Months ago, I made a commitment to help raise funds for and
participate in a “first” event, “Heaven, Hope & Hurricanes,” a spring gala featuring
our good friends Brenda DeKeyzer Lowry and Joshua “Bubba” Murrell that will
take place in Sewanee, TN, my second home. It’s sponsored by the Advisory Board
and Sisters at the Convent of St. Mary, and as I’m both a board member and an Associate
of the Order of St. Mary, I’m firmly committed. At the time I agreed to the
Sewanee event, I had no idea I’d be invited to participate in a reading at
another “first” event, The Dave Robicheaux Literary Festival named for James
Lee Burke’s famous fictional character who has made places like New Iberia’s
Main Street and Victor’s Café familiar to readers of books in the mystery genre. The
festival will take place during the same week-end as the Sewanee event. I had
to decline the second invite with big regrets because The Literary Festival is
going to be one of New Iberia, Louisiana’s most notable events this year.
Storytellers from Iberia Parish and from throughout
Louisiana will participate in a literary round-up April 8-10; will join in
festivities like “Bayou City Jam,” a cochon
de lait at The Shadows-on-the-Teche; a Neon Rain 5K Run; a ULL
Academic Symposium of panel discussions; and an authors/publishers roundtable.
The Iberia Performing Arts League will perform sketches based on a Dave
Robicheaux novel and other one-act plays. And, of course, there’ll be music and
food from a food truck festival in Bouligny Plaza. Saturday evening “Black
Cherry Blues and Boudin” will be featured, and the Grand Theater will show In The Electric Mist for the occasion. There’ll also be a bouree tournament for Cajun card players. The only way in which I
can participate is by having a table at the book fair sponsored by Books Along
the Teche, manned by my good friend, Janet Faulk-Gonzales and featuring several
of Janet’s, Victoria Sullivan’s and my own titles, some of which are based in
New Iberia. Look for the table in front
of the Chamber of Commerce office!
We’ve had lots of festivals in New Iberia, but this event
seems to include everything that reflects the joie de vivre of Cajun country, and I’m one more sad puppy because
I’ll miss the entire week-end of festivities. I hope one of my friends will
save a commemorative poster created by Trent Oubre and will send it to me.
I’ll be thinking about this celebration while passing a good
time on The Mountain and wishing I could be in two places at one time!
1 comment:
Merci Diane for mentioning the festival on your blog. We have shared the link with our partners and Janet. We are sorry you cannot make it this year, but there's always next year!
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