New Orleans is one of those places that doesn’t need to schedule special events to attract visitors. The Big Easy, like the river that defines it, just keeps on rolling.
Still, if you’re looking for a particular excuse to peruse one of America’s most unique cities, here are some for the weekend of May 13 through 15:
Take in a live radio broadcast from 1945: Remember all those great WWII films, the ones where you could tell the good guys from the bad, the ones where the Andrews Sisters or Bob Hope stole the show? The National WWII Museum brings those days to life with On the Air, a rendition of the way it was. Friday, May 13 is the play date. The cast includes a singing W.A.C., a swinging crooner and a blues singer to beat the band. There’s a live band to back them up, and transport you back in time. Purchase tickets online or by calling 504-528-1943.
Dream about midsummer nights in New Orleans City Park: Okay, so it’s not summer yet. But that doesn’t mean Shakespeare can’t take you there. Midsummer Night’s Dream plays every Friday (including the 13th) in the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in New Orleans City Park. The Besthoff is hung with Spanish moss, alive with looming oak trees, and guarded by extraordinary sculptures. The show starts at 7 p.m. and wraps up about 8:30 p.m. That leaves plenty of time to head to the French Quarter or the Garden District for an after-the-show dinner.
Celebrate World Cocktail Week: We’re not lying: There’s an entire week dedicated to mixed drinks. Where better to celebrate it than the city where golf carts piled with booze used to meet passengers at their airport gates as they deplaned? The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is the venue and the price of admission for non-members this Friday the 13th from 6 to 9 p.m. is $25 online, and $35 at the door.
Rev up you inner self, and revel in muscle cars: The New Orleans Classic Auto Festival is in town May 13 and 14. The Mississippi River is the backdrop for “The Dream Collection” Auto Show May 14, outside the Vicari Auto Auction. See go-fast machines, classic machines, machines you may only drive in your sweetest of dreams. They’re all here.
Immerse yourself in art and jazz: The exhibit Art & Jazz: Preservation Hall at 50 is an insider’s look at the fabled jazz club and the Jaffe family that was the driving force behind its enduring legacy. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art hosts the exhibit, which chronicles the music, and the musicians of Preservation Hall. See photographs, paintings, instruments, and assorted ephemera – the kind of stuff that’s tangible testament to one of this country’s enduring cultural treasures. Video and audio recordings put Preservation Hall into even greater perