New Orleans is slowly opening back up, but there’s still plenty of fun to be had online until we’re 100%! Here are some of the events we’re most looking forward to in Virtual New Orleans this week:
MONDAY, OCTOBER 19
Live FitNOLA Class – Morning Motivation | Noon | Zoom | Free
The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission is leading virtual exercise classes every day of the week (often two or three times a day). This Monday morning, this 45-minute exercise class is focused on motivating you for a week full of fitness, but classes throughout the week are all different. Check out a list of the full offerings here and here to find out when they’ll be leading classes in Zumba, pilates, yoga, fitness, line dancing, swing, hip hop, senior fitness and much more! To join in on Zoom, use the link above and enter the Meeting ID (334-196-3309) and Password (BeFitNOLA)
Voodoo Homeschooling | 5 p.m. | Zoom (link sent after purchasing ticket) | $33
Do Voodoo homeschool with Voodoo Queen Bloody Mary & the great Marie Laveau tradition. Meet the Loa, explore spells, build altars, and consider self-empowerment in a totally new away! Learn about purchasing individual classes or bundling into a series here!
Live with Helen Gillet | 7 p.m. | YouTube, Instagram Live and Facebook Live | Donations encouraged via PayPal, Venmo or Bandcamp
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.
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Robin Barnes Presents #SongBirdatHome | 7 p.m. | Instagram Live and Facebook Live | Tips encouraged
Join Robin Barnes, the Songbird of New Orleans and her husband Pat Casey every Monday night for a one-hour set as they bring a concert right from their living room to yours!
Bastion Community’s Writing Workshop | 7:30 p.m. | Online (link sent after registration) | Free
Bastion Community is a nonprofit building an intentionally designed neighborhood in New Orleans for returning warriors and families with lifelong rehabilitative needs. This Monday they’re hosting a generative writing workshop that will build a supportive environment to explore and share stories, memories, dreams and ideas through creative expression. No previous writing or artistic experience is necessary for participation. Bring a pen and notebook.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20
For Teachers: Professional Learning Network Days | Noon | YouTube Live | Free
Watch along The National World War II Museum as Museum educators share how to modify Museum activities and lesson plans within an online environment. In this presentation, Museum educators will showcase ways to uncover student thinking and develop student critical engagement while presenting teachers with digital approaches for the use of Museum lesson plans that are ready to deploy in an online classroom. After viewing, connect with other teachers in the Museum’s K-12 Education Facebook group as you share how to use Museum resources and tools to keep students engaged in both face-to-face and digital contexts.
Cutting Contest: James Williams vs Ben Fox at the New Orleans Jazz Museum | 5 p.m. | Facebook Live | Tips encouraged
The New Orleans Jazz Museum has a different musician or band on their balcony every week. This week they’re featuring James Williams and Ben Fox, who will compete against one another live. Don’t miss it!
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Payton and Brees — A Conversation with Author Jeff Duncan | 6 p.m. | Zoom (link sent after registering) | Free
Join Garden District Book Shop as Fletcher Mackel talks with Jeff Duncan about Duncan’s book, Payton and Brees: The Men Who Built the Greatest Offense in NFL History.
For the Culture with Gina Brown | 7 p.m. | Facebook Live and Instagram Live | Tips encouraged
House of Blues has been hosting a thrice-weekly series of New Orleans-based musicians, and this Tuesday they’re presenting an hour-long set with Gina Brown!
Tradition Tuesday Live Stream w / Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition | 7:30 p.m. | Facebook | Tips encouraged
Who doesn’t need a little more swamp pop in their lives these days? Join Ryan Foret & Foret Tradition live from virtual Rock ‘n’ Bowl every Tuesday by clicking on the link, above, at 7:30 p.m.
Octavia Books with Author Patrick Earl Ryan | 7 p.m. | Zoom (link sent after purchasing tickets) | $19.95 (includes a copy of book)
Join Octavia Books for a special evening with author Patrick Earl Ryan and series editor Roxane Gay celebrating the launch of Patrick’s If We Were Electric, winner of the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction – marking the first time in the nearly forty year history of the award that it has gone to a native New Orleanian!
Clown Town TV: Season 2, Episode 6 | 8 p.m. | Facebook Live | 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 Season 2, Episode 6 as well as to watch earlier episodes.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21
The Broad Theater Hosts Virtual Cinema | All Day | Kino Marque | Purchase tickets (see below)
Broad Theater is open for business, but if you’re not ready to step into a theater just yet, they’re partnering with Kino Marquee, who is bringing you a rotating selection of movies directly to your home. There are multiple ways to stream the movie (which can be purchased at any time and watched for five days after the purchase). This week there are two selections and you can click on the following links to find out how to purchase tickets for Oliver Sacks: His Own Life, and Jazz on a Summer’s Day.
Art & Zen: Online Meditation Series | Noon | Zoom (link sent after registering) | Free, but a $5 donation is encouraged if you are able
Every Wednesday at noon, join the Ogden Museum for a live seated 30-minute mindfulness meditation inspired by a work of Southern art. This online meditation program is led by Ogden Educator and yoga and meditation instructor, Mikhayla Harrell! All experience levels welcome and you can learn more here. This week’s online meditation is inspired by Greg Miles’ work, Life.
Down Along With That Devil’s Bones — A Conversation with Author Maurice Carlos Ruffin | 6 p.m. | Zoom (link sent after registering) | Free
Join Garden District Book Shop as Connor Towne O’Neill talks with Mauric Carlos Ruffin about Ruffin’s book, Down Along With That Devil’s Bones: A Reckoning with Monuments, Memory, and the Legacy of White Supremacy.
