more. Event locations vary, with most of the action centered around downtown Morgan City's Lawrence Park. Free. shrimpandpetroleum.org. •

UNTIL SEP 4th FRENCH QUARTER RAINBOWS

SOUTHERN DECADENCE

New Orleans, Louisiana

Back in 1972, friends living in a cottage in Treme threw together a small "Come As Your Favorite Southern Decadent" party and impromptu parade, and through the years that intimate fête has mushroomed into a full-blown carnival, featuring a parade and all sorts of flamboyant (and risqué) festivities. Since the early eighties, Southern Decadence has evolved to become New

Orleans's "Gay Mardi Gras," celebrating the South's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities with live music from local musicians and DJs, street dancing, costume contests, and so on. It all leads up to the annual Southern Decadence Parade on Sunday, which gathers steam from Royal Street's Golden Lantern (at Barracks). Full details at southerndecadence.com. •

UNTIL SEP 13th CREATIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS PLUS AT THE SHELL GALLERY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Each year, the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge proudly highlights the artwork created by its own member artists from across its eleven-parish reach for its Members+ exhibition. This year, the artists reflected on the unique roads and byways used each day to travel across Louisiana for inspiration. Free. artsbr.org. •

One of the signature events of St. Landry Parish's Zydeco Festival is the Zydeco Breakfast—where this year Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys will provide the music alongside local businesses slinging drinks like Bloody Marys and food like praline chicken bites. Bring a chair, because the Zydeco Festival Parade rolls not too long after. See listing on page 26.

Events

Beginning September 1st - September 2nd

UNTIL SEP 30th

BLUES ROOMS

HENRY TURNER JR.'S LISTENING ROOM

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

It's always a fun night at Henry Turner Jr.'s Listening Room—Baton Rouge's premier spot for introducing new and original musical talent. Fridays bring performances by Henry Turner Jr. & Flavor, and the Listening Room All-Stars, who may include Kelton ‘Nspire Harper, Larry LZ Dillon, comedian Eddie Cool, along with an all-you-can-eat community fish fry. Saturdays go acoustic, bringing in special guests and soul food. This month, on September 22 , MG Bailey will return with his one-man band. $10 entry. henryslisteningroom.com. •

UNTIL SEP 25th

LOCAL ART

RIVER ROAD ART SHOW

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The River Road Show, sponsored by the Art Guild of Louisiana, is an annual national juried exhibition that's been going strong for over fifty years. This year's juror

considering works in a variety of mediums by sixty-five artists from across the nation is oil painter and pastel artist Kim Casebeer. artguildlouisiana.org. •

UNTIL SEP 29th

ARTIST TRIFECTA

POYDRAS CENTER POP-UP

ART EXHIBIT: CECILE FABRE, WENDY SCRONCE, SARAH FABRE

New Roads, Louisiana

September is the last chance to catch the exhibition at New Roads' Julien Poydras Museum and Art Center which includes a variety of works by featured local artists Cecile Fabre, Wendy Scronce, and Sarah Fabre. Free. pointecoupeehistoricalsociety.com. •

UNTIL OCT 21st

COLLAGE ART CHRISTIANE DRIELING: EARTH AT THE MASUR MUSEUM

Monroe, Louisiana

The Masur Museum of Art presents a new exhibition of work by German-born, Ruston-based mixed-media and collage

Fashioning America: From Grit to Glamour at the New Orleans Museum of Art is a vibrant, comprehensive exploration of American fashion through the decades. Pictured is a look by Ji Won Choi, Red Jogakbo Dress, Antecedence Collection, Spring/Summer 2021. Recycled cotton. Courtesy Ji Won Choi. IED Firenze students: V. Botarelli, A. Capoccetta, M. Catarzi. Photo by Sofia Brogi. Image courtesy of NOMA.

artist Christiane Drieling. Drieling’s artwork touches on serious themes such as individual dilemmas, culture clashes, and political and societal issues. Her use of vintage paper and books mixed with her own ink and watercolor additions makes her artwork visually playful, innocent, and surreal. An opening reception will be held from 5:30 pm–7:30 pm September 21. masurmuseum.org. •

UNTIL NOV 26 th

FASHION SHOWS

FASHIONING AMERICA: GRIT TO GLAMOUR AT NOMA

New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Museum of Art's latest exhibition walks the viewer through over two centuries of innovations in American fashion design—highlighting fierceness that goes all the way back to the founding fathers. Among the looks displayed is one of the first American-labeled clothing items, a gown by New Orleans designer Madame Olympe. Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour celebrates under-recognized designers, marks seminal moments in the fashion industry, and reflects the ways American fashion is reflected in international trends. noma.org. •

UNTIL DEC 3rd

INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS

AFRICAN AMERICAN MASTERWORKS FROM THE PAUL R. JONES COLLECTION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

AT THE LSU MOA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Sixty paintings, sculptures, prints, and photographs by some of the country's most prominent Black artists will be on display at the LSU Museum of Art, on loan from The Paul R. Jones Collection at The University of Alabama. The Paul R. Jones Collection was founded with the intent of reinforcing Black artists' place of importance in the history of American art, and to allow younger generations access to their works. The show at the LSU MOA will include pieces by 20th century Black artists Sam Gilliam, Faith Ringgold, Jacob Lawrence, Howardena Pindell, Emma Amos, and Romare Bearden. Free. lsumoa.org. •

UNTIL AUG 11th

SCULPTING LEGACIES

ANGELA GREGORY: PORTRAITS AND PROCESS AT THE WEST BATON ROUGE MUSEUM

Port Allen, Louisiana

The second exhibition in the series Angela Gregory: Doyenne of Louisiana Sculpture,

guest-curated by Elizabeth Chubbuck Weinstein at the West Baton Rouge Museum, focuses on the "doyenne of Louisiana sculpture's" portraiture and artistic process. The series marks the most comprehensive look at Gregory's life and work to date. westbatonrougemuseum.org. •

SEP 1st

LOCAL ACTS

THE RAKERS, SUNRISE PEOPLE, AND WILLIAM EDWARD THOMPSON AT MID CITY BALLROOM

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Catch music sets by local favorites The Rakers, Sunrise People, and William Edward Thompson Mid City Ballroom. 8 pm. $10. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 1st - SEP 2nd MURDEROUS MEALS

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN DEAD DINNER THEATRE PRODUCTION AT STRAUSS THEATRE CENTER Monroe, Louisiana

Meet the rich and vindictive Southern gentleman Fat Daddy, his wife Sweet Mama, Earl the Worm, and the whole cast of characters over dinner. Pay attention, because audience participation

will be required to help solve a deadly incident that takes place—or could it be, a murder? Performances at 6:30 pm at the Strauss Theatre Center. $50 includes drinks, three-course dinner, and the show. app.arts-people.com. •

SEP 1st - SEP 2nd

FAIS DO-DOS

SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA ZYDECO MUSIC FESTIVAL

Opelousas, Louisiana

Nestled in the heart of Cajun Country, Opelousas once again hosts the world's largest Zydeco music festival, celebrating the rich culture of Louisiana Creoles and Cajuns by highlighting, documenting, preserving, and enhancing their funloving heritage. The forty-first annual festival will kick off on Friday with a dance at the Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino, with performances by Lil Nate & the Zydeco Roadrunners at 9 pm. $25 at the door. Saturday brings the main event, back at the Yambilee Ag Arena starting at 11 am. Music starts at noon, with performances by Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Cha's, Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, Jeremy Fruge & the Zydeco Hot Boyz, Rusty Metoyer & the Zydeco Krush, Chris Ardoin & NuStep Zydeco.

Events

Beginning September 1st

Saturday admission $25; $5 for kids twelve and younger. RV parking is $10 per day. zydeco.org. •

SEP 1st - SEP 8th

WEEKLY TUNES

NEW ORLEANS MUSIC FRIDAYS AT THE NEW ORLEANS

JAZZ MUSEUM

New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Jazz Museum is hosting free, hour-long sets of live local music on the following Fridays from their thirdfloor Performance Center listening room:

September 1: Ashley Orlando

September 8: Gerald French 2 pm. Free. nolajazzmuseum.org. •

- SEP 10th

PINEAPPLE HOUSES

IPAL PRESENTS: THE SPONGEBOB MUSICAL

New Iberia, Louisiana

What do Cyndi Lauper, Panic! at the Disco, and David Bowie all have in common? They are all featured in the iconic moment of bringing the little square guy who lives in a pineapple under the sea to the stage. Scored with original songs written by these pop culture legends, The Spongebob is beyond expectation, but also exactly what you'd expect: Bikini Bottom is just as you remember it,

except that it is at risk of being burned away by a volcano. Spongebob and friends, through ridiculous hilarity and underwater logic, must save the day. 7:30 pm performances Thursday–Saturday; 2 pm performance on Sunday. $20. ipaltheater.com. •

SEP 1st - SEP 24th

LISTENING ROOMS

SEPTEMBER AT THE RED DRAGON

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

In its modest digs on Florida Boulevard, the Red Dragon Listening Room pulls in artists who are anything but in terms of their abilities. Wellknown and emerging songwriters take the stage here several times each month, and with the venue's non-profit status all money raised at the door goes directly to the artists. Join the eager audience for one, or all, of these concerts (shows at the Manship can be found in separate listings):

September 1: Eric Brace & Thomm Jutz

September 10: Rod Picott

September 14: Webb Wilder

September 16: Jim Lauderdale

September 19: Darrell Scott

September 24: Tommy McLain & C.C. Adcock

Shows usually start at 8 pm. (225)

939-7783. Tickets at paypal.me/ reddragonlr; mention the artist in the message line. •

SEP 1st - SEP 29th NATURAL WONDERS BREC FRIDAY NIGHT LECTURE SERIES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

For almost twenty-five years, BREC has hosted weekly meetings that explore mankind's histories and its futures, featuring skygazing tips, physics phenomena, space programs, and famous events. At the Highland Road Park Observatory from 7:30 pm–8:30 pm. Free. brec.org. •

SEP 1st - SEP 30th

LEGENDARY VENUES

TIPITINA'S CONCERT SCHEDULE

New Orleans, Louisiana

The famous Tchoupitoulas venue continues bringing a wide variety of New Orleans' favorite musical acts to Professor Longhair's legendary stage. Here's what's happening:

September 1: Free Fridays Concert Series featuring Naughty Professor + Daria & The Hip-Drops. 9 pm.

September 2: Cruel Summer: A Taylor Swift Inspired Dance Party. 9 pm.

September 3: Big in the '90s. 8 pm.

September 14: Heartless Bastards. 8 pm.

September 15: Moon Taxi with The Stews. 8 pm.

September 1 and 2, Opelousas continues its tradition of hosting the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Festival for the forty-first year. Expect plenty of dancing, a Cajun food, and performances from Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Nathan Williams & the Zydeco Cha Cha's, Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, and others. Image courtesy of the Zydeco Festival. See listing on page 13.

Events

Beginning September 1st - September 2nd

September 16: Soul Sister's 17th Annual Birthday Jam “D.C. Go-Go in the N.O.” with E.U. Featuring Sugar Bear + DJ Soul Sister. 9 pm.

September 17: Fais Do-Do With Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band. 5:15 pm.

September 22: Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes. 9 pm.

September 23: ALT 92.3 Day featuring Bad Suns, Colony House & Alexsucks. 7:30 pm.

September 30: Melvins & Boris. 8 pm. Ticket prices at tipitinas.com. •

SEP 1st - OCT 20th

AMERICAN HISTORY

TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF ARMAGEDDON AT THE OLD STATE CAPITOL

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Currently on exhibit at the Old State Capitol, two photographic essays explore the implications of nuclear war from the perspectives of architectural spaces, which simultaneously probe the collective psyche of Americans when confronted with its

Zone documents, in photographs, the offensive side of the Cold War via nuclear missile silos located in the United States, exploring the mechanisms of Mutually Assured Destruction. Jeanine MichnaBales, on the other hand deals in the defense through her project Fallout. In it, she captures shelters and propaganda from across the country—revealing their existence to be a simple placebo for the sake of the American people, who would be sacrificed to the whims of those at the head of the power struggle. Learn more at louisianaoldstatecapitol.org. •

SEP 1st - NOV 30th

ARTFUL MEMORIALS HERSCHEL HARRINGTON MEMORIAL ART SHOW AT BACKWOODS GALLERY

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

For many decades, Herschel Harrington

combining elements of expressionism, impressionism, and pointillism to capture serene scenes of Louisiana nature, from majestic egrets to moss draped over oak limbs. Harrington sadly passed away earlier this summer, but his memory lives on in his artwork—which will be on display and available for sale at Backwoods Gallery in St. Francisville. An opening reception will be held September 1 from 5 pm–7 pm. Call Joe Savell, owner of Backwoods Gallery, at (225) 721-1736 for more information. •

SEP 2nd

EGGS & ACCORDIONS

OPELOUSAS ZYDECO BREAKFAST

Opelousas, Louisiana

Combine the bouncing rhythms of Zydeco with praline chicken bites, and you've got the makings of a quintessential Louisiana morning. The annual Zydeco Breakfast, held in conjunction with the Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival, happens under the oak trees surrounding

am–11 am. Bring lawn chairs for postbreakfast lounging—and for watching the Original Southwest Zydeco Festival Parade, which sets out at 10 am. cityofopelousas.com. •

SEP 2nd

HANDMADE FINDS

BATON ROUGE ARTS MARKET

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Shop with artists from Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida who will present original works of art in a variety of mediums including pottery, jewelry, woodwork, textiles, photographs, glass, paintings, sculpture, hand-made soaps, and so much more. Performances will liven the market too, expanding what arts are on display. Don't leave the kids behind; a children's activity center is always set up between 8 am and noon. Held alongside the weekly Red Stick Farmers Market the first Saturday of each month from 8 am–noon at the corner of 5th and Main streets. Free. artsbr.org. •

SEP 2nd

LOCAL CRAFTERS

COVINGTON ART MARKET: ART UNDER THE OAKS

St. Tammany Art Association, in

partnership with the City of Covington, presents the Covington Art Market, a juried market of visual arts and crafts held ten times per year on the first Saturday of the month. The event features a variety of work from local and regional artists, including jewelry, photography, paintings, woodworking, fiber art and more. The market is hosted on Lee Lane in Downtown Covington. 10 am–4 pm. Free. sttammanyartassociation.org. •

SEP 2nd CANVAS COMMUNITIES

NEW ORLEANS ARTS

DISTRICT ART WALK

New Orleans, Louisiana

Join the hordes of art-lovers and artmakers along Julia Street this month for a thrilling slate of new art exhibits. On the first Saturday of every month, this stretch of the Warehouse district comes alive for a self-guided art walk, trailing through the area galleries’ newest exhibitions and their opening receptions. artsdistrictneworleans.com. •

SEP 2nd

LETHAL LADIES

NORTHSHORE ROLLER DERBY VS. WEST FLORIDA AND PIKES

PEAK VS. BIG EASY ROLLERS

Slidell, Louisiana

Come out to the Northshore Harbor Center to cheer on the "Lethal Ladies" of the Northshore Roller Derby as they take on the Roller Girls of West Florida and Pikes Peak along with the Big Easy Rollers. At this face-paced, high energy match-up, you are sure to be kept on your toes as these teams compete for a win. The Northshore Roller Derby League is an opportunity for Southeast Louisiana women to be a part of a sport providing a place for all women to challenge and strengthen themselves physically and mentally; while supporting the community through volunteering and raising money for local charities. Ages over 13, $12. Kids 8–12, $6. First bout at 5 pm, main event at 7 pm. visitthenorthshore.com. •

SEP 2 nd

MINDFUL MEET-UPS LE PREMIER ESPRIT HERITAGE WEEKEND

Arnaudville, Louisiana

In the creative communities that make up the Corridor des Arts—Arnaudville, Cecilia, Frozard, Grand Coteau, Henderson, and Sunset—the first weekend of the month is dedicated to conscious living and spirituality, with various local organizations hosting workshops, festivals, lectures, and other events on topics of religion, community, and mindfulness. Stay

up-to-date with upcoming events by subscribing to NUNU's "Le Premier Esprit and Cultural Heritage" e-newsletter at nunuaccolective. homestead.com. •

SEP 2nd CARNIVAL COMES EARLY KREWE OF ANTHEIA BALL

Slidell, Louisiana

Join the Northshore's freshest all-women

Mardi Gras krewe—who just had their debut in February 2023—for their second annual ball. The evening will include dinner, dancing to fun musical entertainment, and an open bar inside a regally-decked-out Harbor Center. 7 pm–11 pm. visitthenorthshore.com. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 3rd

MUSIC & NATURE

EARTH JAM AT NUNU

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Once a month, NUNU Arts & Culture

Collective presents a slate of events and gatherings centered around themes of our environment and the cultures within it, including recurring events like the drum circle (2:30 pm–4 pm)—drawing together art, science, humanity, and well-being in the form of sound. Events take place from 11 am–4 pm. Free. nunuaccollective. homesteadcloud.com. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 17th

SHOP LOCAL

BATON ROUGE AREA

FALL VENDOR MARKET

Gonzales, Louisiana

Shop a plethora of local vendors, enter for the potential to win a number of exciting giveaways, and let the kids indulge in some early trick-or-treating at the Baton Rouge Area Fall Vendor Market at the Tanger Outlets in Gonzales. 10 am–4 pm September 2, 3, 16, and 17. Free. visitlasweetspot.com. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 30th

GET FRESH

RED STICK FARMERS MARKET

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

It's easy for Baton Rougeans to get their fresh local produce fix (plus fresh meat, seafood, and other food and goodies) thanks to the Red Stick Farmers Market, now over twenty years old. 8 am–noon on Saturdays at the corner of Fifth and Main. breada.org. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 30th

RV PARK REVELRY

OLD FASHIONED FAIS-DO-DO BARN DANCE

Eunice, Louisiana

Lakeview RV Park's fantastic barn dances are held every Saturday night—always

Events

Beginning September 2nd

attracting the friendliest, warmest, most diverse group of fun-lovin' dancers you're likely to find anywhere. Strangers dip and dive, old couples glide around as smoothly as if they're on rails, and hip kids break out serious moves in between, while little ones sit on the sidelines, soaking up the culture. 9 pm–midnight. Price varies, free if you're camping. lvpark.com. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 30th

LOCAL GOODIES

MANDEVILLE TRAILHEAD COMMUNITY MARKET

Mandeville, Louisiana

One of the Northshore's most popular markets, bursting at the seams with local goodies from around the region. Find everything from artisan food products to fresh produce to arts and crafts—frequently with live music and fresh food to make for a lovely Saturday morning. Held every Saturday at the Mandeville Trailhead from 9 am–1 pm. cityofmandeville.com. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 30th

NEW PAINTINGS

ENLIGHTENMENT AT GALLERY 600 JULIA

New Orleans, Louisiana

This month at Gallery 600 Julia, new

paintings by Sean Randall will be on display as part of his exhibition Enlightenment . A reception will be held during the First Saturday Artwork on September 2 from 6 pm–8 pm. gallery600julia.com. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 30th

AFTERNOON MUSIC

SATURDAY LIVE MUSIC AT THE GIDDY UP

Folsom, Louisiana

Local live bands play on the deck every Saturday afternoon at the coffee shop and Folsom cultural center that is The Giddy Up, weather permitting. 2 pm–4 pm. Free. giddyupfolsom.com. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 30th

CREATIVE COMPETITIONS OFF THE BEATEN PATH: WEIRD, WILD, AND ABSTRACT—GEORGE RODRIGUE FOUNDATION ART CONTEST EXHIBIT

Lafayette, Louisiana

This year, over 650 high school students entered the 2024 George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts Scholarship Art Contest, submitting original works of art in the theme of "Off the Beaten Path: Weird, Wild, and Abstract." The

New works by New Orleans painter Sean Randall will be on display at Gallery 600 Julia through the month as part of an exhibition titled Enlightenment. Artwork "If We Were Vampires" by Sean Randall, courtesy of Gallery 600 Julia.

upcoming events

2023

• 9/2 – Red’s Old-Timers Blues Fest

• 9/22-23 – Mighty Roots Music Festival

• 9/30 – Bad Apple Blues Festival

• 10/4-7 - King Biscuit Blues Festival & Symposium, Helena, Arkansas

• 10/8 - Super Blues Sunday

• 10/12-14 – Mississippi Delta Tennessee Williams Festival

• 10/12-15 – Deep Blues Festival

• 10/26-28 – Hambone Festival

• 10/27-28 – Cruzn The Crossroads Car Show

• 12/30-31 – Clarksdale’s New Year’s Eve Blowout Weekend (various venues)

2024

• 1/26-28 – Clarksdale Film & Music Festival

• 4/11-14 – Juke Joint Festival & Related Events

• 4/14 – Cat Head Mini Blues Fest

• 5/11 – Clarksdale Caravan Music Festival

• 5/24 – Ground Zero Blues Club 21st Anniversary

• 6/14 – Birthplace of American Music Festival

• 8/9-11 – Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival

Events

Beginning September 2nd - September 8th

winning works then go on tour across Louisiana, making appearances in major museums and galleries across the state. This September, residents and visitors to Lafayette can catch them at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum. hilliardmuseum.org. •

SEP 2nd - SEP 30th

BIKES & BEER

CHAFUNKTA BREWING

BIKE CRAWL

Mandeville, Louisiana

On Saturdays, Chafunkta Brewing Company gathers the two-wheeled troops for an afternoon of bicycling through the Northshore. Carbing up comes first, from 11 am–1 pm via beers and lunch at Chafunkta Brewing, then the group sets out on the Tammany Trace—heading towards either the Old Rail Brewing Company in Mandeville or Abita Brewing Company's Tap Room (alternating weeks). The ride then concludes back at Chafunkta around 4 pm. Free. Bring your own bike, or rent one at Brooks' Bike Shop on Girod Street. chafunktabrew.com. •

SEP 2nd - OCT 7th

ARTS & ARTISANS ON DISPLAY AT ARIODANTE GALLERY IN SEPTEMBER

New Orleans, Louisiana

Ariodante Art Gallery on Julia Street in New Orleans continues to cycle in fresh artists and their creations into the summer months. September's Featured Artists are Kim Howes Zabbia and The Joan of Art Project, and other works include crafts by Craig McMillin and jewelry by Dashka Roth. An artist reception will be held on September 2 from 5 pm–8 pm. ariodantegallery.com. •

SEP 2nd - OCT 28th

ART ACROSS GENERATIONS MARGARET DAVIS'S NAVIGATING AT IBIS CONTEMPORARY

New Orleans, Louisiana

Realistic figurative painter Margaret Davis's latest show at Ibis Contemporary Art Gallery combines her painting with mixed media to explore the challenges and changes Generation Z have experienced as adolescents. ibisartgallery.com. •

SEP 3rd

ACCESSIBLE ART

LASM FREE FIRST SUNDAYS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Every first Sunday of the month, guests can enjoy free admission to all art galleries, family activities, and for the first time even planetarium shows at LASM. 1 pm–5 pm. lasm.org. •

SEP 3rd

QUILL & INK

"THE LOST ART OF LETTER WRITING" AT OAKLEY HOUSE

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

Put your quill to the page and give the art of calligraphy and old-fashioned letter writing a try with the help of a historian at Audubon State Historic Site, who will guide participants through a 19th century writing lesson inspired by the love letters penned by women at Oakley house centuries ago. 1 pm–3 pm. Included in the $5 grounds fee. For more information, contact the park at (225) 635-3739. •

SEP 3rd

OLD SCHOOL

BEHIND THE BARN DOORS AT THE WEST BATON ROUGE MUSEUM

Port Allen, Louisiana

The West Baton Rouge Museum's

monthly "Behind the Barn Doors" event draws guests to the Big Red Barn on the museum's campus to learn more about traditional crafts and historic trades. September's event will focus on using found steel to make tools (led by Ben Deshotels), woodworking (led by Gary Hart), and spinning wool (led by Linda Collins). 2 pm–5 pm. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.org. •

SEP 3rd - SEP 24th

FRESH TREATS & CRAFTS

ABITA SPRINGS ART & FARMERS MARKET

Abita Springs, Louisiana

Fresh produce, locally-raised poultry, just-caught fish, local art and crafts, and the quintessential charm of Downtown Abita Springs—it can all be yours, every Sunday, rain or shine. Live music sets the scene from noon until 3 pm. townofabitasprings.com. •

SEP 3rd - SEP 24th

ARTISTS ON THE RIVER

MADISONVILLE ART MARKET

Madisonville, Louisiana

Every Sunday, the Madisonville Market pops up along the banks of the Tchefuncte River at Madisonville Park. Arts for purchase include paintings,

photography, woodworking, pottery, jewelry, and a variety of other media. All handmade by local artists and craftspeople, of course. 10 am–3 pm. madisonvillemarket.org. •

SEP 5th - SEP 26th

BALCONY BLUES

BALCONY CONCERT SERIES AT THE NEW ORLEANS

JAZZ MUSEUM

New Orleans, Louisiana

Appearances from some of New Orleans's talented local musicians can be counted on atop the Jazz Museum's balcony, serenading all of Esplanade in true New Orleans spirit. Bring your blanket to sit on or comfortable shoes for dancing, as seats are not provided for this outdoor program. 5 pm–6 pm every Tuesday. Free. nolajazzmuseum.org. •

SEP 5th - SEP 26th

PAINT PARTIES

"LA PEINTURE: THE BASICS OF PAINTING" AT SAINT LUC

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Interested in creating art, but hesitant to call yourself an artist? Sharpen your skills with this beginner's painting workshop, which will educate on everything from value, to composition, to color theory. Participants will study still lifes, landscapes, and more— making their way along the building blocks for virtually every art form. The class will meet on Tuesdays from 9 am–10:30 am at the Saint Luc Immersion and Cultural Campus for eight weeks. $200, includes materials. stlucimmersion.org. •

SEP 6th

CARBS & WINE

PARTAKE "A TASTE OF ITALY" DINNER AT MIDDENDORF'S

Slidell, Louisiana

Middendorf's Slidell is continuing their Partake series of specially-curated dinners and drink pairings with an Italian feast from Chef Horst Pfeifer accompanied by—what else?—Italian wines provided by Southern Glazer. Arrival and wine begin at 6:30 pm, seated dinner begins at 7 pm. Seating is banquet style. $100 per person (includes tax and gratuity). middendorfsrestaurant.com. •

SEP 6th - SEP 27th

BARN DANCE READY BATON ROUGE BALLROOM'S COUNTRY DANCE CLASSES Baton Rouge, Louisiana

On Wednesday evenings this month, join the ballroom dance enthusiasts

of Baton Rouge Ballroom along with charismatic dance instructor James Heath, to learn the art of country music dancing at 4520 S. Sherwood Boulevard. 8 pm–9 pm. $10 per class. Call (225) 300-3958 for more information or to register. •

SEP 6th - OCT 25th

PARLEZ-VOUS?

