The Books Along the Teche Literary Festival is coming back to the Teche Area in April with dozens of events for Acadiana book lovers. 

The festival opens April 4 with a talk from Barry Ancelet and Darrell Bourque on storytelling traditions in Acadiana starting at 8:30 a.m. The event, which takes place at the Sliman Theater, will be followed by writer Jordan LaHaye Fontenot’s upcoming book “Home of the Happy: A Murder on the Cajun Prairie.”

Another talk by Mary Perrin on traiteurs in the 21st century will take place at the Sliman at 10:30 a.m. followed by the Dave’s Haunts and Jaunts Mystery Bus Tour. The tour shows lovers of James Lee Burke’s novels some of the local places prominent in the Dave Robicheaux novels, and is a ticketed event. 

Several talks for budding writers are also scheduled at the Shadows Visitors Center, with topics that include critiquing your book, picture book discussions and marketing your book. 

A talk from Poet Laureate Jack Bedell, a Bunk Johnson Tour and the annual Jazz It Up Opening Reception will end the first day of events. 

Saturday’s events include the Authors Book Fair, which will have writers selling their wares on downtown Main Street throughout the day. A Children’s Book Fair at Rodrigue Park will take place starting at 10 a.m.

Ticketed events to take place on Saturday include a Dave Robicheaux Walking Tour, a seafood cooking demonstration featuring Chef Celeste and a Bayou Teche Kayak Tour with Pack and Paddle. 

A talk on Emma Wakefield-Paillette with Phebe Hayes and Margaret Simon will take place at the Shadows, followed by a James Lee Burke Book Club discussion of Clete from the Dave Robicheaux books. James Lee Burke is scheduled to appear virtually. 

A Cajun fais do do at Bouligny Plaza will end Saturday’s events. 

The festival ends Sunday with a bayou tour from T-Boy’s Bayou Adventure Boat Tour of Bayou Teche, followed by a Live Oak Bike Tour with Jim Foret. 

Symphony Sunday in the Park will close out this year’s festivities, with music featuring the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra at New Iberia City Park.