Bunny Day
Celebrating “Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions”
September 19, 2026
Sessions: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Costume contest: 3–4 p.m.
Members-only reception: 5:30–7 p.m.
Sessions: 410 Chartres Street
Costume contest and reception: 520 Royal Street
Free and open to the public
Yeah You Rite!
From the 1980s on, cartoonist and writer Bunny Matthews captured the weird and wacky minutiae of New Orleans life through his signature characters, Vic and Nat’ly. With the opening and launch of HNOC’s newest exhibition and book, Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions, we’re hosting Bunny Day at HNOC, a daylong celebration of the artist’s life and work.
Join us
Free and open to the public, the day’s events will include an author talk and book signing, a lecture on the iconic “Yat” accent, and a Vic and Nat’ly costume contest, along with plenty of lagniappe. The day will conclude with a members-only opening reception featuring entertainment by Quintron. Whether you had a Vic and Nat’ly calendar back in the day or you’re new to Bunny’s irreverent world, you’re welcome at Bunny Day!
The day’s sessions will take place at the Williams Research Center at 410 Chartres Street. The Vic and Nat’ly costume party and members-only reception will take place at HNOC’s museum at 520 Royal Street.
All are events free and open to the public except for the members-only reception.
Event Schedule
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street
Doors open at 11 a.m.
Join authors Alison Fensterstock and Michael Tisserand for an inside look at HNOC’s new book, Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions. Facilitating their conversation is award-winning journalist Scott Jordan, who has chronicled Louisiana art, music, and culture for decades. Attendees will be able to purchase a first edition and have it signed by the authors.
Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres Street
Featuring Dr. Katie Carmichael
Where y’at? How's your mom’n dem? Making groceries! Yeah you rite! Central to the success of Vic and Nat’ly was its portrayal of New Orleans’s unique linguistic identity, particularly the “Yat” accent heard primarily among white people in the downriver parts of greater New Orleans, from the Ninth Ward to St. Bernard Parish.
Memorably described by writer Tim Lyman as “all of Brooklyn on Quaaludes,” the Yat accent captivated Bunny’s readers then and remains a part of New Orleans lore and cultural identity. Linguist Dr. Katie Carmichael will break down this iconic accent, identifying its core features and delineating its development within the Crescent City. Using examples from Vic and Nat'ly comics featured in the exhibit, Dr. Carmichael will illustrate the ways that Yat accents provide a crucial backdrop for the city, and how their use by Vic and Nat'ly points to the fun-loving, sassy, and unapologetically authentic character that New Orleanians embrace as a lifestyle.
520 Royal Street
Step straight out of the funny papers and into the wild, wacky “woild” of Vic and Nat'ly at this Bunny Matthews–inspired costume contest hosted by HNOC. Hosted by Peggy Scott Laborde, guest judges will include Bunny’s son Jude Matthews, his friends Victor Pizarro and Natalie Juneau, and Emily Perkins, co-curator of HNOC’s exhibition on Matthews. Light refreshments will be served. Attendees are encouraged to preregister for the contest but may also sign up on the day-of.
520 Royal Street
We encourage attendees to explore HNOC’s museum exhibitions throughout the day’s festivities. The museum closes at 4:30 p.m.
520 Royal Street
Open to HNOC members
Register
Join HNOC members, staff, and Bunny friends and family in raising a glass to Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions. And dawlin’, if you’re not a member, where ya been? Visit our Membership page to join today.
Speakers
Dr. Katie Carmichael
Department of English, Virginia Tech
Dr. Katie Carmichael
Dr. Katie Carmichael is a linguist and professor in the Department of English at Virginia Tech. Born in New Orleans, Carmichael developed an interest in Louisiana language practices as a French and linguistics double major at Tulane University. Carmichael has written several articles and book chapters on New Orleans accents, including the 2016 Journal of Linguistic Anthropology article “Ain’t Dere No More: New Orleans Language and Local Nostalgia in Vic and Nat’ly Comics.” Her 2025 book, Language and Place (Oxford UP, 2025), features a chapter on local accents and place-based identity in post-Katrina New Orleans. She is currently working on a book examining race, place, and language in New Orleans.
Alison Fensterstock
Alison Fensterstock
Alison Fensterstock is a former music critic for the Times-Picayune and Gambit in New Orleans and a columnist for the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities’ quarterly 64 Parishes. Outside of New Orleans, her writing has also appeared in Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, MOJO, the Oxford American, and other places. Her books include The Definition of Bounce and How Women Made Music: A Revolutionary History from NPR Music. She’s been a substitute DJ on WWOZ 90.7 FM since 2006.
Scott Jordan
Scott Jordan
Scott Jordan has covered Louisiana music and culture for more than three decades, earning numerous local, regional, and national writing awards. Tulane University recently acquired his extensive interview archives for its Hogan Archive of New Orleans Music and New Orleans Jazz.
Michael Tisserand
Author and former Gambit editor
Michael Tisserand
Michael Tisserand is a former editor of Gambit newspaper, where he worked with Bunny on comics and cover illustrations. Tisserand's previous books include Krazy: George Herriman, A Life in Black and White; The Kingdom of Zydeco; Sugarcane Academy; and My Father When. His work has been honored with a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Eisner Award, and the ASCAP Deems Taylor Award. Forthcoming books include a history of Charlie Chaplin’s movie The Great Dictator for Oxford University Press. More of his writing can be found at michaeltisserand.com.
Costume Contest
Get Dress’d Up!
3–4 p.m.
520 Royal Street
Step straight out of the funny papers and into the wild, wacky “woild” of Vic and Nat'ly at this Bunny Matthews–inspired costume contest! Hosted by Peggy Scott Laborde, guest judges will include Bunny’s son Jude Matthews, his friends Victor Pizarro and Natalie Juneau, and Emily Perkins, co-curator of HNOC’s exhibition on Matthews. Light refreshments will be served.
Preregister below to receive advance details about the costume contest, or sign up on the day-of. See contest rules and conditions below.
Members-Only Reception featuring Quintron
5:30–7 p.m.
520 Royal Street
Join HNOC members, staff, and Bunny friends and family in raising a glass to Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions. To learn more, click here, and dawlin’, if you’re not a member, where ya been? Visit our Membership page to join today.
Explore the Book
Available for preorder August 1, 2026.
Support
The exhibition Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions is made possible with generous support from HNOC’s 2026 Bienville Circle.
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Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions
Explore the world of the legendary New Orleans artist and his iconic characters, Vic and Nat’ly.
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Member Preview: “Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions”
Members-Only Reception featuring Quintron
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