“I had spent four years propped on the front porch of the fraternity house, bemused and dreaming, watching the sun shine through the spanish moss, lost in the mystery of finding myself alive at such a time and place.” Such is the language of famed Louisiana novelist Walker Percy in his National Book Award-winning novel, The Moviegoer, a New Orleans-set tale of an uncouth young man steeped in existential crisis. A master of the human condition and a unique voice in the realm of speculative Southern literature, Percy, who died in 1990, left much to celebrate.

This Friday, June 3, though Sunday, June 5, St. Francisville will welcome the third annual Walker Percy Weekend to its oak-lined avenues, celebrating the centennial of the author’s birth in 1916.

Born out of intellectual interest but thriving on good food, entertainment and culture, the festival invites fans of Southern literature to gather for culinary events, live music, photography exhibitions of Percy’s life, craft beer and bourbon, and a slew of presentations by Percy scholars.

For a schedule of events, tickets and a gallery of photos from last year’s festival, check out walkerpercyweekend.org.