FRENCH FOR BEGINNERS

COURSE AT SAINT LUC

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Those who are interested in feeling like a part of the vibrant French-speaking cohort of our region can sign up for this beginner's language course, hosted by Saint Luc Immersion and Cultural Campus. Over the course of eight weeks, students will learn common expressions, language structure and acquisition, songs, conversation, and culture. 9 am–10:30 am. $125. stlucimmersion.org. •

SEP 7th

LOCAL GIRL GOES BIG LAUREN DAIGLE: THE KALEIDOSCOPE TOUR

Bossier City, Louisiana

As she heads out on her Kaleidoscope Tour, Lake Charles-born singersongwriter Lauren Daigle is making a stop in Bossier City at the Brookshire Grocery Arena. 7 pm. Tickets start at $29 at axs.com. •

SEP 7th

CAJUN MUSIC LEGACIES FESTIVALS ACADIENS ET CRÉOLES LEGACY SERIES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles continues its monthly Legacy Series, celebrating legendary local musicians and culture bearers with intimate concerts reminding audiences of their cultural contributions to Acadiana and beyond. This month's concert, which take place on the first Thursday of the month at the Feed N Seed in Lafayette, is "The Legacy of Joe Falcon". 7 pm–9 pm. Free. festivalsacadiens.com. •

SEP 7th

ITALIAN OPERA NEW ORLEANS OPERA'S "A NIGHT IN ITALY"

New Orleans, Louisiana

Tuck into a concert of Italian operatic favorites by Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, and others performed by two of Louisiana's most celebrated vocalists when New Orleans Opera stages this special night at Loyola University's Roussel Hall on St. Charles Avenue. 7 pm. neworleansopera.org. •

Take a trip... Take a trip... discover discover

these these upcoming upcoming events events

Mamou Cajun Music Festival: Sept. 15 & 16

Le Grand Hoorah: Sept. 30 - Oct. 1

Louisiana Cotton Festival: Oct. 10 - Oct. 15

Le Tournoi de Ville Platte: Oct. 15

Louisiana Swine Festival: Nov. 3 - Nov. 5

Events

Beginning September 7th - 8th

SEP 7th - SEP 28th

FINDS IN THE VILLAGE THE PADDOCK MARKET AT GIDDY UP FOLSOM

Folsom, Louisiana

Don't miss Folsom's most intimate and funky farmers' and artisans' market at Giddy Up Folsom, held every Thursday from 2 pm–6 pm, with live music starting at 3 pm. Drawing a community of producers and consumers of fresh grown produce, prepared food, local art, handcrafted goods, and music—the folks at Giddy Up have curated an environment that's unlike any other. Free. giddyupfolsom.com. •

SEP 8th

ARTFUL WALKS

ART & STROLL AT NUNU

Arnaudville, Louisiana

For more on the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway

Every other month, NUNU opens its doors for a special showcase of local artists on exhibit, with artist talks and refreshments, and the energy of this creative community on full display. 6 pm–9 pm. Free. nunuaccollective. homesteadcloud.com. •

SEP 8th

KID STUFF

ANIMANIACS IN CONCERT AT THE STRAND THEATRE

Shreveport, Louisiana

Go see all of your childhood favorite wackiest and zaniest Warner Bros characters (and try to guess what kind of animals they're even supposed to be, anyway) when they come to life on the Strand Theater stage for Animaniacs in Concert. 7 pm. $35. thestrandtheatre.com. •

SEP 8th

GOOD EATS

LYDIA CAJUN FOOD FEST

New Iberia, Louisiana

Food, cars, and Cajun music—and all to help financially aid local cancer patients. Things kick off Friday evening, but the tasty bits come out at 7:30 am on Saturday, when cook-off preparation begins. Cruisin Cajun Country will be up early, too, getting the Car Show all prepped and preened. At 10 am, a walk honoring cancer survivors will take place, ending right before the stage where Jeff Foreman & the Loureauville Playboys will be waiting. A fabulous lineup of local talent keeps the party going until 9 pm. All this, in addition to arts and crafts, carnival rides, and more. Weeks Park, 4412 Weeks Park Road. lydiacancerassociation.org. •

SEP 8th ART OPENINGS HILLIARD FALL RECEPTION

Lafayette, Louisiana

The Hilliard University Art Museum welcomes the fall with a slate of new exhibitions, including Sam Reveles's Solastalgia, the George Rodrigue Foundation's Scholarship Exhibit, titled Off the Beaten Path: Weird, Wild, and Abstract; and a showcase of the 2022 South Arts Southern Prize and State Fellows. All are invited to explore the galleries while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and drinks, plus the unveiling of this year's Festival Acadiens et Creoles poster by artist Lu Wixon. 6 pm–8 pm; a member's reception will take place from 4 pm–6 pm. Free. hilliardmuseum.org. •

SEP 8th

OUTDOOR CONCERTS

TRAVIS MCCREADY WITH THE CARTER HAMPTON BAND AT BEAUVOIR PARK

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

In the cozy, twinkling—and spacious outdoor—corner that is Beauvoir Park, live music finds a charming, exhilarating home. The Park's open-air live music series features local favorites from all over the state. Lawn chairs, quilts, and blankets encouraged—as well as your own booze. This month, catch Travis McCready with The Carter Hampton Band. 7 pm. $20 at the door, $15 in advance. Tickets at bontempstix.com. •

SEP 8th

OPERATIC COCKTAILS

OPÉRA LOUISIANE'S COCKTAILS WITH KATHRYN

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Join fellow opera lovers and Opéra Louisiane's General Director Kathryn Frady at City Club of Baton Rouge for drinks, conversation, and a preview of what's to come on Opéra Louisiane's stage. 5 pm–7 pm. $75. operalouisiane.com. •

SEP 8th - SEP 9th

STRETCH & BREATHE

RENEW: A YOGA AND WELLNESS RETREAT

Natchez, Mississippi

Natchez's Yoga Studio 90 is hosting a weekend of wellness and renewal intended to nourish the body and

visit byways.explorelouisiana.com or evangelineparishtourism.org.

A Special Advertising Feature from Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center

Living the Mission

Delivering hope begins with Mary Bird Perkins employees

Named one of the Best Places to Work in 2022 by the Baton Rouge Business Report, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is home to nearly 500 employees, each one trained to deliver the kind of care and compassion they’d want for their own family.

“When someone is on the appointment books, it says they’re a ‘patient,’ but when I see them come through the door, they become family to me,” said Deirdre “Dee” Alexander, a 20-year employee currently working in Guest Services at Mary Bird Perkins’ location on the campus of Woman’s Hospital.

Alexander’s face is often the first they see upon arriving as they enter the building. She welcomes patients with warmth and kindness and helps them find their treatment areas. She also ensures they leave safely with a companion or family member.

“I know they’re nervous, and I try to make them feel as comfortable as possible,” said Alexander, a recipient of the organization’s prestigious team member award for kindness and compassion in 2019. “I’ll even pray with them if they want, or I’ll say a silent prayer for them.”

Having studied the appointment register the day before, Alexander calls new arrivals by name as soon as they approach the welcome desk.

“I think you have to greet people with authenticity,” she said. “I absolutely love my job. I’ve gotten to meet so many different people.”

For medical assistant Tremaine Jackson, Mary Bird Perkins is a place where employees feel valued. She recalls a company-wide holiday dinner during which she shared gumbo with an executive. “He said, ‘I might make big decisions, but y’all make all the important decisions,’” Jackson said. “That really stuck with me.”

Supporting hematologists and oncologists Drs. Lauren and Sanjay Juneja, Jackson is the direct line of support for patients who arrive for visits at Mary Bird Perkins’ location on the campus of Baton Rouge General, as well as the Cancer Center’s locations at Woman’s Hospital and Gonzales. She keeps their charts up to date, takes their vital signs, and lets them know what to expect.

“I feel really confident telling them they’re in good hands, and that while this situation is new for them, it’s not new for our doctors,” said Jackson. “I thank them for letting us be part of their treatment and I tell them we’re going to do everything we can to help them heal.”

Alexander and Jackson are part of the Mary Bird Perkins public face, while many others are providing high-quality care behind the scenes.

One is dosimetrist Nick Toups, who takes a physician’s orders for radiation and creates a tailored treatment plan that ensures the highest level of radiation is delivered with the fewest possible side effects.

“Not a lot of people have heard of our profession, but it’s a key role that ensures everything is factored in when treating a tumor,” Toups said. “That includes, where the tumor is located, its density, and the healthy tissues and organs surrounding it.”

Toups previously worked as a Mary Bird Perkins radiation therapist, but returned to school at the University of Texas San Antonio to earn a degree in dosimetry. Toups returned to Mary Bird Perkins after his training, where he’s worked in this new capacity for the last year. He also participates in the Cancer Center’s outreach to underserved LGBTQ+ community members.

“I knew I wanted to come back to Mary Bird Perkins,” Toups said. “We are one-hundred percent focused on patients and our mission.”

Toups says that part of his motivation to work in cancer care was the prevalence of the disease in his own family.

“I love that we’re focused on local care,” he said, “and on bringing a high level of treatment to both large and small communities in the region.”

Mary Bird Perkins, which was founded by community members, has served the community for 52 years with many passionate team members such as Alexander, Jackson and Toups propelling the mission forward generation after generation.

marybird.org

Nick Toups

Deidre “Dee” Alexander Tremaine Jackson

Events

Beginning September 8th - September 9th

mind. Set at Yoga Studio 90 in Ellicot Hall, activities will include fitness classes, walks, educational workshops, and even garden tours throughout Natchez, keynote speakers, and a mindfulness session beneath the stars on the bluff. 9 am Friday–4 pm Saturday. $389. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 8th - SEP 10th

ECLECTIC FINDS

TAWASI ANTIQUES & ART SHOW

Thibodaux, Louisiana

Sift through countless vintage and antique items like estate and costume jewelry, furniture, home décor, linens, original art, and far beyond at the forty-fifth annual TAWASI Antiques & Art Show at the Warren J. Harang, Jr. Municipal Auditorium in Thibodaux. There will also be a raffle of donated items, and drawings for door prizes, plus glass restoration and repair. Friday and Saturday from 10 am–5 pm and Sunday from 10 am–4 pm. $10 for all three days. Tickets can be purchased from any TAWASI member, through eventbrite.com, or at the door. Children in strollers will be admitted free. tawasi.net. •

SEP 8th - SEP 17th

LOCAL HISTORY ON STAGE

JPAS PRESENTS

THE VIEW UPSTAIRS

Metairie, Louisiana

To commemorate and honor the lives that were lost fifty years ago in the French Quarter Upstairs Lounge fire, JPAS is bringing playwright and composer Max Vernon's musical The View UpStairs to the Jefferson Performing Arts Center stage. Accompanied by a glam rock score, the show follows a young, modern fashion designer who, upon buying an old French Quarter building, is transported back to the UpStairs Lounge, once one of New Orleans's most vibrant gay bars, during its heyday in the 1970s. Thursday, Friday, Saturday at 7:30 pm; Sunday at 2 pm. $23–$78. jeffersonpac.com. •

SEP 8th - SEP 17th

TEENAGED DREAMS

13: THE MUSICAL AT 30 BY NINETY

Mandeville, Louisiana

Jason Robert Brown's original musical

broke ground in 2008 as the only Broadway musical ever to consist of a cast made up entirely of teenagers. Honing in on the challenges of the fraught age of its title, the show tells the story of a young Evan Goldman's move from the Big Apple to a small town amidst his parents' divorce, his impending Bar Mitzvah, and the class systems that make up middle school. A coming of age story all about the desire to fit in, and the beauty of standing out—to be performed on the 30 by Ninety Theatre stage this fall.

7:30 pm, with 2:30 pm Sunday matinées. $25–$30. 30byninety.com. •

SEP 8th - OCT 5th

SMITHSONIAN ON TOUR CITY OF HOPE: RESURRECTION CITY AND THE 1968 POOR PEOPLE’S CAMPAIGN AT HAMMOND REGIONAL ARTS CENTER

Hammond, Louisiana

Traveling from the Smithsonian, this exhibition of posters from the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign, which demanded social reform on the National Mall, is coming to the Hammond Regional Arts Center. A reception will be held September 8 from 5 pm–8 pm. hammondarts.org. •

SEP 9th

LOCAL LANGUAGE

LA TABLE KREYOL AT NUNU

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Presented by NUNU Arts and Culture Collective and the Diversity Initiative for Cultural Inclusion, La

Table Kreyol welcomes any and all to practice and explore the Kreyol language with host Herbert Wiltz, the President of Louisiana Creole Inc. by simply speaking the language while discussing various topics. Meetings take place on every second Saturday at NUNU. 2 pm–4 pm. Free. Details at nunuaccollective.homesteadcloud.com/ calendar. •

SEP 9th

FUN RUNS

BREAUX BRIDGE

DANCE AWAY 5K

Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

St. Martin Parish knows how to host a 5K and 1-mile fun run, Breaux Bridgestyle: that is, with free entry to Buck & Johnny's Famous Zydeco Breakfast and a signature JT Meleck Bloody Mary awaiting post-race. This year's theme is "BLACKOUT," so come to Veteran's Park wearing black and ready to dance. 7 am. $30. cajuncountry.org. •

SEP 9th

GOOD EATS, GOOD CAUSES ANGELS GROVE FARM TO TABLE FUNDRAISER

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Angels Grove Stables brings together the best of Louisiana cuisine and equine therapy for a special evening at the ranch, prepared by Chef Drago of Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, who will provide his famous char-grilled oysters, prepared onsite, as well as signature main dishes, dessert, and paired wines. Proceeds will go towards funding medical supplies and feed for Angels Grove horses. 5:30 pm–830 pm. $100. angelsgrove.org. •

SEP 9th

FAMILY TREES EXPLORATION IN GENEALOGY WORKSHOP

Port Allen, Louisiana

The West Baton Rouge Museum will host a genealogy workshop focusing on maps and surveys, taught by Brian Falcon, President of the West Baton Rouge Historical Association. Falcon will teach on how to use these resources to locate properties and individuals via surveys, maps, and real estate transactions. 11 am–noon. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.org. •

SEP 9th

WEAVING SKILLS BASKET MAKING SERIES AT ST. LUC

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Join Tommy Guidry for this one-of-a-

kind heritage basket-making workshop, during which participants will create a grocery bag-style basket. 9 am–3 pm. $50, includes materials. stlucimmersion.org. •

SEP 9th

CULTURAL CORRIDORS

LE DEUXIEUME ART & HERITAGE WEEKEND

Arnaudville, Louisiana

In the creative communities that make up the Corridor des Arts—Arnaudville, Cecilia, Frozard, Grand Coteau, Henderson, and Sunset—the second weekend of the month is dedicated to the visual arts, showcasing the area's rich trove of galleries, exhibits, and studios. Recurring events include Sunset's Friday Uncorked Artwalk and NUNU's monthly Art Jam—featuring artist appearances, exhibits, and demos. Stay up-to-date with upcoming events by subscribing to NUNU's "Le Deuxieume Art & Heritage" e-newsletter at nunuaccolective.homestead.com. •

SEP 9th

LOCAL MARKETS

SECOND SATURDAY MARKETPLACE AT GIDDY UP FOLSOM

Folsom, Louisiana

Peruse local crafts and handmade goodies to a soundtrack of live music from the Northshore Traditional Music Society in the Paddock at Giddy Up

Events

Beginning September 9th

Folsom. Maybe even bring home a new furry friend to complete your household, as the market will double as a St. Tammany Humane Society Adoption Event. giddyupfolsom.com. •

SEP 9th

CLOWNING AROUND RED MAGNOLIA THEATRE COMPANY'S PHYSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Join the Red Magnolia Theatre Company for a rousing "Red Nose Mask" workshop on the art of "exposing your clown" through exercises in vulnerability, honesty, and humor. 10 am–1 pm at the 225 Theatre Collective. $45. redmagnoliatc.org. •

SEP 9th

THROWBACKS

LOUISIANA RETRO CON

Morgan City, Louisiana

Billed as Louisiana's one and only video game convention, this event brings together nerd culture enthusiasts through a vibrant showcase of all things gaming, not to mention local artists, comic book

authors, and vendors. Started in 2022 in a small gym in the Oakshire subdivision of Houma, the event has expanded beyond expectations, a testament to Louisiana's vibrant gaming culture, and a demand for community within that space. 11 am–6 pm. louisianaretroconvention.com. •

SEP 9th

LIVE MUSIC MUSIC AT THE DEPOT

Eunice, Louisiana

The Prairie Acadian Cultural Center is hosting free, live concerts the second Saturday of the month at the Eunice Depot Museum. Coming up this month is Moi, Toi et Lui. All shows are from 1 pm–2 pm. Free. nps.gov/jela/ planyourvisit/prairie-acadian-culturalcenter-eunice. cajuntravel.com. •

SEP 9th

BEYOND AUDUBON "WOMEN OF OAKLEY" TOUR

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

A special tour curated by Audubon Oakley House State Historic Site Interpretive Ranger Michaela Brown

traces the lives of five women to live on the property where Audubon once painted his Birds of America —from Silvia Freeman, who was born into slavery in 1855 and remained a cook at Oakley even after she was freed in her youth; to Audubon's pupil Eliza Pirrie. Coming up, the tour will be offered on September 9 at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. $10 adults, $8 seniors, $6 students. lastateparks.com. •

SEP 9th

CREATIVE COMMUNITY

VISUAL ARTISTS DAY: SEE, MEET, AND VISIT

Arnaudville, Louisiana

On the second Saturday of each month, NUNU Arts and Culture Collective celebrates the work of a Deux Bayous exhibiting artist, while inviting the public to meet them in person and engage directly with their work. 11 am–4 pm. Free. nunuaccollective.homesteadcloud.com. •

SEP 9th

LOCAL ARTWORK

DOWNTOWN LAFAYETTE ARTWALK

Lafayette, Louisiana

ArtWalk showcases the creative side of Downtown Lafayette’s cultural district. Museums, independent galleries,

studios, craft stores, and art houses of the downtown area all participate in the monthly showcase of Acadiana’s artistic talent. ArtWalk takes place every second Saturday of the month—rain or shine. There is no one organization responsible for planning the activities. Instead, each museum, gallery, or studio hosts their own unique event, featuring local artists and performers. facebook.com/ artwalk.downtownlft. •

SEP 9th

TWO-STEPPIN' ZYDECO CAPITAL JAM

Opelousas, Louisiana

St. Landry Parish is reestablishing its status as the Zydeco Capital of the World with the return of its monthly series: Zydeco Capital Jam. Led by accordion legend Jeffrey Broussard, the event will be the region's first zydeco jam session of its kind in nearly fourteen months. Jams will be held on the second Saturday of each month from 1 pm–3 pm at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center. cajuntravel.com. •

SEP 9th

POETS FOR HIRE FESTIVAL OF WORDS PRESENTS: WORDS FOR YOU

Lafayette, Louisiana

Have an original poem written, just for

Events

Beginning September 9th - September 14th

you, at this innovative new fundraising program by Festival of Words. With a donation of at least $50, supporters can commission a poem written by a participating local author using information gleaned from a questionnaire. The works will then all be read at a performance held at the Main Library in Lafayette from 10 am–noon. Details at festivalofwords.org. •

SEP 9th

LOCAL GOODIES

DOWNTOWN HOUMA MAKER'S MARKET

Houma, Louisiana

Peruse locally hand-crafted goodies from jewelry to baked goods, jams, and other tasty treats and beyond at the Main Terrebonne Parish Library. 10 am–2 pm. Free. mytpl.org. •

SEP 9th

CULTURAL HERITAGE

LA TABLE DES TRADITIONS CRÉOLES

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Part of NUNU's second Saturday

festitvities, La Table des Traditions Créoles is an opportunity to explore Louisiana's Creole culture though its history, traditions, and modern practices through conversations guided by Patricia Cravins. Noon–2 pm. Free. nunuaccollective.homesteadcloud.com. •

SEP 9th - SEP 13th

LOCAL LITERATURE

BOOK SIGNINGS WITH AUTHOR

JEREMY WHITE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

When a Baton Rouge couple receives an unexpected DNA test result, it catapults them into an adventure to resolve three strange and overwhelming mysteries about one's genealogy and family roots. Author Jeremy White will sign copies of his book The Little Girl at the Bottom of the Picture—A Journey of Selfless Discovery at the following events in Baton Rouge this month:

September 9: Citiplace Barnes & Noble

September 13: The Bookstore Bar. $30 for a signed copy. thelittlegirlatthebottomofthepicture.com. •

SEP 9th & SEP 22nd HANDS-ON FAIT À LA MAIN/HANDMADE AT SAINT LUC QUILTING WORKSHOPS

Arnaudville, Louisiana

On second and fourth Fridays of the month, heritage crafts continue on at St. Luc French Immersion and Cultural Campus. Take part in these quilting workshops, and immerse yourself in casual conversations with local culturekeepers, often spoken in French. 9:30 am–11:30 am. Free. stlucimmersion.org. •

SEP 9th - OCT 7th

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITS UNDER THE HIGHLANDS AT YES WE CANNIBAL

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

In Under the Highlands, by Floridaborn, New Orleans-based photographers Cristina Molina and Jonathan Traviesa hone in on Florida's Lake Wales Ridge. A geologic phenomenon, the Ridge is known as having the highest elevation in Florida and maintaining some of the rarest plant specimens on the planet. The installation fictionalizes the Ridge's story, setting it in the near imagined future, in which Florida is nearly underwater except for the highlands—the Ridge being the last habitable plane. An opening reception will

take place on September 9 at 6 pm. yeswecannibal.org •

SEP 9th - FEB 3rd

LANDSCAPE ART SOLASTALGIA AT THE HILLIARD

Lafayette, Louisiana

El Paso artist Sam Reveles draws inspiration from the wonders of the desert landscape, contrasted brilliantly with his experience on a trip to Dublin in the 1990s, with the Emerald Isle's lush landscapes and hills. This captivation with the landscapes around him drew him to the concept of solastalgia, referring to a grief experienced by environmental destruction that removes one's ability to find comfort or solace in nature. In this exhibition at the Hilliard Art Museum, Reveles's paintings evoke motion, and tension in that motion—zooming in and out, directions taking sharp turns. The patterns create a topology of feelings drawn from love and despair, simultaneously. hilliardmuseum.org. •

SEP 10th

LOCAL MUSIC SICK RIDE, MAGIC CRAWFISH, LITTLE LAZY, AND WUMBO AT MID CITY BALLROOM

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Sick Ride, Magic Crawfish, Little Lazy,

and Wumbo will perform original music at Mid City Ballroom. 7 pm. $15 at the door. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 10th

THROWBACK MUSIC OLD TIME MUSIC OPEN JAM

Port Allen, Louisiana

On the second Sunday of each month, musicians of all varieties and abilities are invited to the West Baton Rouge Museum for an Old Time Music Open Jam. Bring your guitars, basses, fiddles, dulcimers, and even your triangles to the museum's Brick Gallery to play songs in genres like folk, Cajun, country, gospel, and bluegrass. The public is invited to join free of charge. 3 pm–5 pm. westbatonrougemuseum.com. •

SEP 10th

AVIAN EVOLUTION

DINO-BIRDING FOR BEGINNERS AT ATELIER DE LA NATURE

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Revive the spirit of the paleolithic era by taking inspiration from the local skies. During this family-friendly program at Atelier de la Nature in Arnaudville, Patti Holland will lead a bird walk while explaining the wonders of avian evolution, concluding with the opportunity to draw your own

imagining of a dino-bird. 9 am–11 am. Free. Reservation is required. atelierdelanature.org. •

SEP 11th - SEP 13th

ART WEEKENDS

LE DEUXIÈME: ARTS IN ACADIANA ALL WEEKEND LONG

Arnaudville, Louisiana

In Acadiana, the second weekend of the month is dedicated to the arts. Plan your trail, or take in bits and piece of the various celebrations of local art taking place along the Corridor des Arts from Lafayette to Arnaudville and in surrounding towns. Saturday during the day, travel along the Arnaudville-Deux Bayous Cultural District, making time for special stops at The Hive Marketplace, The Kitchen Shop, and NUNU Arts & Culture Collective—where you're just as likely to find artists putting on demonstrations, workshops, or gathering to tell stories. At St. Luc French Immersion Cultural Campus, take part in cultural language and history tables, geneaology workshops, and tradition workshops like quilting. Then, make it back in time for Lafayette's grand ArtWalk downtown, showcasing the city's creative cultural district—including museums like the Acadiana Center for the Arts, craft stores, galleries, and

various independent artists who all come out for the occasion. nunuaccollective. homesteadcloud.com. •

SEP 12th

HANDS-ON NEEDLE AND SHUTTLE TATTING WORKSHOP AT THE WEST BATON ROUGE MUSEUM

Port Allen, Louisiana

Louisiana artist Christy Benoit Castille will lead a workshop in the historic arts of both shuttle tatting and needle tatting. 1 pm–3 pm. $30. westbatonrougemuseum.org. •

SEP 13th

CULTURE DOCS

FRIENDS OF THE CABILDO FILM SERIES: ROOTS OF FIRE

New Orleans, Louisiana

The documentary Roots of Fire has made waves since its 2022 release for capturing the passion, music, and language of Cajun culture through the eyes of the young musicians fighting to preserve it. The film will be shown at the Jazz Museum's third floor Performance Center listening room as part of the Friends of the Cabildo Film Series, with a short Q&A with historians and filmmakers to follow. 6:30 pm–7:30 pm. $15. nolajazzmuseum.org. •

SEP 13th

LITERATI GALLIER GATHERINGS BOOK

CLUB: WICKED FLESH

New Orleans, Louisiana

This month's Gallier Gathering Book Club will be an evening of sipping wine and discussing the book Wicked Flesh: Black Women, Intimacy, and Freedom in the Atlantic World by Jessica Marie Johnson, historian of Atlantic slavery and the Atlantic African diaspora. GGHH Director of Educational Programming Dr. Amy Katherine Medvick will lead the discussion. 6 pm–7 pm. $15. Register at eventbrite.com. •

SEP 14th

WALK THE LINE

ONSTAGE AT THE FUHRMANN: JOHNNY & JUNE

Covington, Louisiana

Talented local vocalists Cliff Wright and Kasey Hutchison will deliver a tribute to Johnny Cash and June Carter at the Fuhrmann Auditorium. 7 pm. $20. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 14th

TED TALKS

TEDX: THINK AGAIN

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Baton Rouge’s brightest thinkers, creatives,

Events

Beginning September 14th

and doers are invited to rally at the Manship Theatre for this community-centered, generative experience—exploring the future of our region through thought-provoking lectures. It all starts with a happy hour at 5 pm. $75. Details at manshiptheatre.com and tedxbatonrouge.com. •

SEP 14th

BIRD BRAINED

BATON ROUGE AUDUBON SOCIETY PRESENTS “THE AVIAN RAINBOW: THE MECHANISMS AND BIOLOGY OF BIRD COLOR”

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Dr. Samantha Rutledge from the Mason Lab in the LSU Museum of Natural Science will present a talk for the Baton Rouge Audubon Society on the biology behind the colors of birds at the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center. 6:30 pm–8 pm. For more information, email info@braudubon.org. •

SEP 14th

SALSA MEETS ROCK N' ROLL MALENTINA AT THE ACA

Lafayette, Louisiana

Michelle Coló, better known as Malentina, is a woman of many talents. From Puerto Rico, the performer dabbles masterfully in songwriting, burlesque, and film. Her musical abilities will take center stage for this upcoming show at the Acadiana Center for the Arts, where she will join her eight-piece salsa band Malentina & The Lafayette Allstars for a performance of captivating Latin numbers, incorporating cha cha, hip hop, dance, and rock & roll—much of it drawn from her new album, Camellia. 7:30 pm. $15–$35. acadianacenterforthearts.org. •

SEP 14th

SEASON STARTERS BATON ROUGE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA SERIES OPENING

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

To officially kick-off their season, the Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra presents a grand performance of music by Wagner, Ravel, Massenet, and Rachmaninoff, conducted by their new Maestro Adam Johnson.

