Monday, August 29th is the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and this weekend leading up to it is a great example of how far we’ve come since then and what a wonderful place New Orleans is to be right now. A group of local rock and jazz heroes headline a free show on Friday, a love-bash conference about New Orleans’ relentless renewal with celebrity speakers rules the day on Saturday and then the night belongs to dancing, singing and second lining. Rounding it all out is an artistic Katrina commemoration Sunday night to cool down from the previous night’s festivities. It’s always on in New Orleans!
Friday, 26th:
1. Tipitina’s Free Friday – It’s the last weekend to take advantage of the Tipitina’s Foundation Free Fridays music series, this Friday with The New Orleans Suspects as the finale. The New Orleans Suspects are something of a local supergroup comprised of “Mean” Willie Green, drummer for the Neville Brothers; Reggie Sanlan, bass player for the Radiators; Jake Eckert, lead guitarist in the Dirty Dozen Brass Band; CR Gruver, pianist in multiple local bands and leader of the band Funkifry’d; and Kevin Harris, founding member of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and saxophone player. Doors at 9, show at 10.
Saturday, 27th:
2011 Rising Tide Conference at Xavier with guest speaker David Simon!
2. Rising Tide – The 2011 Rising Tide Conference at Xavier University is a congregation of anyone who loves New Orleans and wants to learn about and play a part in its continued recovery. The fun, including panel discussions and a special lunch catered by J’anita’s, begins at 9 am and goes ’till 6 pm. The exciting keynote speakers are David Simon, director of the post-Katrina HBO show, Treme and The Wire as well as Richard Campanella, local acclaimed author. The conference will emphasize the power of social media and blogging activism – especially considering their affect in the wake of Hurricane Katrina – so attendees are encouraged to Facebook and Tweet from the event! To kick off this special day in New Orleans, a pre-party will be at Tracey’s in the Garden District on Friday night.
3. Krewe of O.A.K. Midsummer Mardi Gras – Mardi Gras is coming early this year with the Krewe of O.A.K. parade through the Uptown Riverbend area. In its 25th year, the off-season Mardi Gras krewe invades the streets of Oak and Carrollton Avenue, one bar at a time. The pre-parading begins at the Maple Leaf Bar at 8 pm, so go to Oak St. early to get a delicious dinner in at Jaques-Imo’s in time for the parade beginning at 9:15 pm, led by the krewe’s own marching brass band.
DJ Kristen of Mod Dance Party Spinning 60's Rock and Soul (bestofneworleans.com)
4. Mod Dance Party – One of New Orleans locals’ favorite dance parties celebrates its 11th Anniversary Saturday night at the Saturn Bar. The fashionable party goers are usually fashionably late, so the party doesn’t peak till around midnight. If you want a jam-packed day full of stimulating discussion and amazing food, a summer Mardi Gras parade and a full-blown 60’s rock and soul dance party, hit up all three of these events Saturday.
Sunday, 28th:
5. Katrina Artistically Revisited – This multi-media interactive art event is held every year on the Katrina Eve Anniversary at the Theaters at Canal Place. The producers, Patty Lee and Armand St. Martin put on the show, free to the public to commemorate “those we lost and to honor those who survived.” The show, which starts at 10:00 pm, is a great way to remember Katrina before the Anniversary march and second line, August 29th starting at the Ninth Ward levee breach at Jourdan Road and North Galvez at 10 am and ending at Hunter’s Field on the corner of North Claiborne Avenue and St. Bernard Avenue.
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