New Orleans Arts & Culture

New Orleans is known as a ‘museum city’ with 46 museums and arts and culture attractions. However, the arts and culture scene is rich in live music, all star bands, local artists, theater and many cultural festivals. Soak it up!

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: Krewe du Vieux

GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: Krewe du Vieux

by Sally Tunmer February 4, 2012 Arts & Culture

Tonight, Feb. 4, 2012, is the first parade of this year’s Carnival season! There’s no “easing in” to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We come out guns blazing. Krewe du Vieux is an unrestrained, no holds barred parade of sexual and political satire, ostentatious floats and costumes and unbridled human emotion, ecstasy namely. Whether you’re a Krewe du Vieux virgin …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for The Best View of Mardi Gras In New Orleans

The Best View of Mardi Gras In New Orleans

by Stephen Maloney February 2, 2012 Arts & Culture

OK, Mardi Gras is the biggest and best free show on the planet. Anyone can walk up to the parade route and get more or less the same show as anyone else. But there’s a better way to see the parades in New Orleans, especially on Mardi Gras Day. For as little as $5, you can purchase a ticket …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for The Organ Grinders: Crashing a Mardi Gras Parade Near You

The Organ Grinders: Crashing a Mardi Gras Parade Near You

by Nikki Carter February 2, 2012 Arts & Culture

In case you’ve somehow forgotten, let me remind you that Krewe du Vieux is this weekend! In my mind, this officially kicks off the Mardi Gras season and this year, I couldn’t be more ready for the festivities. After watching a parade or two, you may start to wonder: who are these amazing people having so much fun shaking their …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Recommends: 5 Things To Do In New Orleans This Weekend

GoNOLA Recommends: 5 Things To Do In New Orleans This Weekend

by Sally Tunmer February 1, 2012 Arts & Culture

On one hand it feels like it was just yesterday and on the other it seems like we’ve been growing gray hairs waiting, but either way Mardi Gras has arrived! This weekend is very exciting as it’s the first parade of the Carnival season! Surrounding the Krewe du Vieux parade are pre and post parties and in addition, this weekend …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for Mardi Gras History: The Old Line Krewes

Mardi Gras History: The Old Line Krewes

by Edward February 1, 2012 Arts & Culture

The “super-krewes” of Carnival begin their parades on the Saturday before Mardi Gras, when the Krewe of Endymion takes to the streets of New Orleans. Endymion is followed by Bacchus on Sunday, Orpheus on Monday, with Zulu and Rex on Fat Tuesday. That’s not all the parades of Carnival, though! In the weekend prior to Endymion, as well as the …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Top 5: Best Mardi Gras Throws

GoNOLA Top 5: Best Mardi Gras Throws

by Sally Tunmer January 31, 2012 Arts & Culture

There’s an indiscriminate, irrepressible urge that comes over a person during a Mardi Gras parade. It causes anyone that succumbs to it to lose all control, knocking down women and children in the way without hesitation. The condition I’m referring to is bead lust. A typical sufferer of bead lust is all around. It could be the lady in the …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for Dress To Impress at the Mardi Gras Bourbon Street Awards

Dress To Impress at the Mardi Gras Bourbon Street Awards

by Sara Hudson January 30, 2012 Arts & Culture

New Orleans embraces its own. Running of the Bulls, for example, started out as a handful of friends with a hankerin’ to declare superiority over Spain and spank people in the streets. Today thousands participate. Po-Boy Fest, Red Dress Run, even Jazz Fest all had similarly humble origins. New Orleans is the city where we see the unique and raise …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: Mardi Gras Super Krewes

GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: Mardi Gras Super Krewes

by Sally Tunmer January 28, 2012 Arts & Culture

Even though Carnival officially starts on Twelfth Night, for some it’s not until the first bite of king cake or the first catch of a bead. If you’re not already in full Mardi Gras mode and are compulsively monitoring how much longer you’ll have to wait for Fat Tuesday (23 days, 10 hours and approximately 5 minutes at the time …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA TV Presents: A Mardi Gras How-To Guide

GoNOLA TV Presents: A Mardi Gras How-To Guide

by Sally Tunmer January 27, 2012 Arts & Culture

With Mardi Gras just around the corner, it’s important to be prepared. Mardi Gras isn’t as easy as it looks. Sure, it’s the world’s greatest party, but locals know a secret or two to outlasting the weeks of celebration. Comfort, endurance and toilet access are key to making Mardi Gras the best experience possible, and every year inevitably Mardi Gras …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Recommends: 5 Things To Do In New Orleans This Weekend

GoNOLA Recommends: 5 Things To Do In New Orleans This Weekend

by Sally Tunmer January 25, 2012 Arts & Culture

While there are many exclusive masked balls every Mardi Gras for krewes that if you’re not born into, you can pretty much forget about ever being a member of, there are plenty of sassy marching clubs that host Mardi Gras balls open to everyone. Lucky for us, the trifecta of these fundraiser balls is this weekend! In addition is the …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for Prospect 2 Spotlight:  The Pearl

Prospect 2 Spotlight: The Pearl

by Nikki Carter January 25, 2012 Arts & Culture

I have to admit: I’m sad this is my last post about Prospect 2! Writing about the various exhibits across the city has been thought-provoking and an amazing experience, overall. For my last week, I chose to visit “Constant Abrasive Irritation Produces The Pearl: A Disease Of The Oyster! – Lenny Bruce,” a collaborative exhibit organized by John Otte. Visual …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Top 5: Mardi Gras Parades

GoNOLA Top 5: Mardi Gras Parades

by Sally Tunmer January 24, 2012 Arts & Culture

While many claim to have a favorite Mardi Gras parade, whether its small or big, day or night, everyone can agree on what the main events of Mardi Gras are. These five parades are the most prestigious and the most sought after, and with good reason. Most of the parades on the list have seen Carnival through almost its entire …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for Mardi Gras Lubrication: The Greasing of the Poles

Mardi Gras Lubrication: The Greasing of the Poles

by Liz Genest Smith January 23, 2012 Arts & Culture

Believe it or not, in this particular case, “greasing the poles” is not a naughty euphemism. New Orleans is irreverent, but, c’mon! We do have standards! Having said that, this very public, annual Mardi Gras event does involve women, Vaseline, and poles. But fear not, everyone involved is fully clothed and relatively well-behaved for the execution of this utilitarian task …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: French Quarter Street Swing

GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: French Quarter Street Swing

by Sally Tunmer January 21, 2012 Arts & Culture

In New Orleans, people swing dance constantly, everywhere – even in the streets. If there’s music playing, there is guaranteed to be dancing, and if it’s in the street, then so be it. New Orleans music is the perfect soundtrack for swing dancing – that French gypsy or old school rag time style jazz literally summons people to the floor, …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for New Orleans Around the Web | Week of January 16

New Orleans Around the Web | Week of January 16

by Sally Tunmer January 20, 2012 Arts & Culture

Even with the Web blackouts due to the proposed anti-piracy bills SOPA and PIPA, New Orleans had no trouble working its way in to online conversations. New Orleans hip hop makes a splash around the Web from the efforts and antics of Dee 1 and Big Freedia plus the dos and donts of dog tourism make an appearance. All of …

Read the rest -»

Thumbnail image for GoNOLA TV Presents: The Joy Theater

GoNOLA TV Presents: The Joy Theater

by Andrew January 19, 2012 Arts & Culture

The name says it all: Joy. Everything emanating from the newly renovated, bright and shiny Joy Theater bringing sexy back to Canal Street is a reflection of what happiness means to New Orleans: artistic expression. After sitting vacant for eight years on one of New Orleans’ main strips, the new owners transformed it from a single screen theater to a …

Read the rest -»