7:30 pm–9:30 pm at the River Center Theatre. Tickets start at $19. brso.org. •

SEP 14th - SEP 17th

GOOD EATS

LOUISIANA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

Lake Charles, Louisiana

Celebrated chefs from across Louisiana and Texas—not to mention foodies, restaurateurs, wine-aficianados, and

more—are flocking to Lake Charles mid-September for the festival Travel + Leisure called one of five "mustexperience festivals" across the entire United States. Over the course of four days, the festival will offer culinary tastings, demonstrations, master classes, wine dinners, jazz brunches, distillery tours, and more—giving those who love cuisine, wine, and spirits the opportunity to indulge in all kinds of deliciousness while chatting with chefs and industry experts. Featured celebrity chefs who will be there serving up small plates and insight include Edgar “Dook” Chase of Dooky Chase Restaurant, Meg Bickford of Commander's Palace, television personality and chef David Rose, the James Beard Foundation's 2023 Best Chef Texas Benchawan Jabthong Painter, and many others. Find the full schedule of events, as well as tickets and more information, at louisianafoodandwinefestival.com. •

SEP 14th - SEP 28th

GREEN THUMBS

MASTER GARDENER TALKS AT THE LIBRARY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners Association partners with the East Baton Rouge Parish Libraries to offer free educational talks and workshops on these gardening topics this month:

September 14: Kathy Morris on "Trees & Shrubs" and Susan Teddlie on School Gardens; 6:30 pm at Main Library.

September 28: Kathy Conerly on "Cool Weather Plants" and Kerry Hawkins on "Raised Beds & Bags"; 5:30 pm at the Fairwood Library. Free. ebrmg.wildapricot.org. •

SEP 14th - OCT 26th

LOCAL ART

ELIZABETHAN GALLERY: HIDDEN BUT STILL SEEN

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Elizabethan Gallery's fall art show showcases new art by Baton Rouge's Associated Women in the Arts. Celebrating its thirty-sixth anniversary this year, the gallery will feature works by artists Kathy Daigle, Kay Wallace, Pat Wattam, and many, many more. Select works will be available for sale, as well. An opening reception with the artists will be held on September 14 from 5 pm–7 pm. elizabethangallery.com. •

(800) 256-2931 | CajunCoast.com | #cajuncoast

M ystically B eautiful

Drive the Shrimply Delicious Trail in St. Mary Parish and enjoy Louisiana’s favorite seafood along the Cajun Coast. The abundance of restaurants along the many waterways offers visitors the opportunity to sample Louisiana’s Wild Caught Shrimp in a variety of ways. This Shrimply Delicious Trail is your passport to extraordinary culinary delights! CajunCoast.com/ShrimpTrail

Amelia | Morgan City | Berwick | Bayou Vista | Patterson Franklin | Baldwin | Jeanerette Ask for Louisiana Wild Caught Shrimp!

Festival IN SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER FUN FAll

UPCOMING FESTIVALS:

Highland Jazz and Blues Festival

Sept. 16

Red River Revel

Sept. 30 - Oct. 8

For more information:

VISITSHREVEPORTBOSSIER.ORG

Prize Fest

Oct. 13 - 22

State Fair of Louisiana

Oct. 26 - Nov. 12

Events

Beginning September 15th

SEP 15th

LUNAR EVENTS

WOMAN'S PORTAL

GATHERING: NEW MOON

Arnaudville, Louisiana

A group of women in the creative hub of Arnaudville are channeling the power of feminine energy in honor of the coming new moon—the most powerful time of the month to realign, revise, and amplify one's manifestations. Guests can expect to experience a sound bath and guided meditation, a fire ceremony, and assistance in refining and stating one's manifestations and creating nurturing rituals. Dinner will also be included, and camping is invited. 6:30 pm at 1059 Grain Elevator Road in Arnaudville. Free. Details at the Woman's Portal-New Moon event on Facebook. •

SEP 15th

LIVE MUSIC

SUNSET AT THE LANDING

Covington, Louisiana

Who doesn't like free, outdoor live music? We, and the folks on the Northshore certainly do, and they make it evident

Morgan City's Shrimp and Petroleum Festival from August 31–September 4 is Louisiana's oldest harvest festival, and one TIME Magazine has described as "...the best, the most unusual, the most down-home, the most moving and the most fun that the country has to offer." See listing on page 11.

6 local volunteers

will dress

Mrs. Kasha Davis Silky Nutmeg Ganache

SEP 15th

TEE UP GOLF FEST

Mandeville, Louisiana

More than your average golf tournament, ACF Golf Fest has chef-prepared food, on-course refreshments, player gifts and awards, course contests and much more. All proceeds will support new local cancer research, education and patient programs at the Copeland-LSU Health Science Center Partnership in Viruses, Cancer and Immunotherapy. Registration at 10 am, tee time at 11 am. $250 per player. alcopelandfoundation.org. •

SEP 15th

THE KING IS ALIVE

TUPELO TO VEGAS: A TRIBUTE TO THE KING OF ROCK & ROLL AT MID CITY BALLROOM

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Experience Elvis's greatest hits of the '50s through the '70s when Travis Hudson & The Blue Persuaders Band, along with opener Hunter Cole, perform at Mid City Ballroom. 8 pm. $30. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 15th - SEP 24th

GREASE LIGHTNIN' GREASE AT THEATRE BATON ROUGE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

It's senior year at Rydell High, all over again. See the drama play out—gumsmacking, rod racing, and greased lightnin' all. The beloved musical takes the stage at Theatre Baton Rouge this fall season. 7:30 pm Thursday–Saturday; 2 pm Sunday. $40. theatrebr.org. •

SEP 15th - SEP 24th

BLUSH & BASHFUL STRAUSS THEATRE PRESENTS STEEL MAGNOLIAS

Monroe, Louisiana

Louisiana's favorite play about six women helping each other through life's biggest events, from weddings to deaths and everything in-between, will be produced this month at Strauss Theatre Center in Monroe. 7 pm Friday and Saturday, 2 pm Sunday. $30, $15 for students. strausstc.com. •

SEP 15th - SEP 27th

LITERARY LEGENDS

AUTHOR TALK SERIES AT THE EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LIBRARIES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library is carrying on its Author Talk virtual series into 2023, connecting bestselling authors with their readers through interactive, live online Q&A sessions.

September 7: Lidia Bastianich will

discuss her memoir My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family, and Food. 6 pm.

September 20: Adam Alter will discuss his new book Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most.

1 pm.

September 27: Amor Towles discusses his body of work Rules of Civility. 7 pm. ebrpl.com. •

SEP 15th - SEP 29th

MUSIC IN THE PLAZA

LIVE AFTER FIVE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

When the clock strikes five on fall

Fridays, downtown Baton Rouge trades business hours for live bands, beverages, and after-work boogying during the Live After Five Concert Series. Season after season, these long-running concerts attract a diverse crowd from across the street and across town, which gathers to enjoy free music, good food, and drinks in an outdoor setting. 5 pm–8 pm each Friday at Rhorer Plaza Free.

September 15: Chris LeBlanc Band

September 22: Supafly

September 29: Shaun Ward Xperience liveafterfive.downtownbr.org. •

SEP 15th - OCT 29th

CONTEMPORARY CREOLE ELEMENTAL THREADS AT THE CREOLE HERITAGE CENTER

Natchitoches, Louisiana

The Creole Heritage Center at Northwestern State University is celebrating the work of three distinctly impactful Louisiana contemporary artists. A variety of works by Angelbert Metoyer, Annie Moran, and Ayo Scott will be on display in the Orville J. Hanchey Gallery on the campus of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches. Free, though donations to support the Creole Heritage Center are welcome. nsula.edu/creole. •

Enjoy

Upcoming Events

StoryTime in the Garden

September 9 and October 14 . 9 a.m.-noon

LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens (Pavilion)

Birding at Burden*

September 16 and October 21 . 7-9 a.m.

LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens

Music in the Gardens*

September 21 . 5:30-7:30 p.m.

LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens

Harvest Days*

October 7 and 8 . 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

LSU Rural Life Museum

Corn Maze at Burden*

Every Saturday in October and Sunday, October 8 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens

Night Maze & Bonfire*

October 28 . 6-9 p.m.

LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens

Haints, Haunts and Halloween*

October 29 . 2-4:30 p.m.

LSU Rural Life Museum

Events

Beginning September 16th

SEP 16th

FEATHERED FINDS BIRD WATCH AT AUDUBON STATE HISTORIC SITE

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

Take an early morning walk at Audubon Oakley House State Historic Site, where a ranger will walk participants through the birds and wildlife that so captured the imagination and inspiration of John James Audubon when he lived on the property. 7 am–9:30 am. Included in the $5 grounds fee. (225) 635-3739 for more information. •

SEP 16th

MUSIC TOWN

ABITA SPRINGS OPRY

Abita Springs, Louisiana

The Abita Springs Opry is devoted to preserving Louisiana's indigenous music in all its guises. Arrive early (around 5 pm-ish) and join the folks who've made a ritual of enjoying gumbo, hot dogs, and homemade pastries, not to mention the pre-show sound checks and front porch concerts. It all adds up to the good ol' family atmosphere that the Opry strives for. 7 pm–9 pm. $20. abitaopry.org. •

SEP 16th

CLEANIN' UP PEARL RIVER CLEAN SWEEP

Various, Louisiana

Join in on the annual volunteer event that has removed thousands of pounds of trash from the Pearl River. Cleanup teams will be deployed at twenty stops all along the river to the Gulf Coast, so there is ample opportunity to help out. 8 am. Free. View the list of cleanup locations at pearlriverkeeper.com. •

SEP 16th

EVENING OUTINGS

ASCENSION UNDER THE STARS

Livingston, Louisiana

Enjoy food trucks, local vendors, music, and more at 31162 Pookey Lane in Prairieville. 5 pm–9 pm. Free. visitlasweetspot.com. •

SEP 16th

YEE-HAW

GRAND COUNTRY JUNCTION

Livingston, Louisiana

Livingston's most happenin' live music

event, "Your Hometown Branson Show" is back in action. Every third Saturday, come out to Suma Crossing Theatre in downtown Livingston for the hottest local country music acts. 7 pm. Tickets sold at the door; $15 for adults, $10 for kids; free for children younger than three years old. grandcountryjunction.com. •

SEP 16th

WINNIES & NEIGHS BOOTS & HOOVES DAY

Opelousas, Louisiana

Head over to the stables at Coasting Z in Lawtell—the Equine Capital of Louisiana, where guests of all ages can delight in stick horse rodeos, boot scrambles, a cookout demo, and horseback riding. Local vendors will be onsite selling leatherwork and custom art, and musicians will provide a spirited backdrop. Day's end brings a marshmallow roast at the firepit. 9 am–5 pm. Free, $10 to ride horses, and $5 for certain games. facebook.com/ coastingzstables. •

SEP 16th

LAUGH OUT LOUD ONCE UPON A TIME IN LAUGHAYETTE: STAND-UP COMEDY SHOWCASE

Lafayette, Louisiana

Aching for a good belly-gripping laugh?

Book your seat for Cité des Arts' upcoming comedy showcase, featuring a slate of the region's most hysterical talents—including Ryan Rogers, Jeff Vance, Ben Collins, Delisia Nichols, Samantha Bednarz, and Bee Gee. 7 pm. $15 in advance; $20 at the door. citedesarts.org . •

SEP 16th

WRITE ON WEST BATON ROUGE LIBRARY WRITING WORKSHOP

Port Allen, Louisiana

If you're looking for a mini-community in which to hone your literary craft, the West Baton Rouge Library introduces its monthly Writing Workshop series, held on the third Saturday of every month from 1 pm–3 pm. For more information, call Adult Services Librarian Luis Interiano at (225) 342-7920, ext. 230. •

SEP 16th

HEALTHCARE HEROES

2023 NIGHTINGALE AWARDS AND GALA

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Celebrate the heroes who are our local nurses with an elegant award-show-style ceremony—sealed envelopes and all—at the Louisiana Nurses Foundation's annual Nightingale Awards & Gala at the Crowne Plaza Executive Center.

Events

Beginning September 16th - September 18th

7 pm–9:30 pm. $100 at bontempstix.com. •

SEP 16th

MUSIC ACROSS THE PRAIRIE LE TROISIEME MUSIC & CULTURAL HERITAGE

Arnaudville, Louisiana

In the creative communities that make up the Corridor des Arts—Arnaudville, Cecilia, Frozard, Grand Coteau, Henderson, and Sunset—the third weekend of the month is dedicated to all things music, coming alive with an eclectic tour of regional and visiting artists in the area's rich collective of venues and festivals. Stay up-to-date with upcoming events by subscribing to NUNU's "Le Troisieme Music and Cultural Heritage" e-newsletter at nunuaccolective.homestead.com. •

SEP 16th

RAINBOW BRIGHT

PRIDE HERITAGE TABLE

Arnaudville, Louisiana

NUNU invites members of the LGBTQA+ community and their loved

ones and supporters for a cultural heritage table every third Saturday of the month, hosted by Acadiana support groups AQC, LTA, and PFLAG. 2 pm–4 pm. Free. nunuaccollective. homesteadcloud.com. •

SEP 16th

JAM SESSIONS

JAMMIN' ON THE BAYOU

Opelousas, Louisiana

Join musician Stanley Lee in his notso-impromptu jam sessions every third Saturday of the month at the St. Landry Parish Visitor Center. Guests are encouraged to bring their favorite instruments and their favorite songs, no matter your level of expertise.

1 pm–3 pm. Free, and open to the public. cajuntravel.com. •

SEP 16th

MUSIC FESTS

HIGHLAND JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL

Shreveport, Louisiana

The Highland Jazz & Blues Festival returns to Shreveport's Columbia Park

with nonstop live music on two stages and fun for everyone. 11 am–6 pm. Free. Details at shreveport-bossier.org. •

SEP 16th

CAPES ON REAL SUPERHEROS OF SAFE HARBOR GALA

Slidell, Louisiana

Ten local leaders, nominated by the community, have been hard at work on the Northshore, raising awareness and funds for the Safe Harbor Domestic Violence Program, which offers critical services to support victims of domestic violence in Washington and St. Tammany Parishes. The nominees have been vying for local “votes” at $10 a pop—and at the Real Superheros Gala at the Harbor Center, we’ll find out who has made it to infinity and beyond. Guests can expect an evening of live music, a catered dinner, an open bar, dancing, live and silent auctions—and superhero costumes are encouraged. 7 pm. $100. safeharbornorthshore.org. •

SEP 16th - SEP 17th

NOT-SO-FURRY FRIENDS

HERPS EXOTIC REPTILE & PET SHOW

Gonzales, Louisiana

If you’re interested in getting a new

pet, spend a weekend exploring the thousands of reptiles, amphibians, saltwater fish, and more at the Herps Exotic Reptile & Pet Show at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. The world’s most exotic reptiles and animals will be featured as part of an educational, hands-on experience. Saturday at 10 am–5 pm; Sunday at 10 am–4 pm. Day pass: $10 for adults, $5 for children ages five to twelve; and free for children four and younger. 2-day pass: $15 for adults, $8 for children ages five to twelve, and free for children four and younger. herpshow.net. •

SEP 16th - SEP 17th

DOGGY PADDLING END OF THE SUMMER

DOG POOL PAWTY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

To celebrate the end of summer, man's best friend, and the seasonal closing of BREC's Liberty Lagoon waterpark, bring your furry best friends out to splash around and test their water skills. Dogs under forty pounds are invited for session one from 10:30 am–12:30 pm; dogs over forty pounds are invited from 1 pm–3 pm. Dogs of any size can come to the last session from 3:30 pm–5:30 pm. $5 per dog. libertylagoon.com. •

You could be a candidate for surgical weight loss if you:

• Are more than 80 pounds over your ideal body weight.

• Have a Body Mass Index (height to weight ratio) between 40-47.

• Have a Body Mass Index of over 35 and are experiencing severe negative health effects, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

• Are unable to achieve a healthy body weight for a sustained period of time, even through medically supervised dieting.

At Lane Surgery Group, we are helping many morbidly obese people lose weight through Gastric Sleeve Surgery. Using this laparoscopic procedure, our general surgeons remove 3⁄4 of the stomach which limits the amount of food that can be eaten and reduces hunger signals to the brain.

The surgery entails a one-night inpatient hospital stay, but most people can return to work in as little as a week after the procedure.

To discuss your weight loss goals, medical history, and gain a better understanding about Gastric Sleeve Surgery and its risks as well as its benefits, please call Lane Surgery Group at 225-570-2489 to schedule a consultation.

For your weight loss surgery, Lane Surgery Group accepts Medicaid and has cash pay and payment plan options!

SEP 16th - SEP 30th

VINEYARD CONCERTS JAZZ'N THE VINES

Bush, Louisiana

With the bunch grapes fattening on the vine, so the Jazz'n the Vines Concert Series continues. Wild Bush Farm + Vineyards' long-running outdoor concert series brings celebrated Louisiana musicians to a gorgeous pastoral setting. Entertaining assembled picnickers this month are:

September 16: Dusky Waters

September 30: Johny Sketch & the Dirty Notes

6:30 pm–9 pm at 81250 Highway 1082. Gates open at 5 pm. Bring a picnic blanket, lawn chairs, and bug spray. Wine from Wild Bush Farm + Vineyards and various foods will be available for sale from local vendors. $12 admission at bontempstix.com. wildbushfarmandvineyard.com. •

SEP 17th

CULTURAL HERITAGE GONZALES SPANISH HERITAGE FESTIVAL

Gonzales, Louisiana

Celebrate Ascension's vibrant hispanic community with food, vendors, music and more in Gonzales's Jambalaya Park.

Noon–6:30 pm. Free. visitlasweetspot.com. •

SEP 17th

TINY DANCERS NUTCRACKER AUDITIONS

Denham Springs, Louisiana

The Tri-Parish Ballet will hold auditions for its seasonal production of the holiday classic The Nutcracker this month. Dancers should arrive fifteen minutes early to stretch and fill out an audition form. The following are the audition times by age:

1 pm–1:30 pm: Boys seven and older

1:30 pm–2:15 pm: Girls seven–ten years old

2:15 pm–3 pm: Girls eleven–fourteen years old

3 pm–4 pm: Advanced dancers

The auditions are held at Odyssey Academy of Dance 108 Business Park Ave. Suite F Denham Springs. $10 audition fee. For more information, call (225) 665-3414. •

SEP 17th

FIDDLIN' AROUND

CAJUN MUSIC JAM

Port Allen, Louisiana

In the West Baton Rouge Museum's Brick Gallery, area musicians and music-lovers

alike are invited to gather each month for a Cajun French Music Jam, sponsored by the Baton Rouge Cajun French Music Association Chapter. A different musical artist will lead the jam each month. So get out your instrument, or your dancing shoes, and join in. 3 pm–5 pm. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.com. •

SEP 17th

HOLIDAY MAGIC BRBT AUDITIONS FOR THE NUTCRACKER

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The holiday wonderment of The Nutcracker is certainly magical from the audience, but the experience is even more profound from the perspective of the dancers. Baton Rouge Ballet Theatre is holding auditions for its 2023 production, inviting children ages eight to fourteen with a variety of dance experience to try out for roles like cherubs, lambs, and more. A limited number of scholarships are available, as well. $10 audition fee, $95 rehearsal fee for each child selected. Here are the audition times:

12:30 pm–1:15 pm: Boys eight years and older

12:45 pm–1:30 pm: Girls eight years old

1:30 pm– 2:15 pm: Girls nine years old

2:15 pm–3 pm: Girls ten–eleven years old

3 pm–3:45 pm: Girls twelve–fourteen years old

Children must turn eight by December 31, 2023. batonrougeballet.org/ nutcracker-auditions. •

SEP 17th

COMMUNITY CYCLING

FRONT YARD BIKE BASH

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

For the first time ever, Baton Rouge nonprofit Front Yard Bikes is hosting a bash that will get rolling with a bike parade through Mid-City, stopping briefly at the Front Yard Bikes building on Government Street for snacks and bike tune-ups. The ride will continue to Independence Park with food, beverages, and more fun. Meet local members of the community as well as community leaders, while reveling in a mutual love of bicycling and raising money to support Front Yard Bikes's mission of helping the youth of Baton Rouge lead healthy and fulfilling lives. 3 pm–7 pm. $40. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 18th

ARTISAN ANTICS

CHAIR CANING WORKSHOP

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Join heritage artisan Tommy Guidry at

visitportarthurtx.com

Get ready for surf, sand and sunrises in Port Arthur. Drive on over to Texas’ upper Gulf Coast for a family vacation overflowing with fall festivities. From sports and music hall of fames at the Museum of the Gulf Coast to overnight camping and paddling one of three rated trails at Sea Rim State Park to fishing and beach combing at McFaddin Beach, and even filling up on the best Cajun seafood in all of Texas, you’ll love every memory-making moment.

