It’s June already! The stay-at-home order has been relaxed, but most of the fun can still be found online! Here are some of the events we’re most looking forward to in Virtual New Orleans this week:
MONDAY, JUNE 1
Spaghetti & Jazz: A Virtual Tour of the Sicilian French Quarter | 2 p.m. | Facebook Live | Free
Justin A. Nystrom is an acclaimed professor in the History Department at Loyola University New Orleans. He’s going to take you on a one-of-a-kind tour of the French Quarter’s heritage as a center for Sicilians and early jazz music. This hour-long adventure is hosted with the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.
Taproom Yoga | 5 p.m. | Facebook Live | Donations accepted here.
Taproom Yoga normally takes place at NOLA Brewing on Monday evenings, but has gone virtual for the time being. All skill levels are welcome to join Elevate Yoga at 5 p.m. on Facebook Live! More information can be found here.
Live Music from SideBar NOLA | Throughout the evening | Website | Donations accepted here
SideBar NOLA has live local music streaming for you seven nights a week (and oftentimes more than once per night). For a full listing of their performances, check out this page. Of particular note, the Klezmer All-Stars are playing Friday at 9 p.m.
Live with Helen Gillet | 7 p.m. | YouTube, Instagram Live and Facebook Live | Donations accepted
Helen Gillet and her cello are one of the most popular acts in town. While the effects of this pandemic linger, you’re able to hear her every Monday from the comfort of your own couch. Tune in for her weekly set that alternates between light, beautiful and wild.
View this post on Instagram
TUESDAY, JUNE 2
Online Sunrise Yoga at the Lakefront | 6:30 a.m. | YouTube Live link will be sent out after Eventbrite registration | Donations accepted during Eventbrite registration
NOLA Tribe Yoga is providing one of the most beautiful opportunities to practice yoga in New Orleans. Every Tuesday at 6:30 a.m., they’ll lead a 55-minute class for all levels as the sun rises over the lakefront. Registration closes 20 minutes prior to class time so register now! NOLA Tribe Yoga also has a 6 p.m. class on Tuesday evenings set on the shore of Bayou St. John.
Cooking in Place on GiveNOLA Day | 9 a.m. | Facebook Live and YouTube | Donations accepted
The New Orleans Culinary Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI) is spending GiveNOLA Day celebrating local culinary talent with a day of virtual programming that brings together NOCHI instructors, students, and local chefs for live, interactive cooking demos. The nonprofit’s mission is to educate a diverse community of learners to sustain an ever-evolving hospitality industry in New Orleans, and you can support their efforts with a GiveNOLA Day donation of any size. Events will be taking place until 6 p.m. and you can see the schedule here.
Tom McDermott Performs | 2 p.m. | Facebook Live | Free
Tom McDermott is one of this city’s premiere piano players and composers with 17 albums and 85 original tunes to his name. He’s also known for his love of travel, and plays music from a wide range of cultures and eras. This hour-long musical journey is hosted with the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.
Reader Meet Writer Event with Ruby McConnell | 4 p.m. | Link will be sent after RSVP | Free
The Garden District Book Shop is teaming up with the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance to give local readers the opportunity to learn from and chat with accomplished and active southern writers. Ruby McConnell is this week’s featured author. She’ll be discussing her book, “Ground Truth: A Geological Survey of a Life,” and answering your questions. Her book puts a specific focus on the intersection of the environment and human experience. To RSVP, email [email protected].
Sierra Green and the Soul Machine Live from the Jazz Museum | 5 p.m. | Facebook | Donations accepted via Venmo
If you’re looking for some funk, soul and R&B to liven up your Tuesday, check out Sierra Green and the Soul Machine. They’ll be live streaming from the balcony of the New Orleans Jazz Museum for an hour-long set!
Virtual GiveNOLA Happy Hour with One Book One New Orleans | 5 p.m. | Zoom (link sent upon registration) | Donations encouraged
Grab your favorite beverage and join One Book One New Orleans for a virtual happy hour on GiveNOLA Day! Connect with other readers, learn more about New Orleans poet Tom Dent, and hear about how your gift makes a difference in our community!
