CultureCandy

10/06/2026

10/06/2026

Luna Fete returns 🎉

Okay, this one is going on the calendar!!!!

LUNA Fête is coming back to New Orleans November 13–15, and this year they’re doing something called The Puppetry Parade.

Think giant illuminated puppets, moving light sculptures, projection mapping and art taking over downtown from Gallier Hall to Piazza d’Italia.

Most of the festival is free, and it runs from 5–10 PM each night.

This one looks like it could be incredible to see in person.

10/05/2026

We're proud to announce that Rob Franklin has been named the recipient of the 19th annual Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence for his debut novel Great Black Hope.

Selected from among 25 entries by a national panel of literary judges, the bestselling novel tells the compelling story of Smith, a Black man navigating complex issues of race, class, consequences, a friend's mysterious death, and his own arrest.

Franklin will be recognized at a public ceremony on October 29 at the Manship Theater in Downtown Baton Rouge. This event will celebrate his remarkable debut and pay tribute to the legacy of Ernest J. Gaines, whose work continues to shape the landscape of American literature.

For more information, visit ernestjgainesaward.org.

10/05/2026

“Gwaltney’s second book is a masterclass in the Southern Gothic fever dream. A steamy, blurred reality propels protagonist Leontyne Skye into adolescence and on her quest to both embrace and escape her family legacy. There are haints, fantastical characters and magic potions, all entangled in a bleak but romantic reality. The atmosphere and setting are so immersive that one has to shake oneself back into reality after putting the book down.”

In an exclusive essay for PEOPLE, ‘The Sins of Summer Daughters’ author Lo Patrick breaks down what makes Southern Gothic such a special genre and calls out a few must-read books to add to your TBR

10/05/2026