Events

Beginning September 19th - September 21st

Saint Luc French Immersion and Cultural Campus for an all-day workshop on the art of chair caning. All participants will complete a 12x12 project to take home. 9 am–3 pm. $125. stlucimmersion.org. •

SEP 19th

BIG TOP

CARDEN CIRCUS

Gonzales, Louisiana

Be amazed as trapeze artists twirl and elephants stomp beneath the red-striped big top tent when Carden Circus comes to the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. 6:30 pm. $25 (though the first 100 tickets sold are $9.99) at tickets. spectacularcircus.com. •

SEP 19th

LIVE MUSIC

LOBBY LOUNGE CONCERT:

ROMAN STREET

Slidell, Louisiana

Singer songwriter Roman Street is performing an intimate concert at the Lobby Lounge in the Harbor Center. 7 pm, doors at 6:30 pm. $18; $50 for a

two-seat table; $100 for a four-seat table. harborcenter.org. •

SEP 20th

CREATIVE NETWORKING

CULTURE COLLISION 13

Metairie, Louisiana

Someone once likened Culture Collision to a trade show, but that isn't quite correct—it's much more than that. Effectively, it is an annual happy hour to kick off New Orleans's vibrant cultural season, where the movers and shakers therein can connect and share their projects and talents. The one-night-only affair presented by the Jefferson Performing Arts Society and WWNO 89.9 takes place at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center, and features dozens of performing and visual arts participants, all with diverse and colorful visions for the coming year. It's an evening of food and drink devoted to one goal: introducing potential audience members, volunteers, patrons, and artists to the arts that the city has to offer. Small plates and a cash bar. 5:30 pm–8 pm. $50. culturenola.org. •

SEP 20th COLLEGE FOOTBALL LOUISIANA TECH’S JOE AILLET

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

For the Main Library's Special Collections Lecture Series, author Chris Kennedy will present a lecture on his book Louisiana Tech’s Joe Aillet. 6 pm. Free. ebrpl.com. •

SEP 20th

LOCAL FILMMAKERS SCREENING OF ADA AND THE DOC

Morgan City, Louisiana

Local film student Madison LeBlanc, who is studying at SCAD in Savannah, Georgia, presents her senior thesis proof-ofconcept short film—set and filmed largely in Louisiana and based on a real-life crime that happened here—for its local premiere at the Morgan City Municipal Theatre. The screening will begin at 7:30 pm and will be followed by a jambalaya dinner, a behindthe-scenes look at the making of the film, and a Q&A with cast and crew. $10. Details at the Ada and the Doc Facebook Page. •

SEP 20th

LIVE MUSIC

RIVER CITY JAZZ MASTERS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Arts Council of Greater Baton

Rouge's annual series attracting some of the world's most talented jazz artists welcomes Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz to the Manship Theatre stage. 7:30 pm. $28–$48. artsbr.org/rcjm. •

SEP 21st

CROPPING UP SHADOWS-ON-THETECHE FARM FEST

New Iberia, Louisiana

Shadows-on-the-Teche, in partnership with the Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival & Fair Association, honors the farmers who grew the most significant crop in the area. Expect Bambinos burgers and Jolet hot dogs, plus live music by 2NL Jazz Combo and Andy Smith. Minors should be accompanied by an adult. $10 per family. 4 pm–8 pm. shadowsontheteche.org. •

SEP 21st

TRIBUTE TUNES

RED DRAGON PRESENTS: A TRIBUTE TO GUY CLARK

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Red Dragon legend Guy Clark receives yet another heart-rending tribute on the Manship Stage, courtesy of his musical collaborators and friends Verlon Thompson and Shawn Camp. 7:30 pm. $49.95–$69.95. manshiptheatre.com. •

Events

Beginning September 21st - September 22nd

SEP 21st

KEEPIN' IT CLASSIC(AL)

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PRESENTS

NORTHSHORE CLASSICS

Covington, Louisiana

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra will open its Northshore Classics season with a performance of Igor Stravinsky’s "Pulcinella" suite, conducted by new Musical Director Matthew Kraemer. 7:30 pm. $25–$55.  visitthenorthshore.com. •

SEP 21st

SWEET CELEBRATIONS

LOUISIANA

SUGARCANE FESTIVAL

New Iberia, Louisiana

This eighty-year-old New Iberia festival launches the annual grinding season with a sweet, sweet celebration of local farmers. The festival honors the industry with a blessing of the crop, a 5K race, the naming of a king and queen, food, Cajun music, and the procession of several parades down Main Street. The Cyr Gates

Community Center will be the site for events and competitions including a sugar-centric cooking competition, an art show, and a garden and flower display. Plus, the SugArena at the Acadiana Fairgrounds will host a 4-H livestock show, and Farm Fest will take place at Shadows-on-the-Teche. Wear your dancing shoes: The Cajun and Zydeco music lineup includes Rouge Krewe, the Chee Weez, Ryan Foret, Geno Delafose, and Chris Ardoin. Free. Find schedule and more information at hisugar.org. •

SEP 21st

CREATIVE COLLABORATIONS ABITA SPRINGS SONGWRITERS CIRCLE

Abita Springs, Louisiana

On the third Thursday of each month, songwriters from far and wide circle up at The Abita Springs Town Hall for a night of creative collaboration, song workshopping, sharing, and encouragement. 7 pm–10 pm. Free. Contact Todd Lemoine at forkarmabooking@gmail.com for more information. •

SEP 21st

JAZZ CATS

TALKIN’ JAZZ WITH FRED

KASTEN AND JUDITH OWEN AT THE JAZZ MUSEUM

New Orleans, Louisiana

The New Orleans Jazz Museum is hosting a laid-back discussion of jazz in their third-floor Performance Center, featuring WWNO's host of Jazz New Orleans Fred Casten and New Orleans musician Judith Owens. Free. 2 pm–3:30 pm. nolajazzmuseum.org. •

SEP 21st - SEP 24th

CHOMP CHOMP

ALLIGATOR FESTIVAL

Luling, Louisiana

See ya later alligator—at St. Charles Parish's annual Alligator Festival—where, no, there are no crocodiles to be found. Held at West Bank Bridge Park, gear up for music, carnival rides, craft vendors, live music from ten bands, and plenty of gator fare—fried, grilled, frittered, in a sausage and in a sauce piquante too. Thursday is "Locals' Night" with free admission to the festival and $1 off beer from 6 pm–9 pm; Friday the festival is open from 6 pm–11 pm; Saturday 11 am–11 pm; Sunday 11 am–9 pm. $5 admission, free for ages ten and under. alligatorfestival.org for details. •

SEP 21st - SEP 30th

SALON SAGAS

JPAS PRESENTS

STEEL MAGNOLIAS

Westwego, Louisiana

Grab your loved ones for a classic tale of brash but big-hearted Louisiana women as 30 by Ninety Theatre in Mandeville puts their talents toward Steel Magnolias. Shelby, Truvy, M'Lynn, Clairee, Annelle, and Ouiser are at the center of this story of life, love, and loss in a thinly-veiled Natchitoches. 7:30 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 2 pm on Sunday. $35; $32 seniors/military; $25 students. 30byninety.com. •

SEP 22nd

COMMUNITY CONCERTS

MANDEVILLE LIVE! CONCERT SERIES

Mandeville, Louisiana

Mandeville has planned another stimulating fall season for its live music series, Mandeville Live! This month, catch Jourdan Blue. As usual, these concerts at the Mandeville Trailhead are free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase, so please leave all outside sustenance at home. Gates open at 6 pm for 6:30 pm performances. cityofmandeville.com. •

22nd ARTY PARTIES LOVE IN THE GARDEN

New Orleans, Louisiana

There's nothing like a garden party to bring in the cooler autumn months, and NOMA's annual soirée in the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden provides a perfectly romantic environment for sipping a cocktail and enjoying a conversation about fine art under moonlit oaks. Food will be provided by a variety of beloved local restaurants, and musical entertainment by Raw Deal Band. Patron party begins at 7 pm, Garden Party at 8 pm. Tickets start at $100 for non-members, with sponsorship opportunities available. noma.org. •

22nd COASTAL CONCERTS

AN EVENING WITH JOHN "PAPA" GROS AND DJ DOUG FUNNIE AT THE BAY ST. LOUIS LITTLE THEATRE

Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi

Good Earth Records is heading to the Gulf when New Orleans piano powerhouse John "Papa" Gros and DJ Doug Funnie take the stage of the Bay St. Louis Little Theatre. 8 pm–10 pm. $15. bontempstix.com. •

BREADA's fifth-annual Farm Fete fundraiser for the Red Stick Farmers Market will include live musical performance by John Gray Jazz & Friends, plus food from some of Baton Rouge's favorite restaurants, to celebrate local agriculture. Image courtesy of BREADA. See listing on page 44.

Events

Beginning September 22nd - September 23rd

SEP 22nd - SEP 23rd

SPIRITUALITY & WELLNESS

MERCY DIVINE RETREAT

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Join Grammy-nominated Catholic musician and speaker Laura Huval and Brenda Joubert for a music and arts retreat, focusing on topics of Works of Mercy, at the picturesque Nine Oaks Au Joubert. Throughout the course of the day (offered on two dates), participants will enjoy music, art-making, and discussions on scripture, St. Faustina's diary, and more. 9 am–2 pm. $100 includes art supplies, lunch, and light refreshments. laurahuval.com. •

SEP 22nd - SEP 24th

DEBUT COMEDIES

RUN FOR THE EXIT AT THEATRE BATON ROUGE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Making its stage debut, this comedy written and directed by Dr. Terry Byars is full of shenanigans led by three zany ladies of history: Auntie Victoire, Carrie Nation, and Mary Tod Lincoln. Riotous and elaborate, the story is presented as a staged reading, with three one-act performances tied together by Byars (as Dr. Theodosius Pimlico-Poe)'s narration. 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday; 2 pm Sunday. $10. theatrebr.org. •

SEP 22nd - SEP 29th

LATIN JAZZ

JAZZ MUSEUM HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH PERFORMANCES

New Orleans, Louisiana

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the New Orleans Jazz Museum is hosting the following concerts by Hispanic artists in their third-floor Performance Center:

September 22: Los Gatos del Sur

September 29: Jaleo Flamenco

Free. 2 pm. nolajazzmuseum.org. •

SEP 23rd

POWERHOUSES LADY OF SONG AT CITÉ DES ARTS

Lafayette, Louisiana

New York vocalist Cinnamon Jones's critically-acclaimed stage play Lady of the Song is coming to the Cité des Arts stage for one night only this month. A tribute to the women of the music

industry—Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Barbra Streisand, and more—the high energy, one-hour show is all great songs and good vibes. 3 pm. $20. citedesarts.org. •

SEP 23rd

AUDITION READY RED MAGNOLIA THEATRE COMPANY'S MUSICAL THEATRE AUDITION WORKSHOP

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Join the Red Magnolia Theatre Company for vocal workshop that will help participants get ready for their next musical theatre audition with instructor Jennifer Ellis. 9:30 am–noon at the 225 Theatre Collective. $45. redmagnoliatc.org. •

SEP 23rd

FRIED DOUGH

BEIGNET FEST

New Orleans, Louisiana

Perhaps the very best thing about the iconic, flaky, fried dough of a New Orleans beignet is its versatility—put on full display for the sixth annual Beignet Fest at City Park. From traditional sugary sweets to innovative savory experiments—all warm and toasty in that can't-get-it-wrong way—our local chefs can pull it all off. Attendees will be invited to vote for their favorites while perusing the wares of the Artist Market, Kids Village, and Resource Walk. Then, wash it all down with a satisfying stop at the Abita Beer Garden. Live music will be provided by local favorites Flagboy Giz and Flow Tribe, with additional performances by Black Magic Drumline, Imagination Movers, New Soul Finders featuring Marilyn Barbarin and Marc Stone, and Mia Borders. 10 am–6 pm at the Festival Grounds. $20 per person over twelve years old. beignetfest.com. •

SEP 23rd TRADITIONS

RAYNE OLD SPANISH TRAIL DAY

Rayne, Louisiana

The little frog-loving town of Rayne's annual Old Spanish Trail Day includes an opening ceremony, historical speakers, a French table, quality arts and crafts vendors, an open car show, and various demonstrators. Held inside the Rayne Civic Center at 210 Frog Festival Drive. 9 am–3 pm. Free. For more information, call

Events

Beginning September 23rd - September 28th

(337) 280-9228. •

SEP 23rd

EAT AROUND THE WORLD

FÊTE DU FRANÇAIS & INTERNATIONAL COOK-OFF

Arnaudville, Louisiana

Enjoy delicacies from around the world while supporting the Cecilia French Immersion Association at Maison Stephanie. Besides an international cook-off, there will be a variety of French activities and a performance from the band Les Amis du Teche. 10 am. $10, children under twelve free. cajuncountry.org. •

SEP 23rd - SEP 24th

WHAT'S THE BUZZ?

BEE ALIVE HONEY BEE

CONFERENCE & EXPO

Slidell, Louisiana

Celebrate the honey bees and the sweet, sweet liquid gold they produce at this two-day festival geared toward beekeepers and bee fans at the Harbor Center. 8 am–6 pm Friday, 8 am–5 pm Saturday. $55 for one day or $110 for a two-day pass. beealiveconference.com. •

SEP 23rd & SEP 28th

FRESH FUNDRAISERS BREADA'S FARM FÊTE

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

From the folks who bring you the Red Stick Farmers Market and Main Street Market—

Farm Fête brings together all the things we love about local produce and producers. The festivities begin at the Saturday market on September 23, where your weekly downtown grocery-gathering will receive celebratory adornments of live music, a wine pull, and a display of items to be auctioned. Don't miss out on the bloody marys and mimosas, either. Then the main gala event will take place on September 28 at 6 pm, featuring a live musical performance by John Gray and Friends, plus food by a slate of favorite Baton Rouge restaurants and drinks from local distillers. farmfete.org. •

SEP 23rd - OCT 28th

GALLERY WALLS

ILLEGIBLE & INEDIBLE AND TALES FROM THE WOODS AT LEMIEUX GALLERIES

New Orleans, Louisiana

LeMieux Galleries presents two new art

exhibitions this month: Sean O’Meallie's Illegible & Inedible (Books You Can’t Read and Food You Can’t Eat) alongside Mark Hosford's Tales from the Woods. lemieuxgalleries.com. •

SEP 24th

BIG BANDS

BATON ROUGE CONCERT

BAND FALL CONCERT

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Baton Rouge Concert Band has put together a fall concert that will bring the aesthetic beauty of visual art to your ears, with pieces like “Scenes from ‘The Louvre’” and movements from “Pictures at an Exhibition”. As the evening ramps up, the band will play “Nessun Dorma” and “Selections from Carmen," plus Georgia O’Keefe’s “Blue and Green Music”. After all of that, enjoy polkas, cakewalks, and other fun tunes, all out on the Plaza at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch on Goodwood. 5 pm. Free. brcb.org. •

SEP 24th

POETRY PARTIES

RICAPITO GROUP READING AT BATON ROUGE GALLERY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Ricapito Group, a creative writing group which provides community and assists its writers in their efforts to have

their works published (and has helped over twenty books reach publication since it was founded), is hosting a reading at Baton Rouge Gallery featuring readings by writers Raymond Berthelot, Charles deGravelles, Jeanne George, Andrew King, Ed Ruzicka, Marilyn Shapley, Eileen Shieber, JohnTarlton, Randolph Thomas and Cynthia Toups. Before the reading, singer/songwriter Randolph Thomas will perform a set of original music. 4 pm. Free. batonrougegallery.org. •

SEP 24th

GRAND OPENINGS

HAVENFEST 2023

Covington, Louisiana

Celebrate the opening of Covington's newest coffee shop and cocktail bar with a free music festival featuring performances by Colony House, Lunar Vacation, Empty Atlas, Don Quixote's Horse, and Brass Hearts Brass Band. 2 pm–10 pm. Food and drinks will be available from Haven and other local vendors. Free. visitthenorthshore.com. •

SEP 24th

NEON FABLES

THE ADVENTURES OF TORTOISE AND HARE AT JPAC

Metairie, Louisiana

Recognized as the signature brand of

of Tortoise and Hare to the Jefferson Performing Arts Center stage. 2 pm. $25–$60. jeffersonpac.com. •

SEP 26th

SUN SALUTATIONS

YOGA WORKSHOP AT THE WEST BATON ROUGE MUSEUM

Port Allen, Louisiana

Join nearly thirty-year veteran instructor Elena Moreno-Keegan for a special yoga workshop at the West Baton Rouge Museum's Brick Gallery. Moreno-Keegan will lead students of every age, shape, size, fitness and skill level in a stretching and breathing session as part of Port Allen Cultural District's wellness initiative programming. Bring a yoga mat, wear comfy clothes, and don't eat one hour before class. Held the last Tuesday of every month at 6 pm. Free. westbatonrougemuseum.org. •

SEP 26th

ROMAN HOLIDAY

JUBAN'S CHEF & SOMM SERIES: TOUR OF ITALY WINE DINNER

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Juban's is continuing their Chef & Somm Series with an Italian dinner prepared by Chef Chris Motto, accompanied by fine wines curated

$125. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 27th

DANCING DREAMS

BYRDE'S DANCERS SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Baton Rouge dance company Of Moving Colors is consistently devoted to ensuring aspiring dancers of all backgrounds are given the opportunity to pursue the art of movement and performance. One of the many ways they do this is with their Kick it Out program and the Byrde's Dancers Scholarship, which funds young dancers' classes as well as costumes and shoes. With the goal of providing scholarships to as many dancers as possible, OMC is hosting the seventhannual Byrde's Dancers Scholarship

Luncheon at the Baton Rouge Country Club. 11:30 am–1 pm. $500 for a table that seats eight. To purchase tickets or sponsor a dancer, visit ofmovingcolors.org/byrdes. •

SEP 28th

MEXIFOLK

LOS LOBOS AT THE ACADIANA CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Lafayette, Louisiana

Coming from a long legacy of

The New Orleans Beignet Fest on September 23 offers dozens of varieties of the beloved fried dough—like this classic version from Sweet Legacy paired with fried chicken. See listing on page 42.

Sweet things to do

Events

Beginning September 28th - September 29th

bringing Mexican folk music into the mainstream, Los Lobos—made up of David Hidalgo on vocals and guitar; Louie Perez on drums, vocals, and guitar; Cesar Rosas on vocals and guitar; and Conrad Lozano on bass, vocals, guitarron—celebrates its fiftieth anniversary as a band this year. Drawing out layered expressions of son jarocho, norteño, folk, country, doo-wop, soul, R&B, rock and roll, and punk—they continue to captivate audiences as a testament to the diversity central to great Americana. See them onstage at the Acadiana Center for the Arts. 7:30 pm. $35–$55. acadianacenterforthearts.org. •

SEP 28th

COMMUNITY BLUES

ROCKIN' THE RAILS CONCERT: JOHN CLEARY

Covington, Louisiana

Fall in Covington means it's time for the Rockin' the Rails concert series. Every Thursday night through October, attendees are treated to free live musical entertainment in historic downtown. Kicking off the series in September is a show from John Cleary. Free at the Covington Trailhead. 5:30 pm–7:30 pm. covla.com. •

SEP 28th

SWAMP KING

TAB BENOIT WITH ANTHONY ROSANO AND THE CONQUEROOS

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The Grammy-nominated Delta Swamp King and Louisiana Music Hall of Famer

Tab Benoit has shared the spotlight with many a legend: from George Porter Jr., to Willie Nelson, to Allen Toussaint, and many more. Now, he takes the stage at the Manship Theatre for a not-to-be-missed performance with Anthony Rosano and The Conqueroos. 7:30 pm. $55–$66. manshiptheatre.com. •

SEP 28th

GREEN THUMBS MASTER GARDENERS

PROGRAMS IN SEPTEMBER

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners will present two informative gardening programs this month at the Fairwood Library. First, Mary Tauzin will give a presentation titled "Cool Weather Plants," then Kerry Hawkins will give a talk titled "Raised Beds & Bags". 5:30 pm. Free. ebrmg.wildapricot.org. •

SEP 28th - SEP 29th

OFF THE PAGE

AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR AT THE LIBRARY

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The East Baton Rouge Parish Library's annual Author/Illustrator Program affords an opportunity for the exchange of ideas with prominent writers, artists, scholars, and performers of literature for children and young adults. This year, the program features author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Jeremy Boston Weatherford, who will lead the following events:

September 28: Behind the Writing, Part 1, with book-signing and reception to follow. 7 pm–8 pm. Free.

September 29: Behind the Writing, Part 2. 8:30 am–noon. $25 for adults, $10 students; snacks provided. ebrpl.com. •

SEP 28th - OCT 1st

TREASURE HUNTS

TUNICA HILLS MULTI-FAMILY GARAGE SALE

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

The good people of St. Francisville have junk—er, stuff—okay, treasures to pass along, and they're clearing out their attics and garages for this Tunica Hills-wide, multi-home garage sale. visitstfrancisvillela.com. •

SEP 29th

LAUGH ATTACKS STAND UP COMEDY WITH MATT BRAUNGER AT THE MANSHIP

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Funny man Matthew Braunger—who you might recognize from his 2019 comedy special Finally Live in Portland , or his guest roles in Up All Night, Agent Carter, and Disjointed —is staging a cabaret-style show as part of the Hartley/Vey Studio Theatre’s Stand Up Comedy Series. Show starts at 7:30 pm. $25. manshiptheatre.com. •

SEP 29th

SAFARI PARTIES

BREW AT THE ZOO

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Toasts with tigers and cheers with the cheetahs. Brew at the Zoo promises a wild time, featuring tastings from dozens of craft breweries, dishes from local restaurants plus full servings of food throughout the zoo, music, and wild scenery. Safari chic/casual attire welcome. 7 pm–10 pm. $60; $125 VIP; $30 designated drivers. Ages twentyone and older only. brzoobrew.org. •

Events

Beginning September 29th - September 30

SEP 29th

INTIMATE CONCERTS FRIENDS OF THE CABILDO CONCERT SERIES: MIA BORDERS

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Friends of the Cabildo Concert Series will host an intimate concert with soulful New Orleans singersongwriter Mia Borders at the Jazz Museum's third-floor performance center listening room. 7 pm–9 pm. $35. nolajazzmuseum.org. •

SEP 29th

CARS & SHOPPING COLUMBIA STREET BLOCK PARTY

Covington, Louisiana

This long-running last-Friday-of-themonth event closes the 200 to 500 blocks of Columbia Street to anything with an engine, providing lots of opportunities for fun on foot instead. The classic car people and the shop owners will be handing out goodies accordingly, plus live music at local venues. Shops and restaurants open late, too. 6 pm–9 pm. Free. covla.com. •

SEP 29th

PLANT PARENTS ST. TAMMANY MASTER GARDENERS’ FALL SEMINAR

Mandeville, Louisiana

Want to improve your gardening skills this fall? The St. Tammany Master Gardener Association is holding their fall gardening seminar in conjunction with the LSU AgCenter at Mandeville's Church of the King, where guests will be able to listen to expert speakers and table talks about various gardening topics, and to shop the speciallycurated plant boutique. Ticket includes a gourmet lunch. 8 am–2:30 pm. $50. stmastergardener.org. •

SEP 30th

HOT WHEELS DA BOOT FEST 2023

Port Allen, Louisiana MD Productions invites car, truck, and motorcycle enthusiasts and their families to Port Allen's State Capitol Raceway for a car, truck, bike show, and grudge race. 10 am–11 pm. $25. visitbatonrouge.com. •

HENRY TURNER JR'S LISTENING ROOM MONTHLY FILM SERIES

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room Museum Foundation is pleased to continue their monthly film series this month with a screening of Who Said You Can’t: African American Women in Science. This inspiring

were pioneers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and at NASA. The film will be followed by an acoustic performance by Henry Turner Jr. Non-alcoholic beverages and snacks are available for purchase. 8:30 pm. $10 and includes a Soul Food Side Dish. htjmuseum.org. •

Learn gardening tips and techniques from the pros just in time for fall planting at the St. Tammany Master Gardeners' Fall Seminar in Mandeville on September 29. Photo by Jonathan Kemper.

SEP 30th

CULTURAL HERITAGE

LE DERNIER EDUCATION & HERITAGE

Arnaudville, Louisiana

In the creative communities that make up the Corridor des Arts—Arnaudville, Cecilia, Frozard, Grand Coteau, Henderson, and Sunset—the last weekend of the month is dedicated to education, highlighting opportunities to build and foster new knowledge about everything from language, to art, to business, to cooking. Stay up-to-date with events by subscribing to NUNU's e-newsletter at nunuaccolective.homestead.com. •

SEP 30th

WE CAN DO IT PLAYMAKERS THEATER PRESENTS INTO THE BREECHES

Covington, Louisiana

George Brant's script about a playhouse's leading men heading to fight in WWII, which prompts the director's wife to produce an all-female production of Shakespeare's Henriad, is coming to Playmakers Theater. Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 2 pm. $20, $15 for children. bontempstix.com. •

SEP 30th

HANDS-ON DECORATIVE CLAY MASK WORKSHOP AT NUNU

Arnaudville, Louisiana

In this special workshop hosted by artist Peg Ramier, students will learn about how to use ceramic clay while exploring facial figurative art. Slabs of ceramic and facial forms will be provided, as well as instruction in handbuilt techniques, underglaze techniques, and more. Masks will then be kiln-fired and students can pick them up at a later date. $90; $75 for members. nunuaccollective. homesteadcloud.com •

SEP 30th

AVIAN ACTION

EVENING OWL WALK AT AUDUBON HISTORIC SITE

Saint Francisville, Louisiana

Learn everything there is to learn about owls at Audubon State Historic Site, where a ranger will walk guests through how to identify different types of owls, owl behavior, and various conservation measures. Bring a flashlight, binoculars, and comfortable walking shoes—and no flash photography. 6:45 pm–8:15 pm. Included in $5 grounds fee. (225) 635-3739 for more information. •

SEP 30th

HUNTERS' BOUNTY WILD GAME, SEAFOOD, AND BBQ COOK-OFF

Slidell, Louisiana

Empty out the freezer before hunting season

by putting a team together for Slidell Chief Fandal's Wild Game Cook-Off at Olde Towne Slidell at the corner of Cousin and Carey Streets. Enter a cooking team to compete for prizes and a people’s choice award or, for the $25 price of admission ($30 at the gate); come get a taste of all the good food (and drinks) that such an intense cooking competition guarantees. Proceeds benefit Community Christian Concern. 11 am–4 pm. visitthenorthshore.com. •

SEP 30th - OCT 1st

CAJUN CULTURE

LE GRAND HOORAH

Eunice, Louisiana

Carrying on a long tradition of celebrating Acadiana's cultural treasures in an intimate, authentic setting—Le Grand Hoorah returns again to Lakeview Park & Beach. Join rural Acadiana's cooks, dancers, and musicians for two days of unparalleled cultural celebration in one of the region's most iconic dancehalls. Boucheries, fais do dos, and inspiration await, with performances by the Daquiri Queens, Cajun-4 avec Steve Riley, Geno Delafose & French Rockin' Boogie, Forest Huval, Blake Miller, and Balfa Toujours. Things close on Sunday with an outdoor mass, celebrated in French. Details at prairieheritageinc.com. •

SEP 30th - OCT 8th

MUSIC FESTS

RED RIVER REVEL

Shreveport, Louisiana

At the largest outdoor festival in North Louisiana, look forward to live music from the likes of Paul Cauthen, Eric Gales, Here Comes the Universe, and more. There will be plenty of activities for adults and kids alike, including artists representing virtually every media. Crockett Street. Admission is $5 on weekends and weekdays after 5:30 pm, free otherwise. Monday–Wednesday 11 am–9 pm; Thursday–Saturday 11 am–10 pm; Sunday 11 am–7 pm. redriverrevel.com. •

For our full list of September events, including those we couldn’t fit in print, point your phone camera here.

