Wednesday – Sunday / The reader : Calling all bookworms and writing geeks, the end of the week through this weekend, Pirate’s Alley Faulkner Society hosts their annual Words and Music Fest, a literary festival that allows a curated line-up of emerging writers to share their work with the editorial industry and general public. Festival events include, lectures, lunch discussions, film presentations, workshops, and receptions concerned with a wide range of genres. Festivities start at 8 AM daily; end time varies. Most events will be held at the Hotel Monteleone. Ticket prices vary; only events involving food and drinks require advance reservations. Click here for the full schedule and ticket pricing information.
Thursday / Build me somethin’, mister : Test out your architectural skills at Build Now NOLA’s gingerbread house building contest, as you enjoy complimentary food, beer, and wine. Prizes will be awarded for the best houses.Tickets (inclusive of supplies) are $10 in advance, $20 at the door. 6 – 9 PM at the New Orleans Healing Center (2372 St Claude Ave.). Part of the proceeds will be donated to help local families rebuild their homes.
The Rock Cats band
Thursday – Sunday / CATch me if you can : Move over, Josie, and take the Pussycats, too. Chicago-based Cat Lady ( I mean this in the best possible way), Samantha Martin, brings her feline ensemble, ‘Circus Cats’ to New Orleans for a one-of-a-kind circus performance. The kitties, also known as the ‘Acro-cats’, will entertain by performing various tricks such as walking the high wire, riding skate boards, running agility courses, playing real instruments in their ‘Rock Cats’ band, and more. Tickets are $18 for adults, $15 for children under 12. The show starts at 7 PM at the Allways Lounge. The show will run the 11th-15th and the 18th-20th, as well.
Friday / Hogs for the jaws : Over turkey and ready to get your Christmas ham groove on? Hogs for the Cause hosts a porky benefit (but, of course), Go Hog Wild, from 5 – 9 PM, in the Cafe NOMA courtyard. The event will include pork-cooking demos from local chefs, such as Tory McPhail, of Commander’s Palace. After the demos, get your eat on with pork entrees, sides, and accouterments, and get your drink on with wine, beer, and bourbon cocktails. Tickets (all you can eat and drink) are $35.
Le Petit Noel brochure
Saturday / Just hear those sleigh bells jingling : Get into the holiday spirit by attending Le Petit Noel, a holiday jazz concert, presented by NOLA Art House Music, Tableau, and NolaVie at Le Petite Theatre. The all star ensemble will include performances clarinetist (and NolaVie columnist) Evan Christopher; a seven-piece jazz band led by trumpeter Edward Anderson; and vocals from Wanda Rouzan, Phillip Manuel, Carmen Barika; and more. The concert is from 7 – 8 PM. A post-concert reception, hosted by Tableau, will follow. Tickets are $30 each.
Chelsea Lee is associate editor at NolaVie. Email comments to her at chelsea@nolavie.com.
NOLAbeings Multimedia artist Claire Bangser created NOLAbeings as a portrait-based story project that marries... 
Voodoo in New Orleans: Reviving history: New Orleans fortune telling This article takes a deep dive into the history of Voodoo in New Orleans, its hybridization with Catholicism, and its present-day place in the city's culture. The author visits fortune-tellers in the French Quarter, using their guidance as a tool for introspection rather than a deterministic predictor of the future. Through her experiences in New Orleans, the author feels a mystical connection to both the past and the future. 