It’s “Summer 2: Summer Harder” fall, y’all! We’d all like the temperatures to be on at least the other side of the 90s, because I’m pretty sure we like our faces not becoming a reenactment of opening the Ark of the Covenant in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” It’s hard to live that pumpkin-spiced life when your sweat beats past your deodorant the way Cam Jordan would barrel through kindergarteners in a game of red rover. A ✌cool front ✌is allegedly on the way. Sure, mmhmm. So until that cool front hits around “Never p.m.” next week, you might as well get out and suck it up and sweat it out with some fun in the sun.
Storyland reopens its gates
A treasured corner of City Park is back after receiving $800,000 of renovations and improvements since it closed in July. The Storyland theme park first opened in 1956 as one of many similar smaller children’s parks across the nation. It is now one of the few still open, and the massive facelift should help ensure its continued longevity as a mainstay for New Orleans youth. Now it features a real NASA spacesuit, a spaceship devoted to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) that recreates an actual launch and tons of other new additions. Click here to read more about it.
Make ’em say YUM
Master P, aka Percy Miller, is a man of many talents: rapper, producer, philanthropist, mentor, actor, MTV Video Music Award nominee, reality show star and executive. Now, he can add the title of restaurant owner to that list. Big Poppa’s Burger in Gretna offers juicy burgers, crispy fried chicken sandwiches and vegetarian options. Click here to read if our visit made us “bout it, bout it.”
The biggest Japanese Festival in the Gulf South
New Orleans has been a melting pot of different cultures since its inception, and it is home to a number of communities encompassing different South, Southeast and East Asian heritage. This city is the host of the biggest Japanese fest in the Gulf South, which is being held at the New Orleans Museum of Art on Saturday. Click here to read more about the fun!
What’s Happening This Weekend
Fri. Oct. 4, 2019
Bourbon Tasting and Cocktail Makin’ | 7 – 9 p.m. | Seven Three Distilling | $20
Cocktails! Free swag! Bourbon before it’s bottled! We have your attention yet? Seven Three Distilling is one of the city’s best liquor makers. On Friday, they’ll take you behind the scenes of their production, offering a last chance to taste their Bywater Bourbon before it even hits the bottle. Come through to learn how to make special cocktails and get your own Very Local stainless steel cocktail shaker.
This panel, containing some of the city’s top social influencers, will talk about content creation, social media marketing, entrepreneurship, marketing and growing your brand.
Sat. Oct. 5, 2019 (FEST ALERT)
Beignet Fest | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. | City Park Festival Grounds | $5 admission, food prices vary
This food fest has the extra sweet mission of raising awareness and funds for autism programs in Greater New Orleans. In true NOLA style, the event features more than 30 different kinds of beignet dishes, live music, a Beer Garden, an Artist Market and a Kids Village.
Treme Fall Fest | 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. | St Augustine Catholic Church | Free
This festival is in its fifth year and celebrates one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods. Performers include Bon Bon Vivant, Dawn Richard, The Free Agents Brass Band and Kermit Ruffins.
Algiers Fest | Noon – 9 p.m. | 2500 General Myer Avenue | Free
This celebration honors the New Orleans military community and is free to the public. Performers include the Marine Corps Band, Little Freddie King and the Hot 8 Brass Band.
Loup Garou Fest | 8 p.m. – Midnight | Bar Redux | $5
Called “Loup Garou”, this film program specialty will take place over two nights, Oct. 5 and 6 (Saturday and Sunday), and mix the efforts of musicians, artists and filmmakers toward the call of darkness and that which crawls and creeps on screen and in our hearts and minds. Local film groups and collectives such as Terror Optics, Pyramid FX and Creepy Fest (on which Terror Optics is currently doing a documentary).
Sun. Oct. 6, 2019
Goat Yoga | Paradigm Gardens | 9 a.m. | $30
Come to Paradigm Gardens, among the flowers and veggies and with the adorable Cameroonian pygmy goats, to do a real sun salutation and downward goat. They’ve partnered with Move Your Brass to provide you the best goat yoga experience around, and a scrumptious and nutritious breakfast of scratch-made baked goods and coffee from Gracious Bakery is included.
“Monty Python and the Holy Grail” | 10 p.m. | The Prytania | $11.75
King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table embark on a surreal, low-budget search for the Holy Grail, encountering many, very silly obstacles. ONE SHOW ONLY at The Prytania.
