BOUCHERIE & BALLOON FESTIVAL: 4:30 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday, noon-11 p.m. Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday, 9690 Airline Highway, Sorrento. Presented by the Sorrento Lions Club, the festival offers music, vendors market, cooking competitions, tethered balloon rides and balloon glow. Festival admission is by donation. https://boucheriefestival.com/.

Birds are vital to the environment-- being aware of their needs, especially during their annual migrations, can help more of them make the journey successfully.

All his life, musician Dustin Dale Gaspard wanted to bring Cajun French to a global stage. That dream became a reality, with a four-chair turn on NBC’s “The Voice.”

Following a recent influx of shootings at HBCU homecomings, Southern University has made some changes in preparation for events.