Tennessee Williams’ home at 1014 Dumaine St. in New Orleans. Photo by Catherine Lux.
This spring New Orleans is hosting the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival for the 34th year, and whether you’re a Tennessee Williams fan, a lover of New Orleans, or just a general literature buff, I’m going to convince you that you need to go. Last year I spent a few days in New Orleans exploring the city and whilst there attended the city’s beloved Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, and despite being someone who travels frequently to exotic and paradisaical destinations, this niche festival and the trip that resulted from it was the absolute highlight of my year.
Background to the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival
The Festival is an annual five-day literary arts event held every spring around March 26, the birthday of the inspiration behind the event, famed American playwright, Tennessee Williams. The Festival is perfect for readers, writers, theatre lovers, and anyone who loves New Orleans’ magical culture, and the events include writing workshops and master classes by acclaimed writers, enlightening and entertaining literary panel discussions, theatre events, Tennessee Williams Tribute Reading, literary walking tours, music events, culinary and cocktail events, interviews with legendary writers and actors, and so much more!
Bringing together over 100 contemporary writers, scholars, actors, musicians, and other artists, the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival offers five days of literary revelry in the lush Bohemian world of New Orleans. So, what was it like to attend the festival? As a fan of Tennessee Williams’ work, but not an absolute expert, I was worried I would be a little out of my depth. I needn’t have worried. The TWFest community welcomed me and my travel companion with open arms, and we truly felt the love of Tennessee’s biggest fans from the US and beyond.
Walking tours and writing tips
Our experience began with a morning walking tour that took us to the French Quarter’s most famous Tennessee locations; the apartments he lived and wrote in, the locations that served as inspiration behind A Streetcar Named Desire, and the apartment at 1014 Dumaine St. where he longed to die but didn’t (he sadly died in a hotel in New York instead).
The walking tour was a perfect introduction to New Orleans, taking us down the backstreets of the historic French Quarter and making us marvel at the beauty of the architecture and shuttered windows, and the gentle but vibrant atmosphere surrounding us. Music seeped into every crevice of my soul as we passed musician after musician, a band on almost every street pouring themselves into their music, and it quickly became apparent why Tennessee fell in love with the city and chose to make it his home.
A talk on creating fictional art with renowned American author, Robert Olen Butler, was next on our agenda. He taught us some valuable lessons about writing, including the most important one; from the first chapter of a book the main character needs to have a yearning for something. The talk was located in the stunning building that’s home to The Historic New Orleans Collection, and we adored the chance to see inside some of the buildings that we wouldn’t necessarily see had we not been with the festival.
Panel talks and special guests
A panel talk on Politics and Media at the Hotel Monteleone (where the Festival HQ is based for the duration of the Festival) was a favourite of mine. The talk mostly focused on the current political climate and how it is portrayed in the media, and the responsibility of the media and the era of ‘Fake news’, but it was fascinating hearing the different points of view and having a frank discussion about the way
However the most inspiring talk came from new author Kathy McKeon, who has written the book, “Jackie’s Girl: My Life With the Kennedy Family” about her time as Jackie Kennedy’s assistant. She spent her early twenties taking care of Jackie and John F. Kennedy’s children, and supported Jackie after John F. Kennedy’s death and during her second marriage. Kathy was an Irish immigrant who travelled to New York aged 19 to find work, and hearing about her life and time with the Kennedy’s was absolutely fascinating.
Music and theatre
As well as talks and tours, the Tennessee Williams Festival also puts on countless theatrical performances and celebrations of music. The annual ‘Stella’ shouting contest in the streets of the French Quarter is absolutely unmissable, and we thoroughly enjoyed the walking tour around ‘Storyville’ with the famous New Orleans Baby Dolls which ended with a Second Line Parade around the streets of old Storyville.
There really is something for everyone, with plenty to fill your time throughout the festival (and in our case, there was far too much we wanted to see and do and not enough time to do it all). Because of this we recommend spending a couple of days either side of the festival to really explore New Orleans and experience all it has to offer.
No matter the extent of your Tennessee Williams knowledge, you will be welcomed and included in the festival events like you’re one of the family. You will laugh, dance, meet new people and have unique experiences, and learn things you won’t learn anywhere else. So if you have a spare week in March and are wondering what to do – buy a ticket and head to NOLA.
The Tennessee Williams Festival has been cancelled for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it will run March 24 – March 28 2021 in New Orleans, and tickets can be purchased here. The historic Royal Sonesta is the ideal hotel to stay in with its central location and refurbished bedrooms set within an iconic building on Bourbon Street.
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Catherine Lux is a food and travel contributor at AGLAIA, and a luxury lifestyle blogger documenting her life on her blog, Lux Life London. With Lux Life London having a large focus on travel and food, she loves nothing more than long-haul flights, excellent restaurants, and relaxing with friends in the coolest places in town.
