New Orleans: Events and Things to Do

In New Orleans, even Wednesdays seem like Weekends. Live music, festivals, theater, dance, museum exhibitions, sports… the list goes on and on. There’s something fun (and often FREE) every day and every night in New Orleans.

Thumbnail image for Shake It, Don’t Break It: Bounce and Hip Hop Come to Jazz Fest

Shake It, Don’t Break It: Bounce and Hip Hop Come to Jazz Fest

by Staff April 25, 2012 Arts & Culture

In addition to rock, soul, blues, jazz and about every other musical genre you could come up with, hip hop and rap are also on the Jazz Fest 2012 agenda. Cee Lo and Ne-Yo are two of the highly anticipated internationally acclaimed hip hop artists playing the fest and then, there’s New Orleans’ own brand of rap: the phenomenon known …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Southern Blues

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Southern Blues

by Staff April 24, 2012 Arts & Culture

The blues is a huge part of New Orleans and Southern culture. From Muddy Waters to BB King to modern artists they’ve influenced like Gary Clark, Jr., blues plays an important role in musical style and story telling. There are many wonderful blues musicians, and even a tent devoted to them at Jazz Fest this year. Here are three of …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Sweet Indie Songsters

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Sweet Indie Songsters

by Staff April 23, 2012 Events

Sometimes certain voices are perfect for a “serenity now!” moment, and Bon Iver and Feist are just what the doctor ordered. The two artists just have an effortless way about them that’s as fitting in a solo bedroom listening session as it is on an outdoor stage, at say the New Orleans Jazz Festival. Get lost in their beautiful vocals …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Cajun and Zydeco

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Cajun and Zydeco

by Staff April 23, 2012 Events

The convergence of all the best local and regional music under one sun is one of the great things about the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Cajun and Zydeco mainstays come to the stage to represent the unique sounds of indigenous Louisiana music. This year, Amanda Shaw and the Cute Guys, Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys and Rockin’ …

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Thumbnail image for GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: New Orleans Earth Day Festival

GoNOLA Flickr Pick of the Week: New Orleans Earth Day Festival

by Emily Yonker April 21, 2012 Events

Earth Day is one of those holidays that never seems to gets the attention it deserves, kind of like Adopt a Rescued Nutria Day, or National Storing Cheese in an Airtight Container Awareness Week. This Sunday, April 22 from 9:00 a.m. to 7 p.m. however, the Crescent City puts Earth Day on the map with its own New Orleans Earth …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Local Blues and Rock

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Local Blues and Rock

by Staff April 20, 2012 Events

Galactic

Galactic began in 1994 when Chris Raines and Robert Mercurio came down from Washington, DC to attend Tulane. The pair made connections in the local music scene and put together a band that now Raines (guitar), Mercurio (bass), Stanton Moore (pictured, drums), Rich Vogel (keyboards), and Ben Ellman (saxophone/harmonica). The band, who have been playing together regularly since 1996, …

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Thumbnail image for New Orleans’ Sculptural Renaissance In Progress

New Orleans’ Sculptural Renaissance In Progress

by Sally Tunmer April 20, 2012 Arts & Culture

One needn’t look very far to see why New Orleans is an art town, or in this case a sculpture town, specifically. Since Hurricane Katrina, Sculpture for New Orleans has brought an impressive collection of work from local, regional and international artists like Louise Bourgeois, Mark di Suvero and Alexander Calder to multiple sites throughout the city. The landscape of …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Jazz Standards and Specialists

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Jazz Standards and Specialists

by Nikki Carter April 19, 2012 Events

Dr. Michael White

Dr. Michael White‘s favorite thing about playing Jazz Fest is “Seeing the international concentration of traditional jazz fans that come to hear and dance in the Economy Hall Tent – demonstrating that our music is truly universal and timeless.” A classically-trained clarinetist, Dr. White founded the Original Liberty Jazz Band in 1981. This year, Dr. White will …

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Thumbnail image for The Navy Raises Its Sails in New Orleans This Week

The Navy Raises Its Sails in New Orleans This Week

by Sally Tunmer April 18, 2012 Events

NOLA Navy Week is underway! The commemoration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812 kicks off in New Orleans now through April 23 and will sail on to seven ports throughout the country until 2015, when it will return to New Orleans. The week-long celebration includes an extensive schedule featuring on-water parades of the Navy’s majestic Tall Ships and …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Latin Flair and Flavor

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Latin Flair and Flavor

by Staff April 17, 2012 Events

Bands ranging in style and ethnicity come to play at Jazz Fest every year in a true celebration of world music. Artists from Africa, England, France and of course New Orleans are on this year’s lineup and the following are three exceptional artists from Mexico and Cuba fusing Latin influences with pop, Afrobeat and acoustic styles. C’mon, get cultured at …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Like A Local: Seven Survival Secrets

Jazz Fest Like A Local: Seven Survival Secrets

by Andy April 17, 2012 Arts & Culture

If you’re coming to New Orleans for the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival and looking for tips from locals, you’ve come to the right place for advice. I’ve been festin’ my whole life, at least as long as I can remember. Jazz Fest, to locals, is a celebration not just of music but of everything we are: food, music, art, …

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Thumbnail image for The 2012 Jazz Fest Food Challenge

The 2012 Jazz Fest Food Challenge

by Sally Tunmer April 17, 2012 Events

Food challenges are all the rage in America. The Hunger Games, Man vs. Food, Bizarre Foods – everywhere you look people are just eating up the next big food-scavenging trend (pun shamefully intended). Even New Orleans has followed suit, recently with the crawfish eating contest at French Quarter Fest and beignet eating contest at last month’s Road Food Festival.

Long …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Indie Rock Bands

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Indie Rock Bands

by Staff April 16, 2012 Events

In addition to jazz, funk, blues, gospel and other genres and styles on the 2012 Jazz Fest lineup, indie rock bands have joined the eclectic mix over recent years. Two of the most exciting young bands playing at this year’s fest are Louisiana’s own indie darlings, the GIVERS and Gomez from England. Each have their own unique contemporary twist and …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Reggae and Afrobeat Revolutionaries

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Reggae and Afrobeat Revolutionaries

by Mikko April 15, 2012 Events

Jazz Fest gives us the opportunity to discover musical entities outside of the familiar and become enlightened of powerful origins and messages. Three musicians, all from different countries, who will expand the minds of anyone who hears them are Seun Kuti, Steel Pulse and Cheikh Lo. Each have a common thread of reggae and social activism that so often accompanies …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Louisiana Bayou Rock

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: Louisiana Bayou Rock

by Staff April 14, 2012 Events

Pine Leaf Boys

Four-time Grammy nominated Pine Leaf Boys play traditional Cajun dating back to the pioneering bands of the 1920s to modern bands such as the Mamou Playboys.

They are fronted by accordion player and vocalist, Wilson Savoy, son of Marc Savoy, the famous accordion builder and musician, and, Ann Savoy, author and music producer, both advocates of Cajun …

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Thumbnail image for Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: New Orleans Heavyweights

Jazz Fest Artists Spotlight: New Orleans Heavyweights

by Staff April 13, 2012 Events

In New Orleans, our musicians are our greatest asset. They are our role models and part of what makes us fall in love with New Orleans every day, which explains why we get as excited to see local talent as we do international rock stars. Here are three of New Orleans’ favorite musicians. See them play at Jazz Fest and …

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