40 Stories from 40 Years

IN CELEBRATION OF THIS MAGAZINE'S 40TH YEAR ON STANDS, OUR EDITORIAL TEAM REACHED INTO THE ARCHIVES. HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE FOUND.

By Jordan LaHaye Fontenot

When we proposed the idea, it seemed obvious, simple, fun: forty stories for forty years! A trip down memory lane for this publication, which celebrates its ruby anniversary this month: we'd republish one story from each year that Country Roads has been in circulation.

Our editorial team—Publisher James Fox-Smith, Arts & Entertainment Editor Alexandra Kennon, and I convened at our office, which is a rare thing in these work-from-home times. From the old meeting room library shelf, we pulled out the bound copies of every issue published since our founder Dorcas Brown decided she wanted to spread the word about the riches of small town Louisiana in the fall of 1983.

It took very little time at all to realize the challenge we had set up for ourselves: how to possibly pick a single story for each year? How to resist disappearing for hours into the pages of the "Indian Summer" issue of 1997, drowning in Elizabeth Dart's story of West Feliciana swimming holes, taking notes on Linda Metcalf Smith's column on hurricane gardening, and squealing at Murrell Butler's ode to barn swallows. Our lists of candidates for each year piled high, and it took us weeks of painful vetting to arrive at a final slate of forty stories.

Along the way I, who have now edited Country Roads for a mere five of these years—gained a new appreciation for the legacy of this magazine. I found decades-old stories written by writers I still have the privilege of working with today; discovered writers long gone whose distinct styles defined eras at this magazine. We found stories that made us laugh out loud, and stories that marked key moments of the past four decades—the rise of the internet, Hurricane Katrina, and more recently COVID-19. We came across James's first work of journalism, written about Alex's parents' iconic Shadetree bed and breakfast. We found stories we'd write so differently now, and stories that can never be imitated. And then there were stories that we've told again and again, figments of our culture we can't help but return to, inspiring each "generation" of editors anew.

How does a print publicaton, written for a regional audience, survive the forty most turbulent years of media in history? It's hard to say, but what I know is this: stories told honestly, with humor and heart, have staying power. From the beginning, Country Roads has shared a love of place with its readers, and I believe that connection holds you to us, and us to you. Thank you for reading, you're the reason we're still here. •

Peruse our online "Forty Stories from Forty Years" archive at countryroadsmag.com/40stories40years.

“Nack-A-Tish”

Experience the charm of the original French colony in Louisiana. Natchitoches (Nack-a-tish) was established in 1714, and retains its European flavor through its architecture, heritage and lifestyle. Historic Natchitoches offers numerous attractions, museums, Creole plantations and year around festivals including the Festival of Lights, Louisiana’s premier holiday destination

All Roads Lead to Natchitoches

“Nack-A-Tish”

Everything In, and Stir”

Story by Beth D'Addono •

by Sean Gasser

Forty-five years since opening Lafitte’s Landing at Viala Plantation, the restaurant that launched his culinary empire and international reputation, Chef John Folse still brings it all back to his childhood experience growing up in a small bayou town in St. James Parish. The chef, food historian, television personality, and culture bearer was recently named the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities 2023 Humanist of the Year. When asked what being a “humanist” means to him, he insists it’s, “just the way I was raised.”

Growing up with six siblings, Folse and his family lived off the land, bayou-to-table. His father would leave for a few months at a time, returning with the spoils of extended hunting trips. All the kids were taught to hunt and fish, something they did daily. In his 2008 cookbook, After the Hunt, Folse featured recipes like stuffed muskrat and roasted raccoon with sweet potato sausage and cornbread stuffing, accompanied by a history of the Cajun culture that defined Folse's youth. Animals were eaten nose to tail, roasted, fried, and smothered. Game powered the deeply flavored gumbos, bisques, and chowders Folse learned to cook as a child.

Since entering Louisiana’s restaurant scene full force nearly half a century ago, Folse has established himself as an advocate for the many distinct cultures that give rise to his cuisine. His first restaurant enterprise thrived for twenty years before the two-hundred-year-old estate was destroyed in a fire in 1998. He then launched an events and catering division in 1999, reopening Lafitte's Landing Restaurant for private events that same year at Bittersweet Plantation, his former residence in historic downtown Donaldsonville.

In the 1980s and ‘90s, the Louisiana Legislature

dubbed Folse “Louisiana’s Culinary Ambassador to the World” for his gumbo globe-trotting efforts marketing Lafitte’s. He has cooked étouffée and gumbo across the Asian continent. In 1988, he made headlines in Moscow by serving Louisiana cuisine during the Presidential Summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, and was the first non-Italian chef to create the Vatican State Dinner in Rome. In 2012, he headed the “Spirit of the Gulf” seafood promotion campaign at the London Olympics. The result of these efforts was the firm establishment of Louisiana itself as an international culinary destination.

Since 1986, many of Folse’s ventures have been spawned from his Baton Rouge property White Oak Estate and Gardens, where he still centers his operations today—most significantly his events and catering arm of Chef John Folse & Company. In the early 1990s he also established his food manufacturing division. The 68,000 square foot John Folse & Company USDA manufacturing plant in Donaldsonville employs close to four hundred workers, shipping to nine countries and all over the U.S.

In 1989, his status as a celebrity chef firmly established, he formed Chef Folse & Company Publishing—which went on to release several popular Cajun and Creole cookbooks, including the iconic tome After the Hunt: Louisiana’s Authoritative Collection of Wild Game & Game Fish Cookery. The following year, he started hosting his first cooking show, A Taste of Louisiana, produced by Louisiana Public Broadcasting, which would go on to be inducted into the TASTE Hall of Fame in 2021 after thirteen seasons. He has also been a long-beloved personality on WAFB-TV and WVUETV FOX 8 for his “Stirrin’ It Up” cooking segment, still

airing on Tuesdays and Thursdays straight from Folse’s patio at White Oak.

In addition to his personal brand, Folse has also shared a platform with Chef Rick Tramonto since 2010, opening their joint venture Restaurant R’evolution in New Orleans' Royal Sonesta Hotel in 2012. At once a steakhouse, a modern Italian trattoria, and a polished Creole-Cajun restaurant, R'evolution offers accomplished luxury dining and an impressive wine cellar.

Then, of course, there is the culinary school that bears his name, The John Folse Culinary Institute at Nicholls State University in Thibodeaux, the state’s only fouryear program, which has served as the training grounds for dozens of Louisiana’s most acclaimed chefs since it opened in 1994.

Never one to sit still for long, Folse is about to pour the first batch of bourbon and rum from his distillery, which he built at White Oak six years ago. The cornbased bourbon and rum made from Louisiana sugarcane have aged in charred oak barrels for the last five years. He’s keeping the spirits in-house for now, mainly to be served at private catering events.

Over the course of his remarkable career, Folse has collected no shortage of accolades and awards—from being named the American Culinary Federation’s “National Chef of the Year” in 1990, to receiving the Southern Foodways Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008, to being inducted into the American Academy of Chefs Culinary Hall of Fame in 2017 (plus many, many more). In the wake of his latest major acknowledgment, the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Humanist of the Year Award for 2023, I sat down with him to reflect on the incredible journey that has brought him here.

So, how does it feel to be named Humanist of the Year?

It’s just part of a Cajun upbringing. We are a culture of giving and sharing. It’s not about me. It’s who we are as a people in South Louisiana. I grew up in the swamps of Louisiana. I come from a culture of people who always figure out how to get it done. It’s never been a matter of easy, but we are always thinking about how to make something happen. That’s part of our DNA.

What was your childhood like?

I couldn’t imagine a world two miles away from my front porch. It was such a simple, sweet childhood. Everything I was expected to do was right there in that landscape. It was a loving place to grow up. Everything we needed to eat—our shelter, medicine—was right there in the swamps.

Were you always community-minded?

Early on, I realized that the greatest gift we have is the gift of giving. It comes from a simple upbringing. Everybody was dependent on everybody around them. In the early 1950s when the neighborhood came together to do a boucherie, it dawned on me, right then, the importance of neighborhood and family and friends. We support and look after each other, and that felt so good. I’ve seen that it’s not that way in other places. People can be standoffish, not friendly. Here in Louisiana, we share, we help. It’s who we are.

What are a few highlights of your career so far?

I was lucky to be a chef at a time when the world was opening up in exciting ways. I could interact with other cultures and cuisines. Traveling in the ‘80s and ‘90s gave me a global view of helping and assisting and learning. God has given me a gift, a platform to help others, whether it’s helping a needy family or a community recovering from a hurricane, whatever it is. I was somehow at the right place at the right time with a sharing heart.

What is it that is so special about Louisiana cuisine?

There’s nowhere else in the world where seven nations came together within one hundred years and mingled cultures, ingredients, and cuisines. All those influences combined into a pot that never existed before. We are an experimental culture. We dump everything in and stir. Figuring out what’s going to come out of it as we go along. We’re good at that. Whatever somebody brings to the table, whether it’s a fish from the Gulf or a racoon, we are going to create something delicious.

"WE ARE AN EXPERIMENTAL CULTURE. WE DUMP EVERYTHING IN AND STIR. FIGURING OUT WHAT’S GOING TO COME OUT OF IT AS WE GO ALONG. WE’RE GOOD AT THAT. WHATEVER SOMEBODY BRINGS TO THE TABLE, WHETHER IT’S A FISH FROM THE GULF OR A RACOON, WE ARE GOING TO CREATE SOMETHING DELICIOUS."

—JOHN FOLSE

You often speak of the seven cultures that settled Louisiana. Why is this so important to you?

Without these people and their influences, we wouldn’t have the food we love in South Louisiana. The Native Americans, Spanish, French, Africans, Germans, English, and Italians all influenced the food we eat today.

How has the culinary landscape in Louisiana changed—for better or worse—over the course of your career?

It’s changed tremendously! When I started out back in the 1960s, we learned basic skills through apprenticeship, from cooks working alongside us. In South Louisiana we already had tremendous education in the kitchens of our mothers and grandmothers. But things have changed dramatically. It used to be that here every home was doing variations of the same kind of cooking, the crawfish étouffée, the gumbos. Then the culinary landscape just exploded with television, magazines, the availability of global ingredients. Now everything is available, which changed cooking from grandmother and mother’s apron strings to cooking food from all over the world. If you can follow a recipe, open up your iPad, you can be a creative cook. Even if you’ve never tasted that dish or been to that country yourself.

I can’t think of anything negative that I’ve seen—there will always be people who make bad food, but right now, today, is a great time to be cooking.

Most culinary arts programs are two years. Why does your school offer a four-year degree?

I’m so proud of our four-year program. Many great cooks who just love the kitchen fail because of their inability to manage people and handle finances. We know how to make a roux, but what about all the other aspects of the business? We’ve taken young folks and not only taught them the great cuisines of the world, but how to manage their books, write a menu, train people, and finance the restaurant. If I’d learned these lessons back in 1978, I wouldn’t have had to struggle so much. And I’d be a much wealthier man!

What are you most proud of about your work?

I’m proud of my company and how it continues to diversify. We own it, my wife and I, and we support a lot of people within our communities with jobs. That helps their families. We are an example of “I can”. I love sharing with other people how they can do it too. If you can dream it, you can do it. We have been blessed. Every morning I wake up and think, how can we help? Where is there a need? •

Stay up to date with Chef John Folse's latest activities at White Oak Estate at whiteoakestateandgardens.com.

IN

Folkways of the Lost Lands

MAIDA OWENS LEADS THE WAY IN PRESERVING LOUISIANA CULTURE IN THE AGE OF THE CLIMATE CRISIS

“culture” as experienced by the everyday individual. Maida Owens, the director of the Louisiana Folklife Program, identifies it more formally as cultural practices passed down within a group. The group can be ethnic, occupational, geo-

graphical, or united by any other commonality: folklife is the traditions shared among and taught to members. Songs, stories, crafts, recipes, and countless other expressions of identity, belonging, and heritage fall under the rubric of folklife—and onto Owens’ plate as a preserver, promoter, and friend of these traditions in Louisiana. In her nearly forty years working in Louisiana folklife,

Owens has faced hell (metaphorically) and high water (all too literally) in her efforts to encourage these traditions to thrive and their bearers to cherish and teach them—and she’s not done.

The Louisiana Folklife Program emerged from a mandate the National Endowment for the Arts gave to its state-level affiliates: thou shalt include folklife. Culture-heavy Louisiana was

among the first states to assemble a relevant program in the early 1980s; Owens became its head in 1990 and has been the state’s “folklife lady” ever since. Support for folklife as part of a state office makes a certain amount of practical sense: Louisiana’s mighty tourism industry relies heavily on the cuisines, music, stories, and other cultural expressions that draw people here to expe-

FOLKLORE

Story by Chris Turner-Neal

• Photo by Lucie Monk Carter

rience them firsthand. Being under the state’s aegis has not been a consistent blessing, however. Owens’ budget and staff have waxed and waned according to the state’s fiscal whims and budgetary priorities, and currently, Owens herself is the program’s only full-time employee. Fortunately, she can do more on a shoestring than many could accomplish with an army of graduate students.

Owens maximizes her projects’ effects by thinking critically about where she can do the most good. For example, she won’t be working on Cajun music anytime soon—“plenty of people are working on that,” and her good offices are needed elsewhere. Over the course of her time with the Louisiana Folklife Program, Owens has produced work on the cultures and folklife of immigrant

communities; her hometown of Baton Rouge, neglected between cultural-oxygen-hogging Acadiana and New Orleans; the Florida Parishes; Northeast Louisiana’s Delta parishes; and more. This eye for areas that need attention is matched with an ability to find good partners. Tasked in 1990 with helping the state tourism department connect storytellers with festivals at which they

could perform, Owens said yes—if she could record the stories. Over ten years later, these recordings led to a book (Swapping Stories: Folktales from Louisiana, edited by Owens, Carl Lindahl, and C. Renee Harvison), a documentary by Pat Mire, and a titanic archive in the care of LSU’s memorial library preserving the voices and stories for descendants, researchers, and those who merely want to hear a good tale.

Any conversation about the last forty years will turn minds to the next forty years, and the prospect of these coming decades provokes anxiety in many Louisianans who live near the coast, love someone who does, or understand the enormous value of the cultures and landscapes that have traditionally thrived in the space where the state trails off into the sea. Storms and land loss have increased their toll on the region, thinning the southernmost tier of parishes into an ever-lacier patchwork of strips of land menaced by open water. As people decamp inland, what will become of their culture—can traditions thrive in new soil? Owens is ready for these conversations. She cites 2016 as a personal turning point: that year’s floods were the first time the lifelong Capital Region resident thought she might have to evacuate.

The conversations are difficult. Some people resist discussion of climate change and projections, whether for political reasons or simply because of the bleakness of the topic. Certain terms can be more loaded than outsiders initially realize—no one wants to be a “climate refugee” from a “dying community,” “managed retreat” sounds as depressing as it is, and nearly everyone is tired of being resilient. Local governments and stakeholders don’t want to plan for a time when their roles might be obsolete. “And I do the same thing,” says Owens: “I’m trying to talk people into staying in Louisiana when they move.” But the harrowing maps of flood risk in 2030 and 2050 indicate a serious need for action, which Owens is working to address.

Owens is one of the driving forces behind the Bayou Culture Collaborative, a group addressing the cultural issues facing coastal populations. The BCC holds and facilitates programs aimed at sustaining cultural practices, as well as training others to hold these workshops themselves. “Sense of Place—and Loss” workshops, which address needs largely of people in sending communities (née “threatened communities”) but also speak to the challenges receiving communities face in welcoming newcomers, as well as preparing people to think about the role of culture in their lives and what they can travel with. For

people rooted in place, as many Louisianans are—especially the rural people on the front lines of the changing coast—migration can be especially challenging, both practically and emotionally. People leave ancestors’ graves and familiar landscapes, the places and vistas that provoke memory; they also leave networks and supports that offer real help. (Owens notes that barter networks can be vitally important: “I know people who grow tomatoes who don’t like them because they’re such a high-value trade item.”) The workshops acknowledge these losses while noting what can travel: stories, crafts, fiber art, recipes. Additionally, and not limited to the coastal areas, “Passing It On” workshops allow culture bearers to teach their crafts to future practitioners, ensuring transmission into new hands: a recent five-day workshop on split-oak basket making, which Owens feared was a big ask for the public, filled up in a few days.

Owens identifies the Bayou Culture Collaborative as a source of hope in a landscape that can seem saturated with grim news. In about a year, the mailing list for the group has swelled to nearly a thousand, with several working groups emerging and a sense of momentum behind their work for the coast. For Owens, this energy comes from interested parties coming out of their silos and recognizing that it’s possible to help. “We’re finally talking about the people, and that’s important.” With abstractions and projections so central to the conversation about the coast—“if this, then this,” and so many Rhode Islands of wetland becoming just wet—the addition of the human element galvanizes concerned parties and shows them a way forward beyond hand-wringing. Owens, with her keen understanding of the building blocks of identity and community, is in her element here. Practical and realistic without being grim or despairing, empathetic to the fears of her audience, Owens’s calm demeanor and warm understanding could give the dourest cynic hope that Louisiana’s folk traditions will carry forward. •

Learn more about Owens's work with the Louisiana Folklife Program at louisianafolklife.org.

"NO ONE WANTS TO BE A 'CLIMATE REFUGEE' FROM A 'DYING COMMUNITY,' 'MANAGED RETREAT' SOUNDS AS DEPRESSING AS IT IS, AND NEARLY EVERYONE IS TIRED OF BEING RESILIENT. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS DON’T WANT TO PLAN FOR A TIME WHEN THEIR ROLES MIGHT BE OBSOLETE. 'AND I DO THE SAME THING,' SAYS OWENS: 'I’M TRYING TO TALK PEOPLE INTO STAYING IN LOUISIANA WHEN THEY MOVE.'"

Wherever the Route Takes You

By John Wirt

Photo by Rusty Constanza, courtesy of Nick Spitzer.

Every week via 380 public radio stations, Nick Spitzer transports his three-quarters of a million listeners to the roots and branches of American music. Over the past twenty-five years, the radio host, folklorist, and academic has produced nearly seven-hundred episodes of his two-hour radio program American Routes Based in New Orleans, the show has featured more than 1,200 of Spitzer’s interviews with music stars the likes of Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, and Dolly Parton, and lesser-known-but-always-significant makers of American music and culture.

Currently a professor of anthropology at Tulane University in New Orleans, Spitzer lives in the city with his wife, Tanja, and their twenty-month-old son, Will. The recipient of many prestigious awards across the span of his career, Spitzer’s latest accolade is this nation’s highest honor in the folk and traditional arts: in February, the National Endowment for the Arts named him one of its nine 2023 National Heritage Fellows.

“The 2023 National Heritage Fellows exemplify what it means to live an artful life,” said NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson in the announcement. “Their rich and diverse art forms connect us to the past, strengthen our communities today, and give hope to future generations in ways that only the arts can. Our nation is strengthened through their meaningful practices, expressions, and preservation of traditional artistry.”

Spitzer, 72, will accept the NEA’s Bess Lomax Hawes National Heritage Fellowship, which includes a $25,000 award, at a ceremony at the Library of Congress on September 29. The Hawes award recognizes an individual “who has made a significant contribution to the preservation and awareness of cultural heritage.”

Spitzer learned of the fellowship during a phone call from U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy. “I tend to be talkative, but I couldn’t speak for hours after that,” he recalled. “My wife said, ‘I’ve never seen you so quiet.’ I was stunned into silence. I couldn’t believe it happened to me.”

Spitzer’s congratulators included fam ily members of traditional musicians he’d worked with in southwest Louisiana. “De scendants congratulated me,” he said. “I’d always told them, ‘Without your grand ma or grandpa, I would not have done anything valuable.’ Dewey Balfa and Al phonse ‘Bois Sec’ Ardoin helped make me a folklorist. More than any of my gradu ate-school instructors, they were my teach ers.”

Born in New York City and raised in rural Connecticut, Spitzer grew up with AM radio, the medium that introduced him to Fats Domino, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and other early rock and roll stars, many of whom he’d later interview for American Routes. Prophetically, he also loved listening to French-language hockey games from Montreal. “Radio has been a magic medium for me,” he said. Later, his experience producing cultural program ming for television—working with out lets that included CBS Sunday Morning Nightline, ABC News with Peter Jennings PBS’s Great Performances, CNN, and the BBC —confirmed his preference for audio mediums.

“I didn’t want to be in people’s hous es with a crew of twelve people, turning bright lights on elderly, or shy, people, do ing television,” he said. “I’d rather sit with one microphone, have a good conversa

tion, in low light, and turn that into radio. When the microphone fades away, we tap into the oral tradition, and the aural tradition. Public radio listeners feel the intimacy.”

During his teen years in the 1960s, Spitzer’s taste veered to the Beatles, Bob Dylan, country music, and jazz. In 1969, during his junior year at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, he joined the staff at the school’s radio station, WXPN-FM. “Going to the WXPN record library, I read album notes about zydeco and reggae music, John Coltrane, Doc Watson, Mississippi John Hurt. Radio became the medium where I learned how to create programs that hold people.”

After graduation from Penn with a B.A. in anthropology in 1972, Spitzer joined the on-air talent at Philadelphia’s WMMR-FM. His two years at the station ended badly. “They pushed me out for playing too much Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters,” he said. “They wanted me to play Foghat and Ten Years After versions of the blues.”

Leaving Philadelphia and WMMR in 1974, Spitzer went looking for America. He calls that six-month sojourn his “Woody Guthrie-meets-Jack Kerouac” quest. Stopping for a month in southwest Louisiana during the trip, he stayed with Cajun fiddler and French-Louisiana culture bearer Dewey Balfa—earning his keep by feeding Balfa’s sheep and cattle; moving merchandise at his

host’s discount furniture store; cutting grass on the family farm; and dispensing checks to Balfa’s insurance clients. Most importantly, Balfa encouraged the blooming folklorist to visit the area’s Afro-French residents. Spitzer met Black Creole accordionist 'Bois Sec' Ardoin at a white music club and, at Ardoin’s invitation, he attended a dance at a Black club the following day.

“I went to that club and never looked back,” Spitzer said. “And that informs American Routes. They taught me how to understand Creolization as a term, and a process that can be applied to everyone from Jerry Lee Lewis to Ray Charles, Santana, and others who combine cultural forms and create something new.”

Though Spitzer’s work with roots music became thoroughly eclectic, Spitzer’s time in Acadiana tied him to Louisiana indefinitely and forever came to define his work as a folklorist. His lifetime of illuminating the subject includes ongoing field and studio interviews with musicians and Creole community members; publishing articles in scholarly journals and mainstream publications; producing recordings and writing liner notes; directing the 1984 documentary ZYDECO: Creole Music and Culture in Rural Louisiana; his Ph.D dissertation, "Zydeco and Mardi Gras: Creole Identity and Performance Genres in Rural French Louisiana"; and presenting Creole musicians at the Library of Congress, National Folk Festival, and Carnegie Hall. Spitzer is

“I’D RATHER SIT WITH ONE MICROPHONE, HAVE A GOOD CONVERSATION, IN

TRADITION, AND THE AURAL TRADITION. PUBLIC RADIO LISTENERS FEEL THE INTIMACY.”

—NICK SPITZER

LOW LIGHT, AND TURN THAT INTO RADIO. WHEN THE MICROPHONE FADES AWAY, WE TAP INTO THE ORAL

Nick Spitzer interviewing Zydeco icon Boozoo Chavis in Dog Hill, Louisiana in 1991. Image courtesy of Spitzer.

currently assembling a “Creole Compendium” box set of his documentation of Creole communities in New Orleans, French Louisiana, and beyond.

While pursuing his M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, Spitzer participated in that city’s music scene as a host and producer at NPR affiliate KUT-FM and progressive country station KOKE-FM. “I made a little bit of a living, and I met Waylon (Jennings) and Willie (Nelson), Commander Cody, and all of the old cowboy singers,” he said. “I’ve always been lucky.”

In 1976, Spitzer graduated from the University of Texas with an M.A. in anthropology, specializing in folklore. Moving to Baton Rouge in 1978, he became Louisiana’s state folklorist. During his seven-year tenure, he founded the Louisiana Folklife Program; produced the five-LP Louisiana Folklife Recording Series; created the Louisiana Folklife Pavilion at the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans; and helped launch the Baton Rouge Blues Festival. His final year as state folklorist saw the publication of Louisiana Folklife: A Guide to the State

In 1979, during his second year as state folklorist, the athletic twenty-nine-year-old noticed he’d become physically unable to finish a game of soccer. In addition to his breathing difficulties, he experienced a pain that pierced his chest and shoulders.

Exploratory surgery revealed a tumor, invasive in one lung, wrapped around the other, pressing against his heart. Spitzer endured radiation and many brutal rounds of chemotherapy. His oncologist, Dr. Frederic T. Billings, and a procession of visiting friends, faith healers, clergy from various denominations, and blues musicians helped him survive months of periodic stays in Baton Rouge General Hospital.

Spitzer’s hospital visitors included Tabby Thomas and Moses “Whispering” Smith. Although the blues musicians came to perform for their seriously ill fan, they

refused to play the request he wanted to hear most of all: “I’ve Had My Fun If I Don’t Get Well No More.” Both of them feared the song’s lyrics would foretell Spitzer’s fate. He persisted, though, explaining that the Lightnin’ Hopkins classic would console him.

“They played it, and they cried,” Spitzer recalled. “I cried, too. And after I got well, Tabby bragged about it. I miss Tabby, Whispering Smith, and that whole blues scene in Baton Rouge.”

Barbara Sims—the LSU English instructor who worked with Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins at Sun Records in Memphis in the 1950s—was another visitor.

“So many people came to my room crying,” Spitzer remembered. “But Barbara did something nobody else did. When I was supposedly dying of cancer, she brought flowers from her yard, and sat quietly in the darkened room for two hours. I felt so much companionship.”

