LUNA Fête Returns to the Arts District
Photo courtesy of Arts Council of New Orleans on Facebook
How would you like to add a free multi-block party that also happens to be a walkable art and technology experience to your fall roster of things to do? Not to mention, it’s interactive, kid-friendly, and full of light-based art.
LUNA Fête started as just one installation in 2014 on Lafayette Square (602 Camp St.) in downtown New Orleans. (It was a light and video projection illuminating Gallier Hall.) Since then, the celebration has spread from Gallier Hall to Piazza d’Italia. This year, the Fête will be held for four nights, on Thursday, November 14, through Sunday, November 17, 2024, from 6-10 p.m. nightly.
An annual presentation by the Arts Council of New Orleans, LUNA Fête marries art and technology in unprecedented ways, with emphasis on projection mapping, digital sculpture and light installations. LUNA Fête was originally envisioned as a five-year initiative intended to culminate in New Orleans’ 2018 tricentennial, but it continued, now in its 11th year. Each year the Arts Council grew the scope of its international partnerships with video-mapping artists and expanded the number of installations it commissioned and produced in New Orleans.
The idea of LUNA Fête hails from Europe. Take a visit to Lyon, France, in the winter, and you may see buildings crumble before your eyes, and then reassemble. What you are witnessing is a trick of art and illusion born partly from a digital process called “image mapping” at the Fete des Lumieres, an annual illumination festival that lights up Lyon each winter.
The process is different from just projecting an image onto a building. Instead, a 3D model of the building is used to create an optical illusion that gives the impression the building is moving and changing.
Projection mapping, as an art form, and as part of the free public festival, has been around in Europe but is relatively new to the U.S. It’s becoming more popular though, especially because it’s interactive, kid-friendly, and pretty incredible to see in person.
But projection mapping isn’t the entirety of LUNA Fête. Past installations include huge snow globes that transformed light into a paintbrush. The spheres were sensitive to light, so the audience could interact with them creating shapes and even their own portraits on the surface using flashlights, glow sticks, smartphones, or any other light-emitting device.
Other previously showcased pieces included audio and video installations with sonic lollipops, robot cave drawings, and a giant whale spouting techno music. As you might guess, all of the above goes over great with children, as do the stands on the street selling hot chocolate.
This year, the event’s artworks will explore the themes of Melody and Mythology with LED lights, lasers, and projected artworks. The campus includes a new premier projection mapping installation on Gallier Hall, an opportunity to host a private party in a LUNA VIP Suite, and a sponsor-branded block party along Lafayette Street leading into a unique light and music experience at the Piazza d’Italia.
LUNA Fête is especially popular with young children and families, inspiring the addition of the new Little LUNA Kids Corner. This kid-centered art space will feature a special art installation and encourage young children to dance and play in the light.
Finally, LUNA Fête’s 11th Edition will feature LUNA Lounge presented by the Downtown Development District, a VIP oasis nestled in the festival grounds. Tickets will include complimentary bites, drink tickets, dedicated restrooms, and exclusive art installations. They will be available on the event’s site starting on October 1, 2024.
Come see how Luna Fête brings technology, film and contemporary art together while using local iconic architecture in a unique, contemporary way!
Coming to New Orleans in the fall? Be sure to check out our resource for French Quarter Hotels!
