Sixty years ago this month, hundreds of African Americans supported by pastors and the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) entered the Forrest County Courthouse in Hattiesburg to register to vote. Later that summer of 1964 the protest evolved into…
(Left) This plaque on the grounds of Fort Jackson commemorates Louisiana’s first Mardi Gras. Across the Mississippi River from what later became Fort Jackson, Pierre Le Moyne d’Iberville camped with his party on March 3, 1699,…
Often listen to music when I cook. Lately, my choice has been “The Complete Million Dollar Quartet,” an impromptu jam session that took place at Sun Records in Memphis on December 4, 1956, with Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee…
Due to a police shortage, New Orleans is spending millions of dollars to add law enforcement to keep Carnival safe in 2024. New rules: Only 34 parades are allowed in 2024, no more silly string or mylar confetti canons…
“There are two types of people in Louisiana,” says Shane Kessler. “Those that have a hog problem, and those that are about to have a hog problem.” Outside of Grand Ecore, Kessler turns onto the Campti Cutoff and glides along…
An entire social media universe recently emerged about the unprecedented surge of New Orleans’ hip, new, in-demand Uptown eateries, most notably among fans trying to land a table at Osteria Lupo. A…
It’s the most wonderful time of the year to shop and Louisiana delivers. We’ve compiled a few shopping districts throughout the state offering everything from antiques and collectibles to clothing and furniture.…
Wafer Creek, the landmark for which the ranch was named, runs through an intact bottomland forest. For more than a century, it has been left mostly uncut, meaning that Wafer Creek Ranch thrives in its natural…
While it may also be known as Sportsman’s Paradise, Louisiana is home to more than just natural beauty. From top restaurants and breweries to music venues, museums and dance halls, the state is brimming with individuals keen to make Louisiana…
Fear runs deep in humans. Fear of the dark, alligators, public speaking — Alabama football. But some fear is exciting. Throughout Louisiana this time of year haunted attractions and structures built with creepy settings animated by costumed actors abound.…
Recently ranked as the third most festival-obsessed state in the U.S., Louisiana boasts three competitive gumbo festivals in a single weekend: New Iberia’s 33rd annual World Championship Gumbo Cookoff features 100 teams of gumbo pros Oct. 14-15; (iberiachamber.org/gumbocookoff). Chackbay…
At a Glance Location Cameron and Vermilion parishes Fauna Each year from November through January, biologists conduct aerial waterfowl surveys that cover more than 550,000 acres of LDWF’s coastal wildlife management areas and refuges. Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge opened to public…
Tree stumps in the lake at Toledo Bend are one of the reasons the area has become a hot spot for fishing. …
At a Glance Location Iberia Parish Flora Rip Van Winkle Gardens consists of approximately 15 acres of semi-tropical gardens that include irises, magnolias, camellias, azaleas, hibiscus, and…
“America has only three cities: New York, San Francisco and New Orleans. Everywhere else is Cleveland.” - Tennessee Williams We would amend Williams’ comment to include all of Louisiana. With apologies to Cleveland — seriously, we mean no harm…
Grab your fiddle and head to the 43rd annual Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival (July 22) held in air-conditioned Prather Coliseum (NSU campus) featuring the celebrated Louisiana State Fiddle Championship. Enjoy three stages of live music plus Cajun, zydeco and Native American…
We love our furry friends, so why not take them on the road when we travel? Recent polls show that pet owners want to bring their dogs and cats with them when they travel, which is why many accommodations, attractions…
At A Glance Location Evangeline Parish Environment Bottomland hardwood forests grow in low-lying areas that surround lakes and rivers. Hickories, oaks and plants provide food for wildlife in these forests that store water, filter pollutants and act as a…
Head to the 2nd annual Bogalusa Balloon Festival (June 2-4) at George R. Carr Memorial Airfield to see hot air balloons flown by pilots from across the region with special events during the week leading up to the festival. Enjoy…
Location Pointe Coupée Parish Parish seat New Roads From Easter until sugarcane harvest, the 19th-century bell in front of the Alma General Store in Lakeland rings twice each day. The first bell, at 7 a.m., signals the start…
In 1986, Mabyn Shingleton, her husband, TV personality Pat Shingleton, and her baby son Michael in a stroller, lined up at the Baton Rouge City Park Golf Course and headed toward Perkins Road where the couple owned Zee Zee Gardens…
A great egret fluffs its feathers, which is a post-preening behavior to remove dirt and dust and get feathers back in place. Houma
Monroe/West Monroe West Monroe native Becky Thompson always loved baking, so it was only natural that she earned her degree in hospitality management at Ole Miss, then the L’Art de la Pâtisserie at the French Pastry School in Chicago.…
For over six decades, Monroe artist Don Cincone has been on a remarkable journey that has taken him from a sharecropper’s cabin in Richland Parish to San Francisco, New York’s fashion district, movie sets in Hollywood, down to Mexico…
