Mary Staes

Mary Staes is Digital Content Lead for Very Local. She works with our freelancers and crafts content for our social media platforms and website. Before Very Local, she worked with CBS affiliate WWL-TV as a web producer and weekend assignment editor for about 4 years. She has also handled broadcast coverage for 160 Marine Reserve training facilities while she served as an active duty Marine. As a native New Orleanian, she takes being "very local" to heart. She loves being intertwined with the culture and figuring out how there are less than two degrees of separation between us all, whether we're natives or not.

Missing your Jazz Fest food favorites? Here’s where you can get them

By Mary Staes / April 23, 2020

Thanks to WWOZ-FM, we’re having a great time Festing in Place, but part of the Jazz Fest experience is the food. No worries, we’ve got you covered!

WWOZ presents ‘Festing In Place’ after Jazz Fest’s COVID-19 cancellation

By Mary Staes / April 17, 2020

Don’t put those festival chairs and flags up just yet! WWOZ-FM is presenting “Festing In Place: An On-Air Festival” — a virtual Jazz Fest of sorts. 

Club Couch: How DJ Raj Smoove brings the beats during the quarantine

By Mary Staes / April 4, 2020

In the times of the quarantine, when we’re confined to our homes, a local DJ is spinning up experiences to bring virtual vibes to the public.

Spending a lot of time inside? Spruce it up with NOLA-based decor

By Mary Staes / April 3, 2020

Home decor from New Orleans-based artists to spruce up your mood inside and remind you of our beautiful city.

Weekend Picks (Mar. 13-15): NOLA St. Patrick’s Day parade cancelled, bar crawl still on

By Mary Staes / March 11, 2020

We know: this weekend’s BIG plans have gotten cancelled because of the Coronavirus. But there are still things to do out in the city!

Four New Orleans songs to sing while washing your hands and keep that Coronavirus away

By Mary Staes / March 6, 2020

The CDC suggests singing “Happy Birthday” while you wash your hands to get in a good 20 seconds, but are we talking the normal version or the Stevie Wonder version? It all gets confusing.

Weekend Picks: (Mar. 6-8) Wiener dog races, Brass Fest, Cajun Brunch

By Mary Staes / March 5, 2020

It’s our first full week of calm after the Carnival storm, but don’t worry, St. Patricks Day (and a parade, of course) are coming fast.

Weekend Picks (Feb. 29 – Mar. 1): Bourbon tastings, French Film Fest, 90s karaoke

By Mary Staes / February 26, 2020

It’s the weekend after Mardi Gras, so we’ve definitely slowed down with our revelry.

PHOTOS: Zulu’s ‘Book of Love’ is a colorful chapter of Mardi Gras 2020

By Mary Staes / February 26, 2020

Even if you didn’t catch a coconut this year, the Krewe of Zulu always brings gorgeous costumes and fun to the early morning on Mardi Gras Day.

Weekend Picks (Feb. 21-23): What to do other than parades, parades, parades

By Mary Staes / February 19, 2020

Parades, parades and more parades! And other things, too!