Editor's Note: Mardi Gras Hopping
I have had a lifetime of Mardi Gras celebrations but only in New Orleans. Since I was a baby, we’d find a spot on St. Charles Avenue, spread out a big blanket, prop up our chair ladders and spend Fat…
Author: Ashley Bravata
Discover Louisiana’s Most Unusual and Quirky Mardi Gras Celebrations
When most people think of Mardi Gras, images of Bourbon Street revelry and towering floats most likely come to mind. But venture beyond the Big Easy, and you’ll discover a Louisiana where Mardi Gras traditions run deeper than beads and…
Mardi Gras Mood
As we get deeper and deeper into Mardi Gras after January 6, and we spend more time at parties, at balls and at parades, we sometimes need a bit of help keeping up with the celebrations. Party fatigue is real.…
Prosperity Moves
Rick Majeste, Metairie
Three Remain
“I can’t find my French music,” says Shane Vincent. And then, so there’s no confusion about where we find ourselves, geographically or culturally, he repeats his name: “That’s Vansohn.” In the 90-degree shade, he’s pacing between two burial sections at…
Village People
If, like me, you live in or are visiting a Louisiana city that is positively taken over by parties and parades during Carnival season, respite from the whirl sounds beyond appealing. Especially if it can be reached in 15 to…
Ways of Seeing
Sister Creatures Set in Pinecreek, Louisiana, Laura Venita Green’s “Sister Creatures” starts with the protagonist, Tess, encountering a stranger with her daughter and a friend. Venita Green writes the scene with equal parts wonder, terror and empathy. The encounter leaves…
Carnival Updates
The all-new Mystic Kings Krewe parade (January 5) kicks off Mardi Gras (February 17) with bejeweled co-ed riders prancing through the streets of New Orleans atop graceful Arabian stallions amid artful floats and twirling flambeaux. In Lafayette, Mardi Gras parades…
The Spice is Right
Last summer, over the serenading crush of emerald Gulf waves, Alys Beach homeowners dining at The Beach Club devoured something new — a sweetheat cornbread concoction called Perique Creole Handshake Corn Beignets. The name is whimsical, but the spice kicking…
A Look Inside Louisiana’s Courir de Mardi Gras
The three capitaines are busy working on their whips. Astride horses, they wear jeans, boots, button-down shirts, black hats. From their shoulders hang lustrous capes. They flutter, purple, green and gold in the February chill. A quick shriek like scratching…
The Natural World
West Monroe artist Donna McGee looks to the works of earlier artists such as Vincent Van Gogh for their use of bright colors and their “unique vision” and to environmentalists, conservationists and poets for their love of nature. But most…
The Perfect Getaway
In the 1950s, my mother and grandmother used to steal away to Gulf Hills Hotel & Resort in Ocean Springs where they lounged by the pool and rode horses. Harkening back…
Bringing the Blues
The blues is a living, breathing organism — the lifeblood of the collective souls of the exultant, the downtrodden, the righteous and the damned. This past year has seen a bit of a blues resurgence into popular culture through Ryan…
New Year's Eve in Louisiana
Christmas chaos is over. Now it's time to celebrate the closing of 2025 and the new beginnings of 2026. While Christmas brought house parties, cooking and hosting, New Year's Eve brings a night out of the house, filled with music,…
Christmas Eve Bonfires, Told by the Builders
Unforgettable. Priceless. Tradition. Those were the three words residents used to describe the Christmas Eve bonfires. Unforgettable - Denise Burrell, executive director of the River Parishes Tourist Commission. Priceless - Camella St. Pierre Landry, founder of the Festival of the…
Free Louisiana Wildlife Activity Book for Kids
BATON ROUGE (press release) – The Louisiana Wildlife Federation (LWF) released a new edition of its “First Time Fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin” activity booklet, a free resource supported by the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area. “Since the first booklet was…
Who Will be at FAN EXPO? Plus New Art Showdown
NEW ORLEANS (press release) – FAN EXPO, a global comic book convention producer, will host its New Orleans show Jan. 9-11, debuting the Comics Xplosion Live Art Showdown. The Comics Xplosion Live Art Showdown, a live art showdown featuring iconic…
Musician Brings Louisiana Zydeco Music to Alaska
NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Corey Ledet, musician and two-time Grammy nominee, brought Zydeco music from Parks, La, a town with fewer than 700 people, to Anchorage, Alaska. Corey Ledet's Zydeco Story Ledet, born in Houston, spent his summers with…
New Funding for Pontchartrain Conservancy to Tackle Aquatic Litter