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Drawing 101: Learning Perspective | 6 p.m. | Zoom (link sent after registering) | Free, but $10 donation is encouraged
In this next class in the Drawing 101 series, practice drawing the view from outside your own window! Participants are encouraged to tune in each week for a new drawing exercise with Museum Educator, Michelle Pontiff, for an evening of stress-free, beginner-level drawing classes designed to build your drawing skills. This week’s all about learning to draw what’s right there in front of you. You can learn more about the session and any materials you might need here.
Live FitNOLA Class – Pilates | 7 p.m. | Zoom | Free
The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission is leading virtual exercise classes every day of the week (often two or three times a day). This Wednesday evening, the 45-minute exercise class is focused on pilates, but classes throughout the week are all different. Check out a list of the full offerings here and here to find out when they’ll be leading classes in Zumba, pilates, yoga, fitness, line dancing, swing, hip hop, senior fitness and much more! To join in on Zoom, use the link above and enter the Meeting ID (334-196-3309) and Password (BeFitNOLA)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22
Young Audiences of Louisiana Leads “Baby Artsplay” | 9:30 a.m. | Facebook Live (link sent after registering) | Free
Young Audiences of Louisiana’s Baby Artsplay!™ is offered as a series of six free 30-minute workshops held weekly to engage young children ages 12-24 months and their caregiver. Now, caregivers can participate in this popular local workshop at home. Learn how to integrate purposeful activities into your children’s daily routine and support their cognitive, physical and social development. Learn more here.
The Origins of World War II | Noon | Zoom (link sent after registering) | Free
Join The National WWII Museum in a joint presentation with the National WWI Museum and Memorial as they explore the end of World War I, Armistice Day, and the origins of World War II. With the conclusion of The Great War, people the world over unknowingly thought that the tragedy and trauma of “the war to end all wars” would bring global conflicts to an end. Instead, the world entered a new era of conflict that ultimately culminated in the outbreak of a second, much larger and costlier world war that forever changed life in the modern era. In this webinar, viewers will explore the interwar period in detail to discuss the connections that existed between WWI and WWII, as well as the significance of both wars to the trajectory of world history. Appropriate for grades 7–12.
Hey Y’all, Art Talk! | 2 p.m. | Zoom (link sent after registering) | Free (suggested donation of $5)
Join the Ogden Museum for a series of engaging conversations about Southern art and artists! Museum Educator, Sara Echaniz, will lead a 30-minute in-depth participatory discussion about an artwork from Ogden Museum’s permanent collection and provide background information about the artist and artwork. This week, the class will focus on some of the organizers’ favorite art at the Ogden. You can find more information here.
Sybelia Drive — A Conversation with Author Karin Cecile Davidson | 6 p.m. | Zoom (link sent after registering) | Free
Join Garden District Book Shop as Morgan Babst talks with Karin Cecile Davidson about Davidson’s book, Sybelia Drive.
New Orleans Renters Rights Chat | 6 p.m. | Facebook Live or Phone Call | Free
Every Thursday, the New Orleans Renters Rights Assembly is hosting a call to educate New Orleanians about what’s going on with rental and mortgage policies, as well as organizing to create a more equitable world. You can call 504-517-5470 to listen in (Meeting ID: 299411967), or watch the livestream on Facebook (link above). There’ll also be opportunities to ask questions.
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For the Culture with High Voltage Band | 7 p.m. | Facebook Live and Instagram Live | Tips encouraged
House of Blues has been hosting a thrice-weekly series of New Orleans-based musicians, and this Thursday they’re presenting an hour-long set with High Voltage Band!
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23
Cardio Blast Live Stream | 10 a.m. | Zoom (link will be sent upon registration) | Free
Join Footprints To Fitness for a free 30-minute cardio workout in partnership with FitNOLA and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. The class is designed for all levels so bring the whole family!
Quarantunes Virtual Concert | 2 p.m. | Facebook Live | Tips encouraged
Every Friday at 2 PM, the New Orleans Jazz Museum hosts virtual concerts with an exciting mix of talented Jazz musicians, all performing from their homes. This free online series, broadcasting to music fans around the world, highlights the rich culture and history of New Orleans. This week features Adam Weiner!
Virtual Concert: HispaNOLA Live! | 3 p.m. | Facebook Live | Free
Welcome to HispaNola Live!, a weekly live music show presented by the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy – Embrace the Culture Series. Every week you’ll get the best in live music entertainment all while highlighting some of the city’s most influential Latin culture bearers. This concert features Julio and Cesar!
Virtual Happy Hour at Garden District Book Shop | 5 p.m. | Facebook Live and YouTube Live | Free
Each week during the pandemic, the Garden District Book Shop has hosted a virtual happy hour featuring New Orleans authors and literary lovers. This week’s conversation is with Leigh Wright. Wright is an International Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a stunt woman, a member of The Explorers Club , a producer, and writer. You can purchase her book, Local Life: New Orleans here. Bring any questions you have for the Q&A!
For the Culture with The Fortifiers | 7 p.m. | Facebook Live and Instagram Live | Tips encouraged
House of Blues has been hosting a thrice-weekly series of New Orleans-based musicians, and this Friday they’re presenting an hour-long set with The Fortifiers!
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Fridays from the Funky Uncle! | 7 p.m. | Facebook Live | Tips encouraged via PayPal, GoFundMe or Venmo
“Friday’s From the Funky Uncle!” is a webcast featuring New Orleans Funk Musicians playing live to raise money for all members of the entertainment community in New Orleans who are in need. Check here later in the week to see who’s performing this Friday!
CatchBack at Rock n Bowl | 8 p.m. | Facebook Live | Tips encouraged
Rock n Bowl has hosted tons of great virtual shows over the last seven months.. Don’t miss this two-hour set with CatchBack!
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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.