Belly Dance: Right from the Start | 6:30 p.m. | Zoom (link sent upon registration) | Register by paying via PayPal
This Tuesday will be the second of four Tuesday night Belly Dancing classes, led by expert dancer Karla Marie. Each class will have a different focus and you can learn more about the classes here. You will receive the Zoom link once you’ve registered for the class. To register, send payment to PayPal using the link above. A single class is $15, but there is a discount if you sign up for the remainder of the classes.
Clown Town TV Premier Party: Episode 10 | 8 p.m. | Facebook | Tips and donations accepted on PayPal and Venmo
Clown Town features a rotating cast of queer NOLA Clowns as well as special guests from afar! It’s a little bit sideshow, a little bit vaudeville and plenty of New Orleans charm. Tune in via the Facebook page for Episode 9 as well as to watch earlier episodes.
View this post on Instagram
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3
It’s New Orleans Happy Hour | 3:30 p.m. | Zoom (check Facebook page the day of the event for the link) | Free
This popular local podcast is hosted by Grant Morris & Andrew Duhon. Going strong for nearly 10 years, the hosts invite random New Orleanians with nothing in common into a bar to talk about anything they want. Bars aren’t really a thing at the moment, though, so they’re hosting their show via Zoom. Check it out — it’s a lot of fun!
Online Tribe Yard Yoga | 6:30 p.m. | YouTube Live link will be sent out after Eventbrite registration | Donations accepted during Eventbrite registration
If that Tuesday morning yoga session is a little early for you, check out this Wednesday evening session from NOLA Tribe Yoga. The class is for yogis (or first-timers) of all levels. Registration closes 20 minutes prior to class time so register now! NOLA Tribe Yoga also has a 6:30 a.m. class set under the oak trees of City Park every Thursday.
Food & Wine with Swirl and Chef Susan Spicer | 7 p.m. | Zoom | $44.29 for all three wines and $15 for the appetizers
Swirl Wine Bar and Rosedale Restaurant are collaborating on a special wine and food pairing. Call 504-304-0635 to order your wine for pick-up, and head to Rosedale Restaurant to place your “Covino Michelle Trio” order by Tuesday on their online menu. Food and wine will be available for pick-up at Swirl on Wednesday.
View this post on Instagram
Big Freedia’s Kitchen: Watcha Cookin’ Wednesdays with the Queen Diva | 7 p.m. | Instagram and Facebook | Free to watch, but recipes are as low as $5/month
What does the Queen Diva cook? It turns out thousands of people want to know! Watch her chop it up in the kitchen every Wednesday night. If you think it’s just cooking, you obviously don’t know Big Freedia. There’s music, dancing, cocktails and special guests, as well!
Brad Walker vs The Extended Trio | 7 p.m. | Facebook Live | Donations encouragedContemporary jazz musician, Brad Walker has got a great 90-minute collaboration performance with The Extended Trio. The set is live streaming from The Parlor Studio and promises excellent sound quality you might not always be used to during your virtual music gigs!
THURSDAY, JUNE 4
Talkin’ Jazz with Fred Kasten | 2 p.m | Facebook Live | Free
Talkin’ Jazz is an interview series hosted by Fred Kasten in collaboration with the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and the New Orleans Jazz Museum. This week Kasten is chatting with Joe Dyson, one of the city’s most in-demand drummers on the music scene today. Fred catches up with Joe, who’s quarantine out in Brooklyn. Conversations typically last about 45 minutes and are always interesting!
DU Cooks Live w / Vance Vaucresson | 3 p.m. | Instagram Live | Free
Dillard University is chatting with Vance Vaucresson — the famous New Orleans butcher whose sausages wow Jazz Fest attendees each year! Vaucresson comes from a long line of butchers, and the conversation is certain to be an interesting look at the industry during its long history right up to the current day.