NEW ORLEANS, La (press release) – The Pontchartrain Conservancy received funding through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Debris Program for a new initiative: the Comprehensive Aquatic Litter Plan for Orleans Parish (CALPOP). The CALPOP project will install…
Bally’s Baton Rouge Opening Creates 500+ New Jobs
BATON ROUGE, La (press release) – Bally’s Baton Rouge Casino & Hotel celebrated the grand opening of its new casino and entertainment complex on Dec. 6. The opening marked the completion of Bally’s multiyear, $160 million investment in revitalizing a…
What is the Festival of the Bonfires? Plus The Full Schedule
LUTCHER, La – The 36th Annual Festival of the Bonfires began at 2 p.m. today, Dec. 12, and runs until Sunday, Dec. 14, at Lutcher Recreational Park. Below is the full schedule for this weekend. But first, let's dive into the…
Episode 235: How a Lafayette Man Turned His Passion into Art
It is said that if you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life. I believe that is true for Lafayette native Daniel Barousse. Barousse is a skateboarder and artist, who combines both of his passions…
Louisiana Surgery Center Opens in North Louisiana
RUSTON, La – On Dec. 5, the Ruston-Lincoln Chamber of Commerce welcomed the new Louisiana Surgery Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The new surgery center opened at 2480 Hwy 33 in Ruston. The Louisiana Surgery Center specializes in orthopedic, spine…
Firehouse Subs Gives Louisiana First Responders $125k
THIBODAUX, La (press release) – Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation supported South Louisiana first responders, 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, the very event that inspired the creation of the foundation. The foundation gave nearly $125,000 for lifesaving equipment to the Bayou…
Louisiana McGrath Math Competition Winners
NATCHITOCHES, La (press release) — Schools from across Louisiana gathered on Nov. 20 for the 24th Annual McGrath Math Competition, hosted by the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts (LSMSA). LSMSA is a tuition-free, public residential high school…
Louisiana City Named Top 10 Winter Fishing Spot
NORFOLK, Va (press release) – FishingBooker, a global platform for booking fishing trips, ranked the best winter fishing destinations for 2026. Winter may bring cooler weather, but for anglers, it also opens the…
St. Bernard Celebrates Savvy Sliders Grand Opening
CHALMETTE, La (press release) —The St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce welcomed Savvy Sliders with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 3, for its grand opening. Savvy Sliders, the newest restaurant to join the St. Bernard Parish business community, is located…
Alexandria and Pineville Christmas Events
ALEXANDRIA/PINEVILLE, La – Alexandria and Pineville Christmas events are in full swing. See the full event guide to the area's holiday season with details below. Alex Winter Fête When: Dec. 4 - 6 Where: Downtown Alexandria Alex Winter Fête brings festive…
Episode 234: A Mother/Daughter Duo Explores Haunted New Orleans
It’s common lore the ghost and spirit-infused stories of New Orleans. The vast history of the area along with the endless amounts of tragedy leave behind a lingering spirit you feel the moment you step into the city. But what…
December Christmas Events in Desoto Parish
DESOTO PARISH, La – As December begins, Desoto Parish offers a range of upcoming holiday events to partake in. See the full event guide with details below. Lumiere, An Immersive Christmas Experience When: Dec. 1 - 31 Where: 4273 Hwy…
New Cornhole Tournament at Plaquemines Parish Fair
BURAS, La – The Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival returns this weekend, Dec. 5 - Dec. 7, with a new cornhole tournament and two other new events. The fair, hosted at historic Fort Jackson, celebrates the agricultural heritage of…
All Upcoming Candlelight Concerts in Louisiana
NEW ORLEANS, La – With concerts in New Orleans beginning in 2020, the Candlelight Concert series has expanded statewide. The global series offers classical music in a unique way, featuring thousands of candles, local musicians and iconic locations. Upcoming Candlelight…
500 New Yorkers Tried Louisiana Cuisine at Taste Louisiana
For the first time, Taste Louisiana brought 11 renowned chefs to Chelsea Market in New York City for a one-night-only media and consumer tasting event. Tickets for the “Taste Louisiana in New York City” event, hosted on Oct. 28, sold…
The National WWII Museum: New Annual Book Awards
NEW ORLEANS, La (press release) — The National WWII Museum announced the creation of its annual book awards, which will recognize the most outstanding nonfiction books on WWII history published each year. The submission window for the inaugural 2026 award…
Candlelight Concerts Spread Classical Music Across Louisiana
