With springtime opening up in Iberia Parish, local residents can be excited about the cautious rollout of many of the usual events that accompany the Teche Area during this time of year.

That includes the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival, which organizer Cathy Indest confirmed is taking place this year.

Organizers are hoping for a big turnout for Iberia Parish’s only literary festival, but Indest also emphasized that precautions were still being taken in regards to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Those considerations have led to the cancellation of a few traditions of the festival, but organizers are still excited about the big events that are still taking place.

“We’re so excited to be presenting one of the first live events in parish this year,” Indest said.

The three-day festival will kick off April 9 with a “Jazz It Up” opening reception at the Shadows-on-the-Teche grounds. Music by the Bunk Johnson Brazz Band will accompany the opening reception and feature local chefs preparing delicious food for those who attend.

“The Bunk Johnson Brazz Band will be playing on the Friday, and I think we’re long overdue to hear from that wonderful band,” Indest said.

The festival will continue Friday, with a Sir Speedy 5K run, children’s activity workshops and a University of Louisiana at Lafayette symposium and reader’s theater. An author’s book fair that highlights local writers will take place in downtown New Iberia and a Southern Chefs cooking demonstration will also be taking place as well.

The festival is simultaneously meant to highlight great local novelists and writers in the Teche Area as well as specifically pay tribute to world-renowned novelist James Lee Burke who has spent much of his literary career writing about New Iberia as a setting in his famous Dave Robicheaux novels.

The reader’s theater will feature an excerpt from a chosen title of Burke’s portfolio and Dave Robicheaux walking tours will also be part of the fun.

On Sunday, event-goers will be treated to a Live Oaks walk titled “If These Trees Could Talk,” followed by the annual Symphony Sunday in the Park.

The concert will treat listeners to the music of the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, and is a completely free event.

“We will also be having this wonderful singer Sal Viviano,” Indest said.

The Broadway star will be performing “A Century of Sinatra” along with the ASO which will be sure to entertain young and old alike.

The concert will be aired on the radio by KANE 1240, and in the case of rain Indest said the concert will move to the Sugar Cane Festival Building.

While most of the festival is free, the opening reception and cooking demonstration Saturday are both paid events that allow festival organizers to continue putting on these programs in Iberia Parish.

A detailed schedule of events can be obtained on our website www.booksalongthetecheliteraryfestival.com or by visiting our Facebook page. Tickets can also be purchased via www.bontempstix.com.