Spitzer’s second exploratory cancer surgery yielded good news. “When I came out of surgery, they were all smiling. They sent me home on Thanksgiving 1980, and I started to gain weight, and go back to life.”

Spitzer went on to become a senior folklife specialist at the Smithsonian’s Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage in Washington, D.C.; curate festival programs and create documentaries; direct and host NPR’s American Roots Independence Day Concert live broadcast from the National Mall/Washington Monument, as well as seven seasons of Folk Masters at Carnegie Hall. He returned to Louisiana in 1997, accepting a teaching position at the University of New Orleans. The following year, he launched his most famous project, American Routes.

“A lot of what I do is remind the public how creative and intelligent these artists are,” Spitzer said of the 25-year-old radio show that has introduced thousands of roots-music artists to millions of listeners. “I always

tell the artists: ‘We’re not 60 Minutes. We’re not here to deconstruct you. We’re here to celebrate you.’ In turn, the artists give more of themselves in any conversation.”

Never a planner, Spitzer’s always followed his muse. “I didn’t do these things to get awards or credit,” he said. “I did things I thought were good to do, and things I wanted to do. Rather than be a doctor, a lawyer, or a businessman, I said: ‘I’ll be a folklorist and radio person, do it as well as I can, and hope for best.’ All these things were opportunities and a privilege to do. I took it seriously, and had a good time at the same time.” •

Find upcoming episodes, and the entire American Routes archive at americanroutes.wwno.org.

Myths & Legends

Nick Spitzer interviewing Hezikiah Early in Natchez, Mississippi in 2018. Image courtesy of Spitzer.

SHAKEN & STIRRED

Magnolia Got Your Tongue?

THE BRAKES BAR IS A PORTAL TO A PLACE YOU KNOW, BUT HAVEN'T TASTED

Story and photos by Lucie Monk Carter

Leaving the Brakes Bar in June, I clapped the door shut behind me. I wasn’t dying to return to the Baton Rouge summer, where hit was still somehow afternoon, but I feared what sunlight would do to the windowless cocktail lounge in which I’d just passed an hour or so.

There’d be one beautiful effect, at least: glimmers, rainbows, and refractions through the vintage decanters along mixologist Alan Walter's bartop. But other ele-

ments thrive in the dim room: lurid photos of waterfalls, votives glowing in an antique rollerskate, two white ceramic cats, and a framed photo of someone who is not Lou Ferrigno or Andre the Giant but like them. (Apologies, I was just barely born in the ‘80s. I am still so young!) “I like themes of family and reuse,” said Walter.

Walter built a following among choosy noses of New Orleans’s cocktail scene during stints at the restaurant Iris and, more recently, Loa, inside the International

House Hotel. For a drinker tired of mass-market swill or stale classics, along came a bartender capable of startling your palate with the likes of pine liqueur and dandelion root.

The Hammond native is a recent transplant to Baton Rouge, referred by his brother-in-law Michael diResto to the restaurateurs at City Group Hospitality. “I joke that they didn’t know what to do with me, so they put me out back,” said Walter. He’s taken up shop in the Brakes, which stands behind City Group’s shiny Spoke & Hub restaurant along Government Street and formerly served as an office space. He calls it “a neighborhood honky-tonk cocktail parlor.” On my second visit there, as guitarist Victor Vignes and fiddler Carrie Deyo harmonized on “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” at the corner booth, I swooned over an aperitif of mastika (a

sweet Mediterranean liqueur derived from resin), white wine, sparkling water, green olives, and a tuft of oregano. Walter snips his herbs from open vases on the bar, a neighborly hedge between him and his patrons.

“My first visit [to the Brakes Bar], I was enthralled,” said writer, musician, and longtime Country Roads contributor Alex Cook, “I accidentally said aloud, ‘I want to play here.’ The bartender at the time overheard me and said: come next Sunday, and I’ve been playing there almost every week since. Alan has really opened a portal to something special at the Brakes, where you are getting more than a drink or a song. You are getting something peculiar, homey, upscale, tailored to lock into your pleasure centers.”

For Clarke Gernon, the custom experience has been collaborating with Walter on a revival of the Ramos Gin Fizz, a chilled, creamy, and voluminous marvel from the turn of the century that’ll make little apples of your

bartender’s biceps in the twelve minutes’ shaking it takes to achieve proper emulsion. Gernon, architect at the local firm Remson Haley Herpin and former President of the Baton Rouge Blues Festival, admits a passion for “the untold stories of Baton Rouge.” In one of his habitual riflings through local archives, Gernon learned that the Fizz, famous to New Orleans, could actually claim its origins in downtown Baton Rouge, where Henry Carl Ramos—known as a New Orleans legend and the drink’s founder—operated the Capitol Saloon from 1880 to 1888, before his New Orleans succes. Gernon discovered that French Vice Counsel and liquor store owner Philippe Machet, who ran his business a few doors down from Capitol Saloon, passed Ramos a recipe he’d concocted to market some of his wares–egg, cream, gin, citrus–deeming the saloon owner

better suited to serve up the drink as demand grew. “In addition to being an untold Baton Rouge story, it’s also a wildly popular cocktail of a different time that has not had a resurgence,” said Gernon.

“Ramos has an ambivalent reputation in New Orleans. It’s not going through a hip phase. It’s very time consuming and takes up all your shakers. And it is an extra step for a bar to have fresh cream, to have fresh eggs, fresh lemon, fresh lime. But that's no excuse not to make a great drink,” said Walter.

In making his own version, Walter knew where respect was due. “It’s almost like walking around a beautiful piece of art. How would I do anything differently here? I realized this is a drink that [could] wear a crown of something on its head and still be its total self.”

Walter went with a floral wreath, infusing magnolia blossoms in the grape-based G’vine gin. Early efforts were bitter, sloppy, soapy, or just not true to the scent. I

had the pleasure of tasting the successful product, in its full fizzy form–like a cold cloud, not a fleck of ice. Walter made twenty-four bottles of the infusion, before the summer’s heat folded his source of magnolia blooms. Thankfully, he has other vegetation at his fingertips. My husband opted for the kumquat-satsuma old fashioned after paging through the album in which Walter keeps his menu, with individual drink options pasted

onto Playboy Bunny playing cards and tucked into plastic sleeves. “Lay of the Land” is one category, described as “farm fresh, spiritous libations lending themselves to every occasion and any time of day.”

“In winter, we did a margarita that had longleaf pine needles. I wanted that feeling of walking in the woods in the South,” said Walter. That took nothing more than grinding the needles with a very powerful blender right into the syrup, keeping that resin, no cooking, no nothing.”

Gernon praises Walter’s approach to blending spirits–an art, not a science, that accesses a broader Louisiana than classic New Orleans cocktails. “We’re a very agriculturally-oriented state,” said Gernon, who grew up around his family’s Christmas tree farm, Shady Pond, in Pearl River.

“I think people are fascinated with the idea of tasting their environments,” added Walter. •

Visit The Brakes Bar at Spoke & Hub in Baton Rouge, open Tuesday–Saturday 3 pm–11 pm and Sunday from 2 pm–8 pm. spokeandhubbr.com/brakes-bar.

The Louisiana Food & Wine Festival is a showcase of Louisiana’s unique culture and cuisine, from its culinary superstars and beverage experts to its artisans and live music. Enjoy a variety of all-inclusive food and drink tasting events with celebrity guest chefs and hundreds of varieties of wine, beer and spirits.

Culture

TO RIVER ROAD AND BACK

SHIFTING GROUND

A Reckoning at the Big House

If you were to visit the Shadows-onthe-Teche when the National Trust for Historic Preservation first opened it as a museum in the 1960s, you likely would never hear the name Louisa Bryant.

You’d learn about Mary Weeks, the circa-1834 estate’s original owner and overseer, the widowed matriarch of the four generations who would come to define the property now frequently deemed the “Jewel of New Iberia.” The presence of the enslaved Black woman standing beside her, assisting in virtually every aspect of the family and sugar plantation’s operations, would have been obscured by stories of the house’s Tuscan columns, the Spanish moss draped above the lush Southern gardens, the experiences of Mary herself, and of all her descendants. The only significant acknowledgement of the twenty-four enslaved individuals who also lived on this property, and over 160 more at the family’s nearby sugar plantation at Grand Cote, would be found in the exterior public restrooms, built as replicas of the former slave quarters that once stood in the same spot. From 1961 until the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, those restrooms were segregated.

In the 1980s and ‘90s, you might have heard Louisa’s name, or even observed her portrait— pulled from the Weeks’ extensive family archive. “Mary’s housekeeper,” the tour guide would explain briefly, before turning to the Sheraton-style cherry bed.

By the time Bethany Jay, a philosophy doctoral candidate at Boston College, visited the site in 2006, the Trust had expressed a commitment to incorporate more nuanced presentations of slavery into the Shadows' tour. But Jay reported in her dissertation that her tour guide seemed obviously uncomfortable with the subject, frequently falling back on terms like “field hands,” “house servants,” or “workers” in the few instances that enslaved labor was mentioned at all. Of the two hundred people enslaved by the Weeks family, Louisa was the only one named, described as the “number one house servant,” who worked alongside Mary as her “peer”.

For over fifty years, Louisa’s place in history was reduced to that of a shadow, a footnote to the bright, grand stories of the Southern elite and all their gentility. But of course Louisa had her own story, too. In addition to having to care for Mary’s

Shadows-on-the-Teche in New Iberia. Photo from Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)

six children, she also cared for eight of her own—many of whom were taken away from her to live and work at the Weeks’ sugar plantation at Grand Cote. The strain of this labor brought illness and injury into her family, and she lost her son, Perry, because of it.

In the Shadows canon, much has been made of Mary’s experience at the end of the Civil War—having been left mostly alone on the property and forced to move upstairs as Union Troops occupied her mansion. But Louisa was there too, one of three enslaved women who stayed with the old matriarch. One can only wonder what went through her mind as she cared for her enslaver while the old world fell away just downstairs.

All it took was a closer look at the archives to see Louisa in the history of the Shadows. She’s always been there, waiting in between the lines, along with the stories of her daughter, Ann, who took a job as a sick nurse after the War—eventually earning enough to purchase land of her own on Center Street. And Ann’s son, Emperor, who worked for Mary’s great grandson William Weeks Hall throughout the twentieth century. Two families, generations later, still leaving their marks at the Shadows.

If you take a tour at the Shadows-on-the-Teche today, you’ll hear the stories of Louisa Bryant and her descendants, as well as those of many other enslaved individuals who existed beside them on the Weeks’ estate. The tour—rewritten by the Shadows’ recently-hired Senior Manager of Interpretation and Education Adam Foreman to fully incorporate stories of the enslaved and their descendants into every room of the house—is the culmination of ongoing reinterpretation initiatives facilitated by the National Trust in recent years.

This new approach to storytelling at the Shadows (and other National Trust properties) is reflective of a cultural shift at historic sites across the globe, as long-simmering demands for historical honesty—particularly regarding enslavement in America—reach a boiling point, spilling beyond the realm of historians and academics and firmly into the public discourse.

“People have been criticizing plantation tourism as an industry for a very long time,” said John Bardes, a professor of history at Louisiana State University (LSU) specializing in topics of enslavement and emancipation in the Antebellum South. “But now is a real period of reflection. It just seems that 2020 [and the Black Lives Matter protests spurred nationally by the murder of George Floyd were] a pivotal point where it really no longer became tenable.”

Isabelle Cossart, who has been leading personalized van tours to River Road plantations since 1979, has observed this change in real time. People have different expectations of plantation sites than they once did, she said. “It used to be, you know, they were a little offish when we talked about slavery. They were on vacation. It was like, ‘[Slavery’s] not a nice thing to talk about. It’s sad.’ And now, no. We must [talk about slavery]. They want the truth.”

“It all kind of came to a head in recent years,” said Foreman—whose first job, at age sixteen, was as a tour guide at Shadows-on-the-Teche. He went on to pursue a career in public history, working for a time as the Director of Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches. For his Masters at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL), he conducted research on instances of enslaved resistance—drawing extensively from the Shadows archives. This spring, when he learned of the opportunity to join the staff and “fundamentally change the way that we have these conversations,” he couldn’t pass it up.

“People are looking at museums,” he said, “and they’re asking ‘Why are you still telling me the same old moonlight and magnolias story? There’s so much happening that you’re not engaging with.’ So, in order for museums, especially plantation museums like the Shadows, to remain relevant to the community, we have to change. We have to continue to consider our collection and how it is relevant.”

The “Gone with the Wind” Effect

Over the last two hundred years, the word “plantation” has become imbued with intricate and contradictory sets of meaning. Once a functional, geographical term for large-scale agricultural sites typically fueled by enslaved labor, the word gained its more recent romantic associations as an aesthetic pinnacle of Southern heritage in the wake of the 1939 cultural phenomenon that was Gone with the Wind. The film’s influence on how such properties are presented and perceived as attractions is still readily evident at tourist sites to this day.

Almost a century removed from the context of that release, the nostalgia and romanticism of genteel Southern accents, piles of green curtains, hoop skirts, and mint juleps can appear on the surface as nothing more than innocent escapism. But it is no accident that the garden tours and 200-year-old furniture, Greek Revival architecture and smoking rooms have for so long been divorced from the economic system that made any of it possible.

“When people critique plantation weddings or criticize the way plantation tourism operates today, it’s not just because it is a version of history that omits most of the people who lived and worked there—though it is that, too,” said Bardes. “But it also is the fact that the people who, after the Civil War, thought long and hard about ‘What do we do next, now that the Confederacy has collapsed?’—they looked to novels, and later to film, and they looked to plantation tourism, and they thought very strategically about how these kinds of cultural motifs could be used to legitimize white supremacy.”

Ann Bowles (top) and Emperor Bowles (bottom), are the descendants of Louisa Bryant, who worked as Mary Weeks' enslaved housekeeper at the Shadows-on-the-Teche until she was freed after the Civil War. Her story, and the stories of her daughter Ann—who started her own business and eventually owned her own property—and Emperor, who would work for Mary's great grandson William Weeks Hall, are key narrative elements of the new Shadows-on-the-Teche tour.

The release of Gone with the Wind , which remains to this day the highest-grossing film in history (when adjusted for inflation), coincided with the end of the last generation of Confederate soldiers’ lives—fostering a culture shaped by commemoration and a “resurgence of the myth that the agricultural world of the Confederacy was this pure, bygone thing outside of the modern era,” as described by Ian Beamish, a professor of history at ULL specializing in slavery and public history.

The phenomenon of opening Southern plantation sites to the public, and the philanthropic efforts associated with preserving them, emerged most fully-fledged around the 1930s in response to the national captivation inspired by Gone with the Wind , and as a way to fund upkeep of the mansions during the most difficult parts of the Great Depression. “And it all obviously gains popularity during the massive

resistance and pushback to the Civil Rights Movement,” added Beamish.

Presented with a focus on the accoutrements of wealth and beauty, and the history of the white elites who enjoyed them, the fantasy of Southern aristocracy functioned simultaneously as an economic engine for struggling rural towns in the South and as a way to validate Lost Cause sympathies in a manner that was just subtle enough to be regarded as tasteful. None of it would have been so effective if honest representations of the violence and oppression experienced by thousands of individuals enslaved on these sites were included in the storytelling.

“It’s the cruel genius of the Lost Cause,” said Aaron Sheehan-Dean, the chair of LSU’s History Department, who specializes in Southern history, particularly regarding the Civil War and Reconstruction. “You can celebrate one and ignore the other.”

Searching For a Path Forward for Plantation Tourism

When it comes to plantation tourism in the American South today, there is ample evidence to suggest these influences achieved exactly what the Lost Cause architects hoped. The misrepresentation of what the Antebellum South actually looked like and how it functioned at plantation sites has contributed to a cul-

tural amnesia that affects not only our collective understanding of the past, but also of the present.

“These stories aren’t being told, and because these stories aren’t being told, people don’t think they exist,” said Jordan Richardson, who until recently served as the Program Coordinator for Digital

Collections for the Iberia African American Historical Society (IAAHS), which operates its Center for Research and Learning at the Shadows-on-the-Teche Visitor Center through a formal partnership with the National Trust. “People don’t think [the cruelties associated with slavery] happened. It creates dangerous gaps, where I guess people don’t think Black people did anything during this time period. Then, all of a sudden, that is the excuse as to why they’re so economically disadvantaged today. It’s important because a lot of the inequities and inequality that still exist today start there.”

Sheehan-Dean expands this even beyond plantations, articulating the reality of where our infrastructure comes from. “We need to understand it. Because so much of the landscape of Louisiana was built by enslaved people, we’re all the beneficiaries of that. The roads, the buildings, the shape of the river, all of that was done with enslaved labor,” he said. “It doesn’t matter when you arrived in Louisiana, you could have showed up yesterday, but you’re still living in a world that slavery created.”

Today, a combination of cultural influences such as Nikole Hannah-Jones’s 1619 Project and the Black Lives Matter movement, politically-charged conversations around affirmative action and critical race theory, and the general ease of access to discourse and information allowed by our digital age, have made the word “plantation” and what it rep

resents a hot button, culturally divisive topic of conversation, with increasingly negative connotations. As the public becomes more educated on patterns of historic erasure at these sites, they are not only demanding more comprehensive and inclusive histories be incorporated, they are also becoming more selective about the sites they patronize. For some, this involves researching which sites are doing the work to present enslaved histories before spending their dollars there. For others, this can equate to an effective cultural “cancellation” of any institution associated with the word “plantation”. “Post-2020, it’s certainly harder to conceive of people having plantation weddings,” said Bardes. “Seeing that as problematic is much more mainstream than it was fifteen years ago.”

And for Black Americans, what a “plantation” represents—as a place of unacknowledged generational trauma—is even more fraught, and has been for far longer than the contemporary discourse around the subject. “Family members left plantation spaces, and highly discouraged people from going back there,” said Richardson. “’There’s nothing back there for you,’ they’d say.”

The question of how to ethically make use of these sites going forward is not novel, but in these recent cultural shifts,

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structure of the sites-as-tourist attractions might be put to use towards the presentation of more honest, complete histories, and as educational tools for filling in the gaps left gaping for so long.

“We've done so much damage,” said Ashley Rogers, Executive Director of Whitney Plantation. “And when I say ‘we,’ I mean white Southerners, I mean public historians. There's a necessary corrective that has to happen. At the very least, if plantation museums are going to exist, they should exist to educate people about our nation's history, and not to entertain people and make them feel good about an imagined past.”

Sheehan-Dean expressed that he believes Louisiana is well-positioned to be a leader in this revolution of public history. We’ve got the tourist magnet of New Orleans, he pointed out, and so many of these properties across the landscape. “We’ve got great people at the universities studying Louisiana slavery and Southern history right now,” he said. “And so, the resources are here for the historic sites to really draw on that. Not to mention that we have really good storytellers here. We’ve got the opportunity to turn the narrative around, to show other places how to do this.”

Even so, if you ask members of Louisiana’s African American descendant community—individuals whose ancestors were enslaved here—the prospects tend to be less optimistic. “I don’t think that the tourism industry, local or state level,

are even close to getting where we need them to be in order to truly tell our story,” said Jo Banner, whose ancestors were enslaved at both Whitney and Laura Plantations on River Road. Jo and her twin sister Joy co-founded The Descendants Project with a mission to “eliminate the narrative violence of plantation tourism,” and to address the effects of slavery still impacting descendant communities today, like petrochemical plants moving onto former plantation land and disproportionately impacting residents of color with exposure to toxic chemicals. They conceived of the organization after working in local tourism, when they encountered their ancestors’ histories continually being misrepresented.

“We weren't satisfied with the almost juvenile way that our history is being treated, being simplified, being gimmick-ified, being labeled as one thing, ‘plantation country,’ for example, said Jo. “An understanding of where the holes were inspired us to want to have more input into our own history and the way that it's being told.”

Joy expanded, explaining that what they and other descendants are seeking through these changes is acknowledgment and understanding of their ancestors’ place in history, and their contributions to this country. “The plantations, and the way that you treat them or don’t treat them are examples, or symbols, of how you think about Black people,” she said. “So when we see these plantations,

it is not that we're getting angry at the house, we're getting angry at white supremacy. And we're getting angry that nobody else sees the fact that we were brutalized, how nobody else can see the contributions.”

Darryl Hambrick, who co-founded the River Road African American Museum at Tezcuco Plantation with his sister Kathe in 1994 and recently worked as a tour guide on Mississippi River cruises, said that he holds out hope that things will improve. “But when I see river boats

loaded with people who don't look like me, traveling across oceans, traveling across skies, traveling from every part of the Earth to come and learn this history, and then the information that they're given [is] somewhat one-sided,” he said. “Then you look around the community and look at what's going on today, and it saddens me to understand that they make all that money again, on these plantation tours, and the people who made it possible are not included.”

Louisiana’s Plantation Sites Today

Changing the South’s, or even just Louisiana’s, perspectives on plantation tourism is no small undertaking. When the dominant narratives presented at plantation sites since Reconstruction have been romanticized biographies of slave owners, experts agree that it is not enough to simply add facts about slavery to preexisting tours. “It's not as simple as just saying, ‘Oh, well, now we’re going to talk about slavery,” said Ashley Rogers. “It's like, okay, you’ve got an entire staff of people who themselves are probably undereducated about it, are not emotionally prepared to do it well, don't know how to engage.”

As the Executive Director at Whitney Plantation—famous for its claim as “the only former plantation site in Louisiana with an exclusive focus on slavery” since its opening in 2014—Rogers places par-

ticular emphasis on ensuring her tour guides are well-trained and well-suited to the challenging work of interpreting the site’s history, inverting the traditional focus on enslavers and the material beauty of the big house to focus on the enslaved. After two to three days of learning about Whitney and slavery as a whole, guides are given a few weeks to complete required reading and prepare their script, which must be approved by Rogers and other staff.

By using slavery as a narrative starting point at Whitney Plantation, the River Road site has served as a radical model for what historically honest plantation tourism can look like—especially from the perspective of memorialization and grieving. One of the most famous stops on Whitney’s tour is its “Wall of Honor,” which memorializes those who were en-

slaved on these grounds and elsewhere by listing their names.

Another model for centering Black history at former plantation sites, conceived two decades before Whitney’s opening, is the River Road African American Museum. Though the institution has resided in Donaldsonville since 2003, it was founded at Tezcuco Plantation in 1994, directly challenging the question of who, and what, these sites should be for.

In 1999, co-founder Kathe Hambrick told New York newspaper Newsday that many questioned why an African American history museum would be located at a former plantation—to which she responded: “Well, where else?”

“The conversation hadn’t been had,” said Darryl Hambrick. “Once our museum opened at Tezcuco, I think the conversation began to happen in plantation country here along the River Road.”

To that point—the same year, Laura Plantation opened its doors just down the road, offering a progressive-for-the-time tour that shared individualized stories of its enslaved population, drawn directly from Laura Duparc’s illuminating mem-

oirs and other primary documents. “I had visited many different places along the river and in Mississippi, and [the tours at Laura] were actually telling the story of enslaved people here in a way you were not encountering elsewhere,” said Laura’s staff historian Katy Morlas Shannon. “Twenty years later, we’re seeing how the information we have has grown exponentially and how the story has evolved over time. And when I first came here, it was revolutionary. And now there's an expectation that those stories need to be told.”

Across Louisiana’s landscape of heritage tourism today, such comprehensive approaches to incorporating African American history into the “plantation tour” experience as Whitney’s or the more recent efforts at the Shadows-onthe-Teche stand on one end of a spectrum that still extends to sites holding tightly to their hoop skirts. But there are also the places in between—sites that have, for decades, been making more gradual efforts to incorporate representations of slavery into their programming.

As early as 1999, Magnolia Mound

introduced its “Beyond the Big House” tour, focusing on the history of the eighty people enslaved onsite, and continues to offer programming that elevates Black stories, including its annual Black History Month celebration. In Natchitoches, Melrose Plantation’s unconventional history as a site of enslavement built and operated by Louis Metoyer, the son of a freedwoman—and its reputation as the home of Black folk artist Clementine Hunter—have always made it a uniquely resonant site at which to explore Black history. In 2013, Oak Alley opened its Slavery at Oak Alley exhibit—which centers on six re-constructed slave quarters with a corresponding tour. In 2020, historians at Evergreen Plantation—the most intact plantation property in the South, with twenty-two original slave cabins onsite (and which has been closed to tours since Hurricane Ida)—announced a database of primary source documents telling stories of the four hundred enslaved people who lived there. And earlier this year, Oakley House at Audubon Historic Site launched a series of thoughtful tours presented from the

perspective of the house’s women, including the enslaved cook Silvia Freeman. While important, and often worthy of public support, these efforts tend to fall short by their piecemeal nature and by relying on spatially segregated models that place stories of the enslaved as functional add-ons to the existing narratives at the heart of these sites’ programs—often presented as entirely optional to the experience of the site as a whole.

The work of dismantling the gilded nostalgia of the last century’s plantation tourism industry requires immense coordination and investment of time and funds—all at a high level of risk to, or total undoing of, the plantation’s existing economic model, which might rely on offering furniture-focused tours, resort-like accommodations, or a wedding venue.

Rogers said that part of the difficulty in standardizing any approach to this work is the great variety of organizational structures behind our region’s historical sites, which also makes collaboration between the various institutions a challenge. “Some are nonprofit, some are for-profit, some are for-profit-nonprofit

The tour at Whitney Plantation on River Road has placed the history of enslavement at the forefront of its storytelling since it opened in 2014. Designed to be an inversion on the "traditional" enslavor-centric plantation tour, the experience has served as a model for other historic sites as they navigate a path toward historical honesty and inclusion. Pictured here (sitting on the porch) is seasoned tour guide Cheryl Gaudet, whose ancestors were enslaved on River Road. Photo by Alexandra Kennon.

partnerships, some are owned by cities, some are owned by the [state or federal] government,” she said. “That all impacts what they’re going to do, and how quickly they can change, and how much motivation they have to change. If there is a really strong profit directive to not changing, then a lot of them—they’re not going to.” Laura, Whitney, and the River Road African American Museum—all privately owned entities or 501c3 nonprofits— were founded with these ideals in place from the start. The sites that started out within the Gone with the Wind idyll face something much more challenging, the task of total restructuring.