Candlelight by Fever is a series of intimate concerts featuring live classical music from local musicians and thousands of candles at iconic venues worldwide. The goal of the Candlelight Concerts is to make classical and instrumental music accessible to everyone.…
River Parishes Host 36th Annual Festival of the Bonfires
LAPLACE, La (press release) – Louisiana’s River Parishes will celebrate the 36th annual Festival of the Bonfires along the east and west banks of the Mississippi River levees. Each December, Louisiana’s River Parishes, a political subdivision representing St. Charles, St.…
St. Bernard Chamber Hosts 9-Day Shop Small Week Event
ST. BERNARD, La – The St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce will host Shop Small Week, an annual celebration of St. Bernard businesses, Nov. 29 - Dec. 7. Held in…
Dixie Center Presents 2nd Annual "Christmas Blues" Concert
RUSTON, La (press release) – The Dixie Center for the Arts will have its second annual "Christmas Blues" concert on Friday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. Hosted by bluesman Clay LeBlanc, this one-night event will showcase Louisiana musicians, bringing holiday…
6M TikTok Views Later: Jefferson Parish Teacher Receives $25,000
“I'm hoping that people see it and they understand that people who teach, it comes from love,” said Sarah Watkins, the Jefferson Parish teacher and recipient of the $25,000 Milken Educator Award. On Nov.4, Stella Worley Middle School held an…
Nominations Open for Louisiana Wildlife Federation Awards
BATON ROUGE, La (press release) – The Louisiana Wildlife Federation is now accepting nominations for the 60th Annual Conservation Achievement Awards. “Recognizing the great conservation work being done in Louisiana gives me hope for the future of wildlife and for continuing…
Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival Lineup
BURAS, La (press release) — The Plaquemines Parish Fair & Orange Festival will return to historic Fort Jackson for a weekend of food, live music and carnival rides to celebrate the agricultural heritage of Plaquemines Parish. The fair begins Friday,…
Shreveport Chamber Recognizes ATHENA Award Recipient
SHREVEPORT, La (press release) — On Nov. 13, the Greater Shreveport Chamber recognized Ruth Moseley Norton, partner at Heard, McElroy & Vestal, LLC, as the area's 57th ATHENA International Leadership Award Recipient at the 35th Annual ATHENA Leadership Award Luncheon,…
From Italy to New Orleans: Rockin’ 1000 Will Make U.S. Debut
Rockin’ 1000, the largest rock band in the world, will make its U.S. debut in New Orleans on Jan. 31, 2026. “I’m Italian and I love music and rock music, and for me, the idea that something that started as…
Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival Gala at Historic Hotel
NEW ORLEANS, La (press release) — The Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival will host a gala on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at Hotel Peter and Paul. The gala celebrates the 75th anniversary of Tennessee Williams' play "The…
"Disney's Descendants: The Musical" in Alexandria This Weekend
This weekend, witness local talent perform "Disney's Descendants: The Musical" in Alexandria at the Lagniappe Theatre. The performance welcomes audiences of all ages and features dancing, costumes and more. Promoters of the event say "Disney's Descendants: The Musical," based on…
Film Louisiana Brings Louisiana Locations Lookbook to Hollywood
BATON ROUGE, La (press release) – Film Louisiana launched the Louisiana Locations Lookbook at its Crawfish Étouffée & Cocktails reception on Oct. 15 in Los Angeles. The lookbook was designed to illustrate the state’s location diversity and its capacity to…
Jefferson Parish Teacher Surprised with $25,000 Milken Educator Award
SANTA MONICA, Ca (press release) — On Nov. 4, CEO of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching, Dr. Joshua Barnett, surprised Jefferson Parish teacher Sarah Watkins with a $25,000 Milken Educator Award. “What a gift to have the aptitude…
The Louisiana State Fair's Last Weekend and This Week's Discounts
SHREVEPORT, La (press release) – The Louisiana State Fair opens for its last week on Wednesday, Nov 12, and ends Sunday, Nov 16, with discounts offered every day. The hours of operation are 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Wednesday-Friday…
Grand Isle's Oleander Hotel Receives Donation for Restoration
GRAND ISLE, La (press release) – The Karen B. Yoh Foundation donated $50,000 to Grand Isle's Oleander Hotel restoration project, bringing the total funds raised to $343,000 of the organization’s $400,000 goal. “We’re deeply grateful for the Karen B. Yoh…
Episode 233: Beignet Fest's Community and Culinary Efforts
On Nov. 15, Beignet Fest in New Orleans will host its 8th annual event. Not only is this festival highlighting a culinary fan favorite, the event as a whole was created to support the Beignet Fest Foundation and its mission…
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