LUNA Fête (Light Up New Orleans) returns for its fourth annual edition Dec. 6-9 in Lafayette Square (600 S Maestri St.), and along Lafayette St. to Fulton St. The festival fuses the French Quarter’s historic architecture with contemporary arts and technology. With an innovative blend of projection mapping, sound installation, and motion graphics, LUNA Fête will transform the area surrounding the square into a living work of art.

The festival is an an Arts Council of New Orleans initiative, focused on converting our iconic architecture into canvases for massive outdoor light installations. This conversion is achieved through projection mapping, also known as video mapping and spatial augmented reality, a new technology that can turn irregularly shaped objects into video projection display surfaces. The objects are mapped on a virtual program, which recreates the real projection target. The software interacts with the projector, allowing it to fit any image onto any surface. Projection mapping allows artists to create movement in previously static objects. It is often triggered by audio, creating a multi-sensory narrative to immerse its audience.

The spirit of this year’s Fête will be extra-celebratory, as the event kicks off the celebration of New Orleans’ 2018 Tricentennial. The installations, provided by local and international artists, will highlight the city’s 300th birthday. The event is free and open to the public.