Case Study · Annual Literary Festival

New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane


Three full days of programming across ten content spaces in five buildings — plus an 8,000-square-foot main-quad tent. Carlisle & Voelker manages everything from keynote registration to VIP hospitality, audio visual, stage design, and closing celebrations.

Audio VisualStage DesignVIP ManagementDecor & EntertainmentSecurity
12,000
Total attendees
75
Sessions
5
Buildings activated
2019
Client since
Overview

A flagship cultural event for the city & the university.


The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University brings together celebrated authors, thinkers, and tens of thousands of readers for three days of conversation across the Tulane campus. It serves attendees, authors, sponsors, and university partners alike — and it grows every year.

Carlisle & Voelker partners closely with the festival team to plan and produce the on-the-ground experience, becoming a trusted extension of the organization year after year.

Authors and audiences across ten content spaces on the Tulane campus.
The Challenge

Scale, complexity, and a campus that becomes a venue.


A festival of this size means orchestrating dozens of simultaneous moving parts — without ever letting the seams show to a guest.

Scale & Audience

12,000 attendees moving between ten content spaces across five buildings and an 8,000 sq. ft. main-quad tent.

Programming

75 sessions, keynotes, and author conversations — each requiring registration, AV, and stage coordination.

Guest Experience

Authors, VIPs, sponsors, and the public each need a distinct, high-touch experience delivered in parallel.

Carlisle & Voelker’s Role

A trusted extension of the festival team.


From a five-day load-in through the closing celebration, Carlisle & Voelker owns the production details so the festival team can focus on programming and partnerships.

Planning & TimelinesKeynote RegistrationVIP ManagementAudio VisualStage DesignVendor CoordinationSecurityOn-site Management
Stage design and AV for keynote programming.
The Experience

Effortless for guests. Considered behind the scenes.


Packed keynote sessions with seamless registration and flow.
Closing celebrations that send guests off on a high note.

Across three days, guests moved between buildings and the main-quad tent without ever feeling the logistics underneath — a calm, well-paced experience for readers, authors, and sponsors alike.

Results & Impact

Growth the festival can build on.


12K+
Attendees welcomed
75
Sessions produced
4+
Years partnering
100%
Return engagement

Year over year, Carlisle & Voelker has helped elevate the attendee, author, and sponsor experience — freeing the festival’s leadership to focus on the program while the production runs like clockwork.

“Carlisle & Voelker has been instrumental in the continued success and growth of the New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane. Ali and Audrey are valued members of our team who consistently go above and beyond to ensure that no detail is overlooked.”
Cheryl Landrieu
Cheryl Landrieu
Co-Chair, New Orleans Book Festival
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