So, we just had our penultimate organizers’ meeting for the Walker Percy Weekend. We’re all more than a little amazed by how popular our little literary and cultural festival has become. We’ve decided to extend ticket sales, at least to the Friday and Saturday night events (crawfish boil, cochon de lait), for as long as possible, and for the front porch bourbon tasting — probably up until a week before the festival. We will not be selling all-inclusive tickets that long, though, in large part because the venues for the panel discussions are of limited capacity. We don’t want to have to turn anybody away.

Nevertheless, if you’re coming, please do buy your tickets now. A lot of people, especially Louisiana people, have told me, as well as the other organizers, that they’re planning to come, at least to one or more of the dinners, but they haven’t bought tickets. We do not anticipate having tickets available on the day of the event! If we do, you’re in luck, but our expectation is that we will not. Please don’t count on it.

Here’s something for you out-of-town folks headed this way: it’s hot and humid here this time of year. Listen to me: it is hot and it is humid. Wear your seersucker suit if you like, but us locals are going to be in shorts and t-shirts, and suchlike; this is a very informal event. It’s next to impossible to feel formal in the Louisiana summertime. Our hope is that the Percy weekend will be fun, an event marked by conviviality and a laid-back languor of the sort that would please Cud’n Walker. Come dressed for comfort.

TAC has signed on as a sponsor of the event. Our own Jon Coppage is coming in for the Weekend. I’m told that if you tickle his tummy and quote Irving Babbitt simultaneously, he emits a girlish giggle that’s just enchanting. We’ll see.

Buy tickets here.  Find a place to stay here.