“You have to have the research, the historian there to do the work,” said Foreman, noting the Shadows’ great benefit of the Trust’s support and experience in this field. “You’ve got to have community support. But then you also have got to have institutional support. If you don’t have a director, if you don’t have a board, if you don’t have the entire institution ready to make these changes—without all three of these things, your process doesn’t work.”

Confronting the Archive

One of the biggest obstacles cited by plantation sites attempting to more thoroughly incorporate the history of their enslaved populations is that of the limited archive. Because most enslaved individuals were unable to read or write, the written history has overwhelmingly been presented from the perspectives of an educated white elite.

However, sites that have invested time and resources into this particular field of research have proven that the stories are there, for those willing to look for them. “I’ve said it before: whenever people tell you ‘they can’t find information,’ they are lazy, because it is there,” said Sand Marmillion, cultural anthropologist and owner of Laura Plantation. “[The research conducted at Laura] has taken us decades. This is not for instant gratification.”

The lack of reportage cannot be blamed entirely on laziness, according to Dr. Mary Niall Mitchell, director of the Midlo Center for New Orleans Studies and the Gordon Nick Mueller Professor in Public History at the University of New Orleans (UNO). “The notion that there was so little information available about enslaved people in itself was a sort of silencing of those histories. Because that information was there, people just had not looked for it,” she explained, citing the late Gwendolyn Midlo Hall as an example of what happens when researchers just bother to look. Hall’s database of over 100,000 enslaved Africans in Louisiana, published in 2000, was the result of her travels to rural courthouses around New Orleans, where she realized “that there was just this mass of information about people who had been presumed to be sort of lost to history,” said Mitchell.

Historians like Richardson, Bardes, Foreman, Shannon, Mitchell, and Rogers have reached into the thick of this growing field of research, which is becoming progressively more creative in its accumulation of sources and interpretations— piecing together these presumed-lost stories. “There are really sophisticated, rich studies, and super creative ways that scholars have been able to capture the experience of enslaved people—rereading through sources, using archaeology and reading Black folklore, and a whole range of other tools to fill out that world, and help us see, help us understand,” said Sheehan-Dean.

“We have to shift the way we think of what is historical, what are historical records,” asserted Kathryn Dungy, the Chair of the UNO History Department, who specializes in studying people of color in slave societies. “Everything that we do has a history, everything that we see has a history. It’s about asking the right questions of the materials.”

Dungy frequently turns to oral histories in her work, as well as census records, property records, judicial and church records, resources also utilized heavily

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by historians at Whitney, Laura, and Shadows-on-the-Teche plantations, as well as the River Road African American Museum. “The buildings themselves tell stories, how they’re made, what materials are being put into their construction, what kind of ephemera is found around those structures,” she said For plantation sites in possession of an extensive onsite archive, like the Shadows-on-the-Teche or Laura, the

reading in between the lines, asking ‘why did he say it like that?’ ‘What is the language here that is being used?’” explained Foreman.

Even when the records themselves are limited, a basic understanding of the human experience can help us fill in the blanks about what was experienced at these sites. Rogers pointed out that Whitney Plantation, regarded as the most slavery-focused plantation site in

fered the example of Francoise, an enslaved woman who they learned—via census and succession records—gave birth to her first child when she was just thirteen years old. By the time she was twenty-three, she had five. And by age twenty-four, all five of Francoise's children were dead—three in the same year.

Rogers tells this story while standing in the slave cabins at Whitney. “What

granting students and visitors to historic sites the opportunity to activate their own empathic centers, and to connect history to the people who experienced it, opening them up to a more nuanced understanding of what happened here.

“That's where you get people to really understand,” said Mitchell. “There's a sort of necessity of telling individual stories that serves the larger understanding of the history of slavery.”

possibilities for powerful storytelling can be inspiring: “I can tell you conversations that Louisa and Mary had,” said Foreman. “We can get so deep into their personal lives, that it makes our experience relatively unique.” The challenge with these sorts of archives is maintaining a consciousness of who is telling you the story. “We’re reading documents written by white folks from a white perspective, so when we read something about a person running away, that gives you a clue—you’re

Louisiana (and arguably, the South), works from an archive far more limited than most other plantation sites in the area. “There’s no, like, plantation journal, no diaries,” she said. “And we have managed to string together an entire narrative about the history of that place, using very few actual documents about people who were enslaved there… There are so many stories that we can tell that people understand in a visceral human way, with just a few little documents that are left behind.” She of-

does it feel like for a place that small to suddenly be empty? You’re not hearing the sounds of your children . . . So, you have to not be afraid of those gaps, and willing to use some historical imagination. I have no idea what Francoise felt, but I can imagine what she felt to lose another child right after she had just lost one. I think a lot of people can understand that.”

Stories like these are, according to historians, the key to sincerely and impactfully confronting this history—

Today, more scholars and curators are finding it worthwhile to invest efforts and funding into this research—Mitchell’s Freedom on the Move database, which documents fugitives who escaped slavery, is one example, as is the Iberia African American Historical Society’s Center for Research and Learning, and the River Road African American Museum’s forthcoming genealogy research center, which will be housed at their restored Rosenwald school, and is anticipated to open in October 2023.

“SO WHEN WE SEE THESE PLANTATIONS, IT IS NOT THAT WE'RE GETTING ANGRY AT THE HOUSE. WE'RE GETTING ANGRY AT WHITE SUPREMACY. AND WE'RE GETTING ANGRY THAT NOBODY ELSE SEES THE FACT THAT WE WERE BRUTALIZED, HOW CAN NOBODY ELSE SEE THE CONTRIBUTIONS.”

—JOY BANNER, CO-FOUNDER OF THE DESCENDANTS PROJECT

“Do we tear down these plantations? Destroy them? Do we burn them down? If that would change the history, yes, let's do it,” said Darryl Hambrick. “I think we need to leave them there and learn a lot more about that history.”

As for how to utilize these sites ethically, answers are evolving. Currently, the general consensus among historians working in this space, as well as descendants of formerly-enslaved people, is that a bare minimum of respect, memorialization, and acknowledgment should be built into any experience taking place on these historical sites. And that descendants of the enslaved need to be involved in the decision making.

“I do think it really starts with engaging descendant communities, I think it can't move forward until descendants have a voice in how these sites are presented. That's just critical, that has to be the path forward, is to give descendants a seat at the table for any kind of revision or reimagining of these sights,” said Mitchell. But the situation is “all hands on deck,” and the work cannot be left entirely to Black Americans. “Educators have to be at the table, historians have to be at the table. And all of those groups have to work together to make it successful.”

This concept of diverse groups coming together to determine best practices and collaborate on solutions is not uncharted

territory. In February 2018, the National Trust hosted the inaugural National Summit on Teaching Slavery at Montpelier, former President James Madison’s plantation in Vermont. Forty-nine descendants of the enslaved, scholars, educators, museum curators, and others attended with the goal “to develop a model for descendant engagement at historic sites that is rooted in best practices for historical research, community dialogue, exhibition design, and historic preservation.”

In attendance from Louisiana were Ashley Rogers and Joy Banner, who were involved in pinpointing problematic aspects of current plantation tours as well as developing a rubric for how to best engage descendant communities about the interpretations of slavery presented at historic sites and museums. Available online, the rubric is multifaceted—but based around three pillars: transparent, collaborative, and accessible research; building relationships between communities of descendants and the sites that interpret the history of enslavement; and criteria and tools for historical interpretation. This rubric is currently the guiding principle of the Shadow-on-the-Teche’s reinterpretation initiatives, which include establishing an advisory board made up of twelve members of the community, half of whom are descendants of people enslaved in the region. The Shad-

ows’ partnership with the Iberia African American Historical Society will also be an invaluable resource as they further develop their tour and programming, with stories of Iberia Parish’s enslaved at the center.

“They are our descendant-led partner,” said Shadows-on-the-Teche’s new Executive Director John Warner Smith. “Not many sites have what we have. We’ve got this organization, whose mission is to actually celebrate the achievements of African Americans and to teach the history of African Americans of Iberia Parish. And they’re right upstairs.”

Jo Banner said, as a descendant, what she really wants is the ability to confront the complexities of trauma and history and inequality conjured by these spaces, and what they’ve stood for, directly. “I think what we want is to finally be able to jump, to cry, talk about it, scream, without anybody judging us for that,” she said. “We want that freedom without people calling us angry. And we are angry, we deserve to be angry. So just letting us emote and feel instead of everyone trying to sanitize …When it comes down to this history and these sites, it is about us. It really is about us.”

Richardson, whose work as a historian has been crucial to the IAAHS, says there is a particular expression of culture waiting for Black people in these spaces, if and when they choose to partake in it.

“This is something that I think is a triumph of the character of Black people, that they made a way out of no way, as Black Americans have been doing since they’ve set foot in this country, because they had to,” he said. As a Black man working in this space, he said that the work can be heavy. “There are rough days, days that I see ancestors’ names listed like animals. But if no one does the work, none of these stories get told.”

Warner Smith, who is the first Black person to serve as Executive Director of a National Trust property where enslavement occured, described his new tenure at the Shadows as his “swan song”. Leading the way to a future in which the ancestors of Iberia Parish’s Black community are honored and studied with care and dignity, he thinks he could help change the world.

“I’ve got this somewhat ambitious plan, vision, goal,” he said. “We can literally build a better society by doing what we do.” By telling the stories of Louisa, and Ann, and Emperor, and Francoise, and the millions of others who were enslaved in America—“you build more empathy, bridge those gaps in differences in perception that people have. Ignorance gets torn down. It’s not just about preserving a historic site anymore. It’s about building a more just society.

“There’s a lot of work to be done,” he said. “But I believe we’ll get there.” •

Destin Dunes, oil by Patricia Ryan, 36x24

Scipio Creek, oil by Dana Mosby, 24x12

IN THE ARTS

"The Best" for Forty Years

By Elizabeth Weinstein

Sporting a French name that translates to “The Best”, LeMieux Galleries is living up to its hname and celebrating forty years in business. The contemporary art establishment was founded in 1983 in an old storefront on New Orleans' West Bank, and evolved from an informal gathering place into the professional fine art establishment that it is today. Since long-time employees Christy Wood and Jordan Blanton purchased the gallery from founder Denise Berthiaume in 2015, they have made LeMieux their own while effectively maintaining its reputation for high-quality art, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere. As Blanton told me, “We want people to pleasantly feel at home here.”

Wood and Blanton met as employees at LeMieux and were steadily promoted over the course of ten years before Berthiaume suggested the pair purchase the gallery. After running LeMieux for thirty-three years, often six days a week, Berthiaume was ready for a new challenge, but did not want to jeopardize the future of her two young staffers. “I realized that as a small gallery, we could only grow so much. I couldn’t promote them

but didn’t want to lose them. So, I thought I’d see if they would be interested in buying the gallery.” Seven years later, she said she couldn’t be prouder of these two “smart, creative women.”

Stepping into LeMieux Galleries today, there is something to suit most any aesthetic palette. Whether it’s a traditional painting in oil, funky decorative objects, or even a whimsical chandelier bedecked in papier-mâché Magnolias—tantalizing art is always on view. LeMieux represents the work of nearly forty artists in addition to that of guests. Since its early days, the gallery has been known for a focus on artwork made by Louisiana and “third coast” artists, many of which are narrative pieces. In recent years, Wood and Blanton have expanded this focus to include more Southern art, as Wood describes, “from Texas to Viriginia, with some exceptions.” She described LeMieux as showing “more representational work [as opposed to abstraction] now than five years ago, which sets us apart [from other galleries nearby].”

The work of nurturing the careers of emerging artists is a particular passion point for Wood and Blanton. Among the ways they discover new artists is through an

annual open-call exhibition, currently in its fifth year. For the juried show, titled And Now for Something New, entries are reviewed by two judges in order “to ensure a balanced viewpoint,” said Wood. The chosen artworks are exhibited every August to coincide with the Arts District’s hugely popular White Linen Night—a prime opportunity for any artist to gain a lot of exposure. “It is most fulfilling to watch their careers blossom, from no one ever hearing about them to getting museum shows,” said Wood.

Showing artwork by emerging artists alongside that of long-established names like Alan Gerson, Shirley Rabe Masinter, and Bernard Mattox also allows for a wider range of price points to help the gallery fulfill its purpose to connect artists with a range of collectors and art enthusiasts. “We wanted to be able to reach people our own age and show them that you don’t have to break the bank to collect art,” said Wood. Affectionately called “Petite LeMieux,” a special room in the gallery is devoted to the display of less expensive artworks in a wide variety of media. A virtual wonder-chamber, this small room is full of marvelous, colorful items displayed in niches, hung on walls, and even suspended from the ceiling. LeMieux also houses a full-service framing operation headed-up by Blanton, who lends her creative expertise to assisting clients in choosing just the right format.

When LeMieux Galleries opened on June 12, 1983, Berthiaume named her new business after her mother’s family name. “‘LeMieux’ means ‘the best’ in French,’’ she said. “I knew [when I named it] that I would have to live up to that.” At the time in New Orleans, and particularly on the West Bank where LeMieux originated, there was much hype and excitement centered around the upcoming Louisiana World’s Exposition and the MART (Mississippi Aerial River Transit). A gondola-style cable car ride suspended 320 feet in the air, the MART transported people 2,500 feet across the Mississippi River, connecting the Central Business District on the East Bank to the West Bank in Algiers. The MART was expected to be more than a thrill ride for the Fair; it was anticipated that it would be a significant addition to New Orleans’s mass transit system and would provide an economic boost for the West Bank. Berthiaume recalled, “I thought it would be big.” The same year that construction began on the MART, she hung her first sign on the front of an old, repurposed building on Pelican Avenue. Within the shotgun style gallery measuring no more than 800-square-feet, she displayed artworks by the likes of Mary Lee Eggert and David Lambert, artists who have remained with LeMieux ever since.

Photo by Alexandra Kennon, taken at this year's White Linen Night And Now For Something New Vol. 4 exhibition at LeMieux.

Denise Berthiaume, standing in front of the original LeMieux Galleries on the West Bank in 1983. Courtesy of LeMieux Galleries.

founding day with a party—complete with a cake decorated with an image of Berthiaume’s face. She said that a lot of people took the time to stop by and share stories about how much they appreciated LeMieux. When congratulated for all her accomplishments, she deflects the praise. “Christy and Jordan have done incredibly,” she said. “I couldn’t have written a better script. I am so

From left to right: Christy Wood, Denise Berthiaume, and Jordan Blanton, photographed at LeMieux's recent 40th anniversary party by Samantha Spahr. Courtesy of LeMieux Galleries.

A White Hot Plan

AN UNEXPECTED THRILL OF A THRILLER

By Chris Turner-Neal

Ididn’t particularly want to read A White Hot Plan. It’s a thriller about a white nationalist plot to blow up downtown New Orleans, which is too close to some of my actual fears to provide escapist summer reading, but my stack was low, so I picked it up. And then struggled to put it down. Husbandand-wife writing team Mike and Ayan Rubin dish out an explosion on page three and murders on pages five and seven, and by the time the shrapnel fell through the trees and the victim’s car sank into the swamp, I was ready to clear my calendar for the afternoon.

A White Hot Plan is marketed as a thriller, and it is one— rare for me, I became terribly invested in the safety of a fictional child, and promptly tore through the last fifty pages—but the Rubins have also put together a farce with solid dollops of morality play. Characters frequently reap what they sow, and like as not fall on their behinds (or worse) in pulling the fruits of their labors out of the ground. We’re all allowed a few easy shots calling white nationalists stupid—I’ve taken them myself and will continue to do so—but the Rubins' villains are more deftly drawn, overestimating themselves and underestimating others: not plain slackjawed incompetence but the more relatable misperception of where the brainpower lies. People who think they’re significantly better informed, or wiser than they actually are, can cause chaos and mayhem at a scale rivaled only by the forces of nature, and if hubris were an active character in this book, she’d have the highest kill count by far. This novel also stands out for its ability to meet some of its most repugnant characters where they are. Crime thrillers are generally populated by shady people with grubby interior lives, and A White Hot Plan is no exception, but one character, a true believer central to the plan, is chillingly portrayed as a simple idealist. A fundamentally hollow, people-pleasing soul thirsty for praise, Kenny would have been a saint if he’d stumbled into a monastery instead of a nest of white-power terrorists. As it is, this blank slate fills up quickly with swastikas, and the time the reader spends with Kenny is a window into a twisted clarity of mind. He believes the road to salvation is paved with broken Black bodies, but his eyes are raised to the reward he expects. Hannah Arendt made her bones with the banality of evil; now the Rubins see her and raise her evil in pure simplicity. Readers will be used to an evildoer they like—my favorite genre of television is “the countess has poison, and she’s not afraid to use it”—but in Kenny I confronted a wicked man I simply wouldn’t have taken seriously, and it shook me.

The story doesn’t always break new ground—the secretary is sassy, the detective has a traumatic past, the waitress understands—and I don’t think my conscience would have let me name a bad guy “Bubba Mauvais,” but to the extent these are flaws, they’re forgivable. An extra treat is the obvious fun the authors had coming up with Louisiana names: Boulette Babineaux, Petit Rouge Parish, St. Bonaventure Parish, and many more, culminating in a strip club named Good Cheeks. In an extra bit of oh-God verisimilitude, the parish coroner—elected in Petit Rouge Parish instead of chosen for expertise, as in many real-world parishes—is a not-especially-good podiatrist. Here’s wishing A White Hot Plan some white-hot sales. •

A White Hot Plan can be found at ulpress.org.

This is the first of Chris Turner-Neal's new bi-monthly book review column. Look forward to reading more about regionally-focused, authored, or published literature in upcoming issues of Country Roads.

LISTEN IN Reading Radio

AT WRBH, STORIES LEAP FROM THE UNSEEN PAGE AND INTO THE AIRWAVES

“Two pork chops with green bean almandine… Doreet-ohs! Tosteet-ohs! Cheetohs!” With his playfully placed pauses, Bruce Mohat calls forth poetry from the grocery ads he reads during his one-hour radio show Makin’ Groceries! which airs

Story by Catherine Comeaux • Photos by Stephanie Tarrant

weekly on 88.3 WRBH. Based in New Orleans, this full-time FM reading radio service is the only one of its kind in the United States and one of only three such stations in the world.

In 1975, Dr Robert McClean, a New Orleans mathematician who was blind, started leasing airtime from WRNO as a

first step to realizing his dream of making the world of print more easily accessible to the visually impaired by reading the local newspaper on air. In 1982, he purchased the 88.3 signal, and WRBH (Radio for the Blind and [print] Handicapped) has been reading to the New Orleans area ever since—going worldwide

in 2000 when they began live streaming on the web. The station connects the visually impaired, non-readers, and the community at large to current events by giving voice to everything from local newspapers, to current self-help literature, to grocery story advertisements.

For over forty years, the non-profit

Ellen Hazard, an WRBH volunteer reading for a recent program.

radio station has been sustained by the support of volunteers, donations, and underwriting. In 2012, they began hosting what has become their signature annual fundraising event, a five-course meal with wine pairings—experienced blindfolded. This year, “A Blind Taste” will be held at La Petite Grocery on Magazine Street on September 11.

New Orleans attorney Charles S. Smith—who discovered WRBH by chance in 2004 while working food delivery in college—started the event with La Petite Grocery’s Chef Justin Devillier. A champion of the radio station, Smith for several years hosted the popular Charlie’s Music Show —an interview and performance series—as part of WRBH’s original programming. He also currently serves the organization as the board president.

“It’s the people that make WRBH,” Smith said. “The production has a grassroots ethos—they sound like people you know, people you can imagine. Having a local read to you evokes a certain feeling.”

Since WRBH’s inception, technological improvements have increased the accessibility of the printed word for people who are visually impaired in our society. Audiobooks can be downloaded through public libraries and screen reading software transforms the printed word into audio or braille that can be read tactilely with a refreshable braille display. Still, revolutionary as these advancements are, there will always be more soul in a human voice reading to you, as opposed to AI or braille.

“My sister can smell the sweet olives

when she’s listening in Austin,” related Natalia Gonzalez, who has been executive director at the station for over twenty years. “WRBH is about community— with a New Orleans accent.”

The community Gonzalez is referring to is made up of an eclectic mix of nearly 150 volunteers—including actors, lawyers, doctors, weather forecasters, a priest, and a former spy. Together, they contribute thousands of hours reading aloud from local and national newspapers, new fiction and non-fiction books, periodicals, children’s books, and event calendars. For twenty-five years, the organization has also been creating inhouse shows such as the Writers’ Forum, where local writers discuss their process and read from their work. Altogether, they help fulfill WRBH’s mission to give voice to the printed word so that the blind and print impaired can access current information as readily as the sighted.

These services, of course, benefit people even beyond the print-impaired. Jane Trucksis found WRBH in 2006 while she was trying to tune into New Orleans music radio station WWOZ 90.7.

“I wanted to set my alarm clock to wake up to WWOZ but was having trouble catching it in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina,” she said. “Instead, I heard a woman’s voice reading a book by Joan Didion. So, I started waking up to The Year of Magical Thinking.”

Trucksis, a lover of books, eventually became a WRBH volunteer reader. She takes her work seriously, pre-reading and diacritically marking any difficult words (like the names found in Russian

novels) before she records. She noted that WRBH provides a great way for listeners to stumble upon books, “They get turned onto books they might not read on their own. They hear things outside of their comfort zone. Like WWOZ introduces you to music you might never have thought to listen to, we do that for books.”

For the upcoming Blind Taste fundraiser, WRBH asks attendees to step out of their comfort zone and briefly experience what it is like to eat and socialize without relying on their vision. According to current Executive Chef at La Petite Grocery Joe Tiedmann, each dish is developed with especial attention to aromas and textures, and typically planned around the flavor profiles of early fall— think brown butter sauces, sage, herbs, and squashes. One year, the meal started with a French onion bisque to arouse a feeling of homeyness and warmth. “Caramelized onions smell nostalgic, welcoming, and evoke a feeling of security,” Tiedmann said.

At the beginning of each course, as the kitchen is plating the food, co-emcee Smith shakes an afuche-cabasa. The gentle percussive rattle signals everyone to don their blindfolds as the chef enters to describe the food, and the wine tender offers the details regarding the wine pairing.

“It’s a little disconcerting; some folks struggle with it,” Smith recalled, referring to the awkwardness of figuring out how to eat and hold a conversation without the visual cues we tend to rely on. Nonetheless, he and co-emcee/board

member Angela Hill strongly encourage people to wear their blindfolds during each course. The event is not only about raising funds and enjoying a sensually delicious meal, but also about building empathy and understanding.

In between each course, blindfolds are removed, and a brief auction of donated items ensues as part of the evening’s fundraising efforts. •

To buy tickets to A Blind Taste, call the station at (504) 8991144. Note that seats typically sell out early, though last-minute openings are sometimes available.

To volunteer, donate, or listen to WRBH’s streamed audio, visit wrbh.org where you can access a detailed schedule of programming and podcasts. The site is compatible with screen readers and offers a high-contrast setting and large print options.

If you are in the New Orleans area, turn your FM dial to 88.3. No matter how you listen, be careful if it is noon time on a Friday or Saturday, Mohat’s Makin Groceries! can make you hungry with his jovial calling out of local plate lunch specials, “Crab stuffed mushrooms! Fried shrimp with hush puppies and fries! Shrimp tass-oh and pasta!”

“THE PRODUCTION HAS A GRASSROOTS ETHOS—THEY SOUND LIKE PEOPLE YOU KNOW, PEOPLE YOU CAN IMAGINE. HAVING A LOCAL READ TO YOU EVOKES A CERTAIN FEELING.”

—CHARLES S. SMITH, WRBH BOARD PRESIDENT

Langston Fishburne, an WRBH volunteer reading for a recent program.

“WRBH IS ABOUT COMMUNITY— WITH A NEW ORLEANS ACCENT.”

—NATALIA GONZALEZ, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF WRBH

Top: WRBH volunteer Bruce Mohat, reading his Makin' Groceries! radio show, which lists out grocery advertisements. Bottom: WRBH Assistant Program Director Del Agnew

Small Town, Big Dreams

Tville. The year was 1996 and I’d only called Louisiana home for a couple of months when an article intended for the “Weekends Away” section of the magazine fell through, creating a chance for a wet-behind-the-ears recent arrival to see his name in print for the first time. I didn’t know much about St. Francisville, and still less about how my newly adopted hometown fit into the firmament of popular Louisiana getaway destinations. But even I could see that Shadetree was special. A beautifully-appointed trio of suites occupying whimsical structures set on a hilltop in the Historic District, Shadetree was simultaneously rustic and chic. It was the result of a collaboration, creative and otherwise, between a free-spirited bohemian aesthete named Kenwood Kennon and a recovering New York designer named Ellen Stoller. Kenwood, whose father, Robert F. Kennon, was Louisiana governor between 1952 and 1956, briefly owned West Feliciana’s remote and beautiful Como Plantation, where a group of like-minded souls lived communally for a stint during the seventies. But before that, he had begun work on the place that

that fueled the commune deep in the Tunica Hills. With Ellen’s arrival came a sophisticated overlay of worldly luxuries, and the plan to convert the hilltop into a bed and breakfast in 1993. Shadetree’s suites became places where glowing color palettes, sumptuous fabrics, and bookshelves filled with eclectic volumes harmonized with stained glass transoms, pecky cypress woodwork, and twisted willow furnishings by legendary Louisiana crafter Huey Dupont. The effect was electric and, by the time I came along in 1995, Shadetree was the most highly sought-after of St. Francisville’s many places to stay.