View this post on Instagram
Virtual Happy Hour Featuring Skye Jackson & Ben Aleshire | 5 p.m. | Facebook Live | Free
Each week, the Garden District Book Shop is hosting a virtual happy hour with a New Orleans author. The conversation will include talk of books, writing life, New Orleans and anything else that comes to mind while unwinding with a drink. There’s also time for your questions! Get more information about this week’s chat here.
Ogden After Hours At Home | 6 p.m. | Zoom and Facebook Live | Donations encouraged
Ogden Museum has made their weekly “Ogden After Hours” series a virtual event featuring Southern musicians and DJs performing from the comfort of their own homes. This week’s performance will be by Sabine & The Dew Drops — a local quintet adding their own spice to America’s folk music tradition. Tune in for the one hour show!
Sequatchie Cove Creamery Virtual Cheese Tasting | 7 p.m. | Zoom (link will be sent upon registration) | $60 wine and cheese for 1; $75 wine and cheese for 2
Nestled in a cove on the floor of the beautiful Sequatchie Valley in Tennessee is this acclaimed creamery. They’re partnering with St. James Cheese Company this week to bring you a delicious and informative cheese class. You can order cheese for one person or two, with the option to add wine, as well. Classes at St. James Cheese are always a blast!
FRIDAY, JUNE 5
Online Uplifting Uptown Flow Yoga | 6:30 p.m. | YouTube Live link will be sent out after Eventbrite registration | Donations accepted during Eventbrite registration
NOLA Tribe Yoga is providing one of the most beautiful opportunities to practice yoga in New Orleans. Every Friday at 7 a.m., they’ll lead a class for all levels set at the Audubon Park bandstand. Registration closes 20 minutes prior to class time so register now!
Meditation for the HEART | 10 a.m. | Facebook Live | Free
Heart N Hands is a great nonprofit focused on heart health and heart disease prevention, so definitely check them out. This week, they’re hosting a 15-minute evening meditation session with Stephanie Osborne of Meditate New Orleans.
Cardio Blast Live Stream | 10 a.m. | Zoom | Free
Join Footprints To Fitness for a free 60 minutes cardio workout in partnership with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. The class is designed for all levels so bring the whole family! Once on Zoom, enter the Meeting ID (334-196-3309) and password (BeFitNOLA).
View this post on Instagram
Mannie Fresh | 7 p.m. | Facebook, Instagram or Twitch | Free, but gift cards to support The Maison and its staff can be purchased here.
Famous local DJ, Mannie Fresh hosts a popular DJ set (more than 10,000 viewers!) called “Virus-Killaz” each Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. Click on the links above at showtime to watch the show on Facebook, Instagram or Twitch.
Film Fest → Jeannette: The Childhood of Joan of Arc Movie-Length Heavy Metal Musical | 8 p.m. | Zoom | Free
Each Friday evening through June 19, the Joan of Arc Project (the group that puts on the Joan of Arc parade on Twelfth Night) is hosting a Zoom discussion group about a different Joan of Arc-focused movie. This week you’re invited to a discussion about a movie that is most likely the very first heavy metal musical (certain about Joan of Arc!). Learn how to watch the film here, then join the discussion on Friday with the Zoom link, above. Here’s more information about the festival, as well as a full listing of the movies being discussed.
———————————
See? There’s tons going on! If you can afford it, please be sure to tip the band/performers/DJ/teachers/etc. Many of them are battling lost gigs as a result of the pandemic, and are working very hard to keep us entertained during the unique times.
Remember, send me an email if you have an event you’d like me to add for next week’s round-up!
WRITER MATT HAINES LIVES IN NEW ORLEANS. FOLLOW HIM FOR ALL THINGS GOING ON IN NOLA — DURING TIMES OF PANDEMIC AND OTHERWISE — AT MATTHAINESWRITES.COM, AND ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER.
Ellis Marsalis Tribute Night | 8 p.m. | Facebook | Free
Every week Snug Harbor hosts a tribute show to the recently departed New Orleans music legend, Ellis Marsalis, Jr. Swing by their Facebook page at approximately 8 p.m. and they’ll post the link to what’s become a very popular series of shows.
