Events in CenLA today

At Kees Park, take part in an energizing 90 minute dance class with DJ Bow Bow Bow that blends hip hop, Zumba, and more styles. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.

This book club centers on Marie Veillon’s debut, Third and Ten, the first entry in the Camellia Rom-Com series. Set in Camellia, Louisiana, the story follows Tenley Robin, a career-focused midwife who unexpectedly becomes guardian to her teenage nephew, and JD Bourgeois, a devoted football coach who hopes to find a place in their lives. As foster parenting reshapes Tenley’s priorities, she tightens her no-dating rules while JD does his best, sometimes awkwardly, to support both aunt and nephew. Their growing connection unfolds alongside family responsibilities and custody proceedings, raising the question of whether caution will prevail or a leap of faith will. The novel is described as a minty rom-com with Cajun and Catholic influences and a mostly closed-door approach to intimacy. Readers can expect playful innuendo, discussions of sex and chastity, fertility awareness and natural family planning, semi-steamy moments that fade to black, implied nudity, crude humor, and mild language, with explicit scenes left off the page and a tone comparable to PG-13. Content notes include pregnancy and childbirth, postpartum health, body image concerns, alcoholism, grief and loss, cancer, adoption, legal guardianship and child custody, and parental abandonment, with an assured happily ever after.

Bulls, Bands & Barrels brings a powerhouse mix of Western sports and live country music to Laborde Earles Coliseum in Alexandria. The action opens with elite bull riding and freestyle bullfighting, then, once the dust clears, the spotlight shifts to a full concert featuring Hudson Westbrook with special guest Tyce Delk. For an up-close perspective, the Behind the Chutes Experience is available as a $110 VIP add-on and includes standing pit access near the stage, merchandise vouchers, a private VIP entrance, and bar access.

Alexandria gets an adrenaline-charged night as Bulls, Bands, and Barrels pairs Western sports with a live concert at Laborde Earles Coliseum. The arena action features elite bull riders squaring off with high-leaping bulls, barrel racers racing the clock, and freestyle bullfighters taking bold risks. When the dust settles, the focus shifts to a full performance from Hudson Westbrook with special guest Tyce Delk. Guests seeking more can choose the Behind the Chutes Experience, a $110 VIP add-on that offers standing pit access near the stage, merchandise vouchers, a private VIP entrance, and bar access.

Gather with fellow readers for a book club conversation centered on The Gate of Feral Gods, where Carl, a Coast Guard veteran, and Princess Donut keep pushing through a televised, multi level dungeon that never stops throwing surprises. This time the story moves to the fifth floor, featuring a skyborne stronghold held by gnome warriors, a castle shaped from sand, an abandoned submarine watched by glitching machines, and a cursed crypt lined with deadly traps. The mission sounds straightforward at first, take four strongholds inside a single bubble within fifteen days to open the stairwell, yet nothing in this game is ever simple. Discussion may explore the opening blunder that earns an achievement for failing a quest in under five minutes, the need to team up with low level crawlers sharing the bubble, and the lingering question of who can be trusted when survival depends on uneasy alliances.

Swing by the Bookmobile for a visit at Sunshine Apartments. The mobile library will be there from 1:45 PM to 2:45 PM on August 10, ready to share books and library services right on site.

Libby & Chill at Hemingway House offers a cozy spot to unwind with a good read. Enjoy half-price selections from the Sweet Summertime menu and bottomless hot tea while you discover new stories at your own pace. Settle in, relax, and savor a calm, book-centered escape.

A launch party spotlights Insatiable, a dark romance by Leigh Rivers. The story follows Kade Mitchell, consumed by his fixation on Stacey Rhodes, a woman he hates yet cannot let go after she broke his heart and drew him into a shadowy underworld. After years of watching her and cutting down anyone who came too close, he takes a brief chance at freedom to return home, set on claiming her again even if it means breaking his own rules. Their connection refuses to fade, while the question of forgiveness lingers. The author advises readers to review the content warnings. A book-only choice is available and includes the traditionally published edition of Insatiable by Leigh Rivers. The launch party option includes the book, a bookplate signed digitally, a bookmark and a sticker, along with a private blind date book swap centered on dark romance.

The project marks 100 years of Natchitoches Christmas by collecting local stories for a documentary celebrating the people, customs, and milestones that have shaped the festivities. At the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, community members can sit for a brief 10-minute interview to share a favorite memory, a family tradition, or a story from Christmases past. Conversations are informal and require no preparation, walk-ins are welcome, and a short wait may be possible based on turnout.

The Vernon Parish Library bookmobile will be stopping by with browsing and reading materials for the community at this scheduled stop. Drop in during the listed arrival window to check out what’s available.

A yoga class takes place in the gallery every Tuesday. It is taught by Learn with Laci, and registration is no longer required.

Put your music knowledge to the test with Music Bingo at Flying Heart Brewing & Pub - Natchitoches. Enjoy a relaxed night of tunes and cold brews while competing for prizes across three rounds. The first round awards a Beer Token and Pretzel Bite Card, the second offers a $25 gift card, and the third features a $50 gift card. Bring friends and get ready to play for a chance to win.

Four years after Jovie’s choice to pull King Edmond’s magic at Acker’s urging, a devastating conflict sweeps the land. Kenta and Strou have joined forces against Roison and Alaha, and the Maile people stand perilously close to the fighting. Determined to protect the innocent from a war she helped set in motion, Jovie tries to smother the pull of the Matching Bond and gives up hope of mending what shattered with Acker, even as dreams of him refuse to fade. Acker serves his father’s campaign while trapped in an arranged marriage with a wife who despises him. Still aching from Jovie’s betrayal, he cannot keep her from his thoughts and has learned to step into her dreams despite her attempts to silence the Bond, watching her while his duty and desire collide. When he uncovers the grim reason behind his father’s restored power and Edmond’s risky new alliance, Acker faces a defining choice… fight for a king, or fight for his heart.

Christopher Durang’s comedy follows middle-aged siblings Vanya and Sonia, who share a home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania and bicker over the turns their lives have taken. Their movie star sister, Masha, shows up with her younger boyfriend, Spike, stirring long-held resentments and raising the possibility of selling the house. Rounding out the story are Cassandra, a maid who can predict the future, and Nina, a young aspiring actress whose arrival unsettles Masha. Winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Play, this staging is directed by Diane Falcone and features mature themes and mild language.