Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) promote the fifth edition of My French Book Fest, Louisiana’s premier youth literature festival held entirely in French.
From November 4th to 14th, 2026, students, families, educators, and Francophiles across New Orleans, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge have the opportunity to celebrate the power of storytelling to inspire, educate, and keep Louisiana's French language thriving.
The French Book Fest is presented by the Consulate General of France in Louisiana and Villa Albertine, in partnership with the Alliance Française de La Nouvelle-Orléans. The fifth edition features author visits, immersion school programs, interactive creative workshops, and public community celebrations designed to nurture a genuine love of reading in French. Louisiana boasts a network of 45 French immersion schools serving more than 5,500 students, and the festival builds on that momentum with hands-on learning in the classroom and free events open to the public.
Festival activities kick off in New Orleans on Wednesday, November 4th, with school visits and a free opening night family concert by Andrina Turenne at 6:00 p.m. at the Alliance Française de La Nouvelle-Orléans at 1519 Jackson Avenue. From November 4th through November 6th, the Alliance Française will host student field trips featuring Creole language workshops with Jonathan Mayers and Henry Barconey, read-aloud sessions with Francine Vidal, and collaborative drawing with Gaëtan Dorémus.
On Saturday, November 7th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the Alliance Française in New Orleans will host its signature Open Day Free French Book Fair, welcoming families for author signings, workshops, live music, a theater contest, and activities for all ages. The New Orleans program concludes on Wednesday, November 11th, with a special Café Pédagogique professional development workshop for immersion educators on incorporating youth literature into their classrooms.
In Lafayette, visiting authors will spend time in immersion classrooms from November 11th through November 13th. On Tuesday, November 10th, author Rob Malo will lead an evening public presentation at Cavalier House Books in downtown Lafayette, followed by a family event with Francine Vidal on Friday, November 13th, presented in partnership with the Alliance Française of Lafayette.
In Baton Rouge, Rob Malo will visit immersion classrooms and lead student workshops during field trips to the West Baton Rouge Museum on November 12th and 13th. The capital area celebration continues with a public family day at the West Baton Rouge Museum on Saturday, November 14th, and concludes with a community Cajun Jam hosted by the Cajun French Music Association on Sunday, November 15th.
"Louisiana has a story and a culture you simply cannot find anywhere else in the world, and our French heritage is at the very heart of that," said Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser. "When we put great books into the hands of our kids and give them the chance to laugh, learn, and speak French, we are doing more than just teaching words on a page. We are instilling pride in who they are, bringing families together, and giving our young people every reason to stay and build their futures right here in Louisiana. My French Book Fest brings our communities together and ensures the traditions that built our state continue to shape the next generation."
More information for the complete schedule of events, school registration, and details on free public activities is available at www.af-neworleans.org
