Nicholls will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the annual Jubilee festival, which consists of various events, such as a poetry reading, live music, lectures and workshops, plays and art exhibits. The celebration will start March 12 at 6:30 p.m. with the French film “Gabrielle,” based on the novel “The Return” by Joseph Conrad. It is a story about the dissolution of a loveless marriage, set before World War I. The film was directed by Nicholls alumna Patrice Chereau.

On March 13 at 6 p.m., Jean-Mark Sens, Nicholls assistant librarian of the Ellender Memorial Library, will host this year’s poetry reading, “Poets of the Storm” in Room 105 of the library.

He welcomes four wordsmiths to share their poetic creations through readings of their works.

Dave Brinks, editor of “YAMP: A Journal of Poetry & Arts” and founder of the New Orleans School for the Imagination; Richard Collins, chair of the Arts, English and Humanities department of Louisiana State University at Alexandria; Denise Rogers, instructor of literature, writing and humanities at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; and Lafourche Parish native Martha Serpas, associate professor of English at the University of Tampa and the recipient of the 2000 David Delo Faculty Research Fellowship, will be presenting selected works.

Also, the Nicholls Players will perform the Tennessee Williams’ play “The Glass Menagerie,” a story about a dysfunctional family in crisis. The production will run March 13-15 from 7-10 p.m. and March 16 from 3-6 p.m. in Talbot Theater.

Geno Delafose and the Rockin’ Boogie will be the featured guest of the Cajun/Zydeco dinner and dance with their unique blend of Cajun, Creole, Zydeco and country music.

Tickets will be on sale, $40 for non-students and $30 for students. The dance will be held in the Cotillion Ballroom.

The Jubilee festival was born from the hearts of 25 dedicated staff and faculty members in 1998, Angela Hammerli, distinguished service professor, said.

Hammerli recalls the first Jubilee ten years ago.

“We were lucky to get such artists as Ellis Marsalis and the Charmaine Neville Band,” Hammerli said.

The festival is an effort to reach out to the community through cultural events, Hammerli said.

Hammerli, who has been involved with the event since its conception, states that it takes one year to plan the festival, along with a lot of hard work.