What I didn’t understand then was that, as unique as Shadetree’s hippy-naturalist-meets-Southern-sophisticate aesthetic appeared to a new arrival, it was also quintessentially St. Francisville—the result of a complex interplay between different constituencies that manages to coexist peacefully here (mostly). In a place where many large estates remain in family hands for generations, elements of landed Southern rural aristocracy tended to set the social tone, while also readily absorbing new arrivals and their ideas. Perhaps this is a legacy

of St. Francisville’s onetime identity as genteel neighbor to Bayou Sara—the bawdy port town that was once the

ciana’s natural assets have always drawn writers, artists, and other creative spirits, whose observations (like those of a certain artist-naturalist who arrived to paint birds a couple of hundred years ago) have sharpened the sensibilities of locals and visitors alike to the singular qualities that, within Louisiana, defined West Feliciana as a place apart. Consequently, through the efforts of people like Kenwood and Ellen, and Robin Marshall, who founded The Magnolia Café in 1981; and Michael Miller, who came to build a wood-fired kiln deep in the Tunica Hills, where he taught himself to make exquisite works of ceramic art, St. Francisville developed a facility for absorbing new arrivals and their ideas and lifestyles, and became better and more interesting for them. A habit of supporting interesting, bohemian ideas seeped into the community’s bloodstream, enabling quirky passion projects like Shadetree, The Magnolia, Airhouse Pottery, Grandmother’s Buttons, and (dare I say it) Country Roads magazine to flourish, and proving to others with dreams of building singular things, that St. Francisville

Shadetree, which has long been a mainstay of St. Francisville tourism, was the subject of our publisher James Fox-Smith's first-ever Country Roads article. Beside an outcropping of new developments in the West Feliciana town, Shadetree recently announced its much-awaited re-opening late this fall. Photo courtesy of Ellen Kennon.

was a place that would nourish them.

Perhaps this is another legacy of its port town origins, but for most of its existence, St. Francisville has attracted visitors. Tourism has long been important to the local economy, with travelers drawn by the prospect of visiting plantation houses, visiting the little cluster of shops in its fastidiously preserved Historic District (for which we have Libby Dart and the founding matriarchs of the West Feliciana Historical Society to thank), and perhaps spending the night at a bed and breakfast. But beyond that brief list of attractions, for a long time St. Francisville didn’t actually offer much to do. Sometimes over the years,

upon hearing a visitor profess love for St. Francisville, I’ve asked what it is that keeps them coming back. After name-checking lunch at The Magnolia, a historic home or two, and a few shops along Ferdinand Street, it often seems that something about the friendly, small-town atmosphere and a certain sense of place created by the combination of historic architecture and a slightly bohemian spirit, are the community’s most enduring attractions. But all that is changing. St. Francisville’s openness to new people with new ideas is bearing fruit. This fall, no fewer than five ambitious projects have the potential to capitalize on the town’s enduring appeal to visitors, while also dra-

matically enriching what it offers to those of us fortunate to call it home. All are the passion projects by local people whose creative drive and vision for what their town can be, have overcome many obstacles. So, here is a brief introduction to projects that we believe are changing the face of St. Francisville in important ways, and to the people behind them. In some way, all stand on the shoulders of pioneering locals like Kenwood and Ellen Kennon, Robin Marshall, Michael Miller, Susan and Donny Davis, and others who came here to build things that were more whimsical than practical, too fantastic to succeed, but too unique and special not to.

The Corbel, Barlow Fashion Co. Deyo Supply Company, The Mallory, Hotel Toussaint

Collectively known as "North Commerce"

Where: Corner of North Commerce & Ferdinand streets

Who: Susan and Don Charlet, Cage Charlet, John Luke Charlet

be featured in Hotel Toussaint.

In the heart of St. Francisville across from Parker Park and the St. Francisville Inn, a long-vacant site once occupied by Rinaudo’s Hardware is being returned to community life as North Commerce – a development encompassing half a dozen retail, entertainment, food and beverage, lodging, and entertainment entities, all with the emphasis on local ownership and distinctive, carefully curated products and services. Driving the development are Don and Susan Charlet and their sons, Cage and John Luke,

who over the course of the past year have relocated and expanded their existing businesses—The Corbel Home and Interiors, and Barlow Fashion Co.—while simultaneously launching several more. The Corbel, Barlow, and Deyo Supply Company, an upscale men’s clothier, are already open on the North Commerce site. Joining them in September will be The Mallory, a 12,000-square-foot event venue built to host weddings, receptions, concerts, and markets for groups as large as 1,000. Last but certainly not least is Hotel

Toussaint, a boutique hotel named for French painter and printmaker Nicolas Toussaint Charlet, who was Don Charlet’s great, great, great grandfather. Hotel Toussaint will deliver luxurious accommodation in eight suites showcasing the design aesthetic and product range represented at The Corbel. Expect these to be plush, with fine linens, house slippers, top-of-the-range bath and body products, and complimentary champagne. Hotel Toussaint is slated to open in November. Room prices will be in the $350/night range.

thecorbel.com • barlowfashion.com • deyosupply.com • the-mallory.com

For this photo, Don, Susan, Cage and John Luc Charlet all piled into one of the plush, king-sized beds that will

The Royal

Where: 9779 Royal Street

Who: Brandon Branch & Jim Johnson

When: November, 2023

When Brandon Branch and Jim Johnson reopened the St. Francisville Inn in 2019, the effect on the town was electrifying. Their breathtaking renovation of the Steamboat Gothic landmark, which left not an inch of the original structure untouched, simultaneously gave St. Francisville its first truly topend historic hotel property, while also prov-

ing that if you build something beautiful, people will come from far and wide. Come they did; the Inn and its restaurant The Saint, are booked months in advance, and on a Friday or Saturday night, The Saint Bar and front porch glitter with well-dressed (and well-heeled) visitors from all over the country.

What most St. Francisville Inn guests don’t know is that upstairs in the main house lies another stunning, 3,200-square-foot space, which hitherto has served as Brandon and Jim’s personal apartment. This fall, they are converting this space into St. Francisville’s first day spa—a top-of-the-line retreat offering facials, manicures, pedicures, massages, and various high-end skincare services. In addition the couple have purchased a second historic property at the corner of Royal and Johnson streets, which for decades operated as The Barrow House bed and breakfast and actually encompasses two buildings dating from 1780 and 1800 respectively, which were built in Bayou Sara and moved up the hill to St. Francisville around 1840. This summer they are transforming the property to become The Royal, a super-luxe bed and breakfast incorporating living quarters for themselves, plus three no-expense-spared suites showcasing Brandon’s love for incorporating carefully chosen antiques into spaces suffused with his gorgeous, maximalist design style. No expense is spared, here. Suites feature bathrooms with heated floors, marble showers, and Japanese toilets. Each morning breakfast will be served on a screened porch overlooking Royal Street; evenings bring a cocktail hour with warmed hors d’oeuvres. The piece de resistance: all guests will receive individualized butler service, right down to the unpacking of luggage, ironing of clothing, and the serving of breakfast and cocktails. Opening is targeted for November. Prices will be in the super-luxe category, but no-one who has set foot in the St. Francisville Inn can doubt that the results will be fabulous.

stfrancisvilleinn.com

Bayou Sara Brewing Company

Where: Corner of Commerce and Ferdinand streets

Who: Steve and Amanda McKinney, Doug & Abby Cochran

When: Early 2024

Steve and Amanda McKinney have been dreaming of bringing a brewery to St. Francisville since 1995, when Steve was stationed in Japan with the US Army and his mother sent him a home brew kit—a results-based solution to the problem of high-priced beer that didn’t fit a young sergeant’s budget. Fresh beer was a revelation, and the passion for brewing it endured through the couple’s time overseas, their settling in Amanda’s hometown, and the upbringing of their three daughters. Now, with their children grown and the American craft beer scene settled into predictable patterns, the McKinneys, partnering with Amanda’s sister Abby Cochran and husband, Doug, have begun bringing Bayou Sara Brewing Company to life in the old Bennett Ford building that stands at the corner of Commerce and Ferdinand streets in the heart of St. Francisville. Officially designated a “brew pub”—i.e. a restaurant licensed to brew its own beer—Bayou Sara will brew beers in gleaming stainless steel fermenters and kettles sourced from Mandeville’s Old Rail Brewery, which were being installed at the time of writing. On track for a spring, 2024 opening, Steve expects Bayou Sara Brewing Company to open featuring ten beers: three IPAs, a golden wheat, a citrus wheat, a black lager, raspberry and watermelon sours, and American and honey pale ales. Beyond the beers, the distinctive old Bennett Ford building also enables Bayou Sara to operate as a family-oriented entertainment venue incorporating a restaurant serving creative pub fare (think elevated sandwiches, salads, and bar bites), plus outdoor areas for seating, games, and gatherings of all kinds. Cheers to that. bayousarabrewing.com.

In their upstairs apartment at the St. Francisville Inn—which is soon to become the day spa—Brandon donned a butler’s blacks to serve Jim in the manner in which he is accustomed.

Pictured on the Bayou Sara brewing floor from left to right are Amanda McKinney, Steve McKinney, Doug Cochran, and Abby Cochran.

Big River Pizza Company

Where: Corner of North Commerce & Ferdinand streets

Who: Morgan and Lizzie Moss

When: Spring, 2024

When Morgan Moss took the reins at The Myrtles in 2015, the circa 1796 plantation home with a reputation as “America’s Most Haunted House” was already one of St. Francisville’s bestknown tourist attractions. But in the years since, he and his wife, Lizzie Elvig, have transformed the property into a small luxury hotel that today encompasses popular Restaurant 1796, Elta coffee shop, and accommodation for sixty-two guests. Now, the couple are applying the lessons learned launching Restaurant 1796 to Big River Pizza Company, a fast-casual, family-friendly, wood-fired pizza restaurant and bar coming to the North Commerce development in early 2024. Small on the outside but ambitious in concept and scope, Big River will feature a menu focused around artisanal, hand-thrown pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven visible to the main dining room, and available for enjoying in several indoor and outdoor dining spaces, or for taking to go. Beyond pizza, the menu will offer elevated shareable plates, which will be available on the restaurant side, and also in Proud Mary’s, a speakeasy-style bar in the back of the building serving craft cocktails and small plates. An on-site ice cream parlor is also in the works.

For our photo shoot, Restaurant 1796 Sous Chef Nick Kent (not pictured), who will become Executive Chef at Big River, baked several (delicious) pizzas currently under development for the new menu, in a small wood-fired oven in the backyard of Morgan and Lizzie’s St. Francisville home.

Monk Haus

Where: 11798 Ferdinand Street

Who: Mark Charbonnet

When: September 2023

Everyone loves a good story, and in the front parlor of newly-opened Monk Haus, visitors will hear some of the best. Mark Charbonnet—a New Orleans native who relocated to St. Francisville following a thirty-year career in New York working for legendary designer Peter Marino and creating spaces for clients like Michael J. Fox—is a veritable story machine. He bought and began renovating the Ferdinand Street property in 2022, learning that like many historic St. Francisville structures, his home had originally stood in the port town of Bayou Sara. It was built there around 1840 using virgin timber from thousand-year-old trees felled in the Ohio Valley and made into flatboat rafts, loaded with merchandise, and floated down the Mississippi by Kaintuck traders. Once these rafts reached their destinations they were dismantled and sold as building material. With the bars and whorehouses of Bayou Sara ravaged by repeated floods and fires, Charbonnet’s house was one of the structures eventually raised onto logs and dragged up the hill into St. Francisville, then refined to serve as homes in more respectable circumstances.

A visitor can expect to hear fascinating tales like these in the front parlor of Monk Haus, now exquisitely appointed with Charbonnet’s collection of fine and decorative artworks, every one of which provides the opening line for a new story. Accommodation at Monk Haus is in a sumptuous suite that showcases artwork by the renowned New York artist and Charbonnet’s friend, Hunt Slonem. The accommodations are lovely, but the real value lies in the invitation to take tea in the parlor, where Charbonnet, seated on an iron throne made for Queen Marie of Romania, beneath an oil painting that might possibly be a James Whistler, delivers a “virtual tour” of Bayou Sara and old St. Francisville, told through the objects in his extraordinary collection, while the thousand-year-old timbers of Monk Haus bear silent witness around him.

Editor’s note: In a full-circle moment, after being closed since early 2020, Shadetree will reopen this fall, and will resume providing elevated bed & breakfast accommodation to guests beginning October 1. shadetreesf.com.

Mark Charbonnet serves tea in the front parlor at Monk Haus, which he named for the Capuchin monks who settled across the river in Pointe Coupee parish in the late 17th century. The high water table on the river’s west bank drove the monks to cross the river in search of the higher ground upon which to bury their dead. And this, according to Charbonnet, is how St. Francisville got its name.

Hidden in the Homochitto

AN INVITATION TO HEAD INTO THE WOODS, LOCK UP YOUR PHONE, AND DO ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING

Story by Kristy Christiansen • Photos by Paul Christiansen

Day One: Into the Woods

John Muir once said, “Come to the woods, for here is rest.” His infinite wisdom has not waned since the days when he embarked on long treks across the wilderness. In the woods, we detach from the hustle and stress of daily life, to disconnect from our electronics, put aside our troubles, and lean into the rhythms of nature.

On a chilly weekend last fall, my family and I embraced the idea of rest and relaxation at Getaway House Homochitto. Tucked away in a pine forest in Mississippi, a series of tiny cabins offers “everything you need and nothing you don’t.” This was ideal, since unlike Muir, I had no intentions of entering the wilderness without a good mattress and a coffee pot. Getaway House had us covered, outfitting their tiny cabins with a full bathroom including a shower, a kitchenette with fridge and two-burner stove, and a queen bunk with a picture window view of the

woods outside. There’s even a lockbox to hide away phones.

Getaway Chief Experience Officer Carlos Becil shared that typically guests embrace the opportunity to do very little, or “absolutely nothing.” You can roast marshmallows, read books in the provided Adirondack chairs, take leisurely nature walks, and fully immerse yourself in the Homochitto forest, which is full of fascinating wildlife. “Time and time again, our guests have shared that their stay with Getaway left them feeling rejuvenated, more connected to their loved ones, and excited to make free time a regular ritual in their lives,” he said.

After a stressful work week and twoand-half-hour drive from New Orleans, we were more than ready to immerse ourselves in the outdoors. We arrived mid-afternoon at our cabin and promptly scoped out the property, taking in every detail of the cabin’s streamlined, functional design and the forested

area beyond. The map of the property showed a series of trails beyond the cabins, and Getaway offered suggestions for nearby day excursions.

We decided to make the most of the waning daylight with a quick trip to the National Forest’s neighboring Clear Spring Recreation Area. As the starting point for the ten-mile Richardson Creek trail, the spot also features a campground and park hugging the shores of a tranquil lake. Our oldest son donned his polarized sunglasses and entered his fishing zone, while the rest of us set off on the mile-long loop trail around the water. Zion, our dachshund/terrier mix, led the way, pulling us over leaf-strewn hills, scrambling up a red dirt cliff, and setting out across a foot bridge offering an impressive view of the sparkling lake below.

As night crept in, we headed back to the cabin, where I whipped up dinner in the kitchenette, and the boys built a roaring campfire. We ate by the fire,

counting the stars overhead and toasting marshmallows over the flickering flames. Although there were other cabins nearby, all was quiet, and we keenly felt the solitude of the forest.

Day Two: Natchez Trace Parkway

The sun’s early rays filtered through the pines, shining through our picture window to gently wake us to the new morning. We feasted on blueberry pancakes at the picnic table outside, while the boys blazed their way through the forest around us. When they emerged armed with makeshift walking sticks that doubled as swords, we were reminded that no matter how old they get, boys will always be boys.

Getaway House Homochitto is only a short distance from Natchez, and we couldn’t miss the opportunity to venture to part of the Natchez Trace Parkway. A 444-mile scenic drive from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Ten-

nessee, the Natchez Trace follows an old travel road used by Native Americans and early settlers. Entering at the southern terminus, we found ourselves on a picturesque, tree-lined drive through rural Mississippi.

At the Old Trace exhibit, we walked a portion of the original trail, traveling the sunken dirt path carved between steep cliffs packed with twisting tree roots. We wet our feet in the creek at

Loess Bluff, searching the creek bed and towering wall for fossils. The loess dates to the Ice Age, when enormous dust storms from the western plains blew topsoil up to ninety feet deep over this part of the United States. Beneath the loess stands sand and clay from an ancient sea, and the creek flowing here washes out tiny fossils of early sea creatures.

At Mount Locust, we learned about

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the circa-1784 historic home built by farmers William and Paulina Ferguson. The house served as a “stand,” or inn, for boatmen who, after floating their flatboats down the Mississippi River to Natchez or New Orleans, walked their way back north along the Natchez Trace. For twenty-five cents, the boatmen were served a meal of corn mush and milk and allowed to sleep on the porch. Behind the Inn, a paved path

leads to the resting place of forty-three people who were enslaved at Mount Locust, with all but one of their names listed.

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Port Gibson, we vaulted back to present-day Mississippi before retracing our route to our Getaway House for another relaxing evening of dinner by the fire.

Day Three: Clark Creek Natural Area

On our last morning, we sipped coffee in bed, burrowing under the soft covers while gazing out at the forest surrounding us. The kids in the bunk above us

still slept soundly after staying up late playing with the cabin’s old-school radio. We cherished these last quiet moments of our tiny house in the woods before packing up to head back to the city. Our journey home led us through the Homochitto National Forest to the quaint town of Woodville, where historic buildings lined the streets that serve as a gateway to Clark Creek Natural Area. The overflowing parking lot hinted at

this trail’s popularity, but the crowds quickly fell away as we descended into the creekbed and set off in search of the famed waterfalls. Barely more than a trickle, the waterfalls are still a phenomenon rarely seen this close to Louisiana. We wandered deeper into the wilderness until dark clouds rolled in, forcing us to huddle in a crude cave to wait out the storm. As I watched the raindrops splatter in the creek at our feet, I thought

again of Muir and his words of wisdom, grateful for this time of rest and natural immersion we had been granted. •

getaway.house

Disclaimer: This trip was hosted and partially funded by Getaway House, though the opinions of the writer are entirely her own and formed independently of this fact.

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November 10-12, 2023

Louisiana’s Most Beautiful Food & Wine Event

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Friday Night Winemaker Dinner featuring Chef Cameron Cage, City Pork, Baton Rouge & Miner Family Vineyards, Napa, CA presented by Didier Consulting

St. Francisville Saturday Night at the Magnolia Cafe featuring Chef Chaz Lindsay, Pulito Osteria, Jackson, MS presented by Visit Mississippi

Sunday Grand Tastings at the Myrtles

Craft Beer and Brats Garden presented by Bank of St. Francisville Spirits at the Myrtles’ Courtyard presented by Paretti Jaguar Land Rover Country Roads People’s Choice Chef Experience presented by Williamson Eye Center City Group Hospitality Tasting Experience

Zero Proof Wellness Bar Presented by Pennington Biomedical Research Center Making Raving Fans Hospitality Group Tasting Experience

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Presented

Made By Who? L.V. Hull

KOSCIUSKO’S SELF-TAUGHT WONDER IS THE SUBJECT OF A NEW LEGACY CENTER, A PRESERVATION PROJECT & DOCUMENTARY

By William Browning

Tmost unlikely and inspiring artist began humbly, in the late summer of 1974, when a woman named L.V. Hull bought a house in the town of Kosciusko. Hull was a thirty-two-year-old area native. The place she bought amounted to a mere 900 or so square feet and cost $7,000. Hull paid her mortgage with money earned through domestic work. Everything seemed unremarkable.

Then something remarkable happened.

Shortly after she moved in, Hull’s imagination began to spread across nearly every surface within her reach. She began to accumulate things, positioning them in various eclectic arrangements and assemblages. And then she began to paint. She preferred bright, bold colors, and her brush often created patterns of dots or dashes. When she inevitably ran out of space, Hull simply brought in more things to paint on. There were car tires, Easter baskets, and bicycles. Pieces of wood and hats. Televisions and basketballs. Milk crates and hubcaps. Flowerpots and ceiling fans. Gourds, lamp shades, and sewing machines.

Hull’s creations eventually filled her home, front porch, and yard, where there were dozens of painted shoes placed atop poles, like a flower garden blooming high heels, work boots, and Keds. Interspersed were occasional phrases, spelled out in paint, that gave insight into Hull’s opinions on a variety of subjects, from the need for faith (“You are welcome to pray.”) to the shifting dynamics of romantic relationships (“Face powder may catch a man, but baking powder will keep him.”) to acceptance (“The straight and narrow path has no traffic problems.

Love everybody.”) to the rewards—and perhaps pitfalls—of aimlessness (“If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.”). She signed her work, “The Artist,” or variations of it, including “Made by L.V. Hull,” “Made by The Artist L.V. Hull,” and “Made by Who? L.V. Hull.”

The culminating effect of it all—a sea of everyday items reimagined in colorful patterns with downhome homilies—was a kind of earthy ode to life’s small joys delivered in a bold, kaleidoscope-esque style. Over the course of thirty-plus years, Hull’s residence, at 123 Allen Street, became a work of art unlike any other in the American South.

By the early 1980s, people were stopping to stare. The local Chamber of Commerce soon printed literature with directions. Despite having painted “Mind Your Business” on her mailbox, Hull welcomed most visitors, who discovered that she had mastered what one longtime friend, Yaphet Smith, called “the Southern art of visiting.” An Australian film crew arrived in 1995. Later, a Southern Living journalist stopped by. In 2006, Hull told a reporter her home had been visited by people from every U.S. state. Self-taught, she had established herself as one of the South’s most original folk artists. When she died in 2008, though, a problem arose.

Over the years, Hull’s art and residence had merged into one. Because she lived alone (she had one son, Little Joe Hull, who died at age four in 1968, before she moved into the house at Kosciusko), there was the issue of what to do with her creations. She left everything to her sister, Q.T., who lived more than 150 miles away, in Memphis. There was also the fact that a part of Kosciusko’s population

had never understood Hull’s art—who held the opinion that the property really just needed to be cleaned up. All of this hovered over the looming question of what to do with it all.

In the months after Hull’s death, a group of ten or so locals formed a group called “Friends of L.V. Hull,” and purchased Hull’s home along with everything in it. They collected 800 or so pieces of her art and deposited them in the basement of City Hall for safekeeping. The group was not sure what, if anything, their efforts would lead to, but wanted to preserve what they could. “If we didn’t save it,” Allen Massey, a local businessman involved in the effort, said, “it would be gone forever.”

Now, fifteen years later, Hull’s art appears poised to re-enter the world in grand fashion.

About four years ago, Annalise Flynn, an independent curator and art historian in Wisconsin, became interested in Hull’s art through her work managing the SPACES Archives on behalf of the Kohler Foundation, a nonprofit that specializes in helping preserve art environments. After learning much of Hull’s work was stored in the basement of Kosciusko City Hall, Flynn connected with Massey, who told her the goal had always been an eventual permanent display of Hull’s work in town. Several organizations over the years made offers for the collection but the group had turned them all down: They did not want Hull’s art leaving. “We felt that wouldn’t do justice to her or the legacy she left behind,” Massey said.

Flynn also connected with Smith, a Mississippi native now living in Texas, and a longtime friend of Hull’s—his grandmother had lived a few houses down from her. As a child, Smith was entranced and inspired by Hull’s work, an example to him of what it looked like to steadfastly pursue art as a passion, no matter the circumstances. From roughly 2001 to 2004, Smith recorded a series of interviews with Hull about her life and work. He used that footage to make a documentary about her life called, Love Is a Sensation, which is currently in post-production.

Flynn connected Smith and Massey with the Kohler Foundation’s preservation team, which ultimately took on Hull’s collection as a project and transported it to its facility in Wisconsin, where all 800-plus pieces were cleaned, conserved, and documented. Late last year, the Kohler Foundation returned to Kosciusko and donated the art to the Arts Foundation of Kosciusko, a nonprofit

that recently acquired a piece of property with several structures on it, not far from Hull’s home. The site is undergoing renovation and will eventually become the L.V. Hull Legacy Center, which will house Hull’s work and be a place of exhibitions, educational programs, tours, and other events revolving around Hull’s life and work.

Hollis Cheek, the president of the Arts Foundation of Kosciusko, said the effort represents a “wonderful opportunity” for the town. Cheek described Kosciusko as the largest town in Mississippi without a four-lane highway. That lack of highway, he said, makes economic development difficult. Creating a space dedicated to Hull’s art, he said, is a way of building economic development from within.

The center’s opening date, sometime in late 2024, is set to coincide with an exhibit of Hull’s work that will be shown in November at the Mississippi Museum of Art.

Meanwhile, two years ago, Smith purchased Hull’s home—vacant since her death—and is working toward renovating it. In May, the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the home as one of the “11 Most Endangered Historic Places” in America. In June, the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund of the National Trust of Historic Preservation gave the effort a $50,000 grant to assist in the property’s preservation.

For Smith, he hopes the restoration of Hull’s home, the creation of the L.V. Hull Legacy Center, and the release of Love Is a Sensation will “activate her legacy.” Hull, he said, believed her talent was a direct gift from God, and that the way to show gratitude for such a gift was to engage with it. Smith hopes Hull’s work and story inspires people, and that it stimulates interest in the African-American community in Kosciusko, which has a rich history—Oprah Winfrey is from Kosciusko, as is James Meredith, the first African American admitted to the University of Mississippi.

Flynn, a Mississippi native, described Hull’s legacy as one of joy, celebration, and independence—anad a physical site to honor that is a necessary addition to the Southern African American story that is all too often lined with struggle and sadness. “She did exactly what she wanted to do, how she wanted to do it,” Flynn said. •

For more about the L.V. Hull and ongoing preservation efforts, visit lvhull.org

Photo by Bruce West. “Ms. Hull, seated in her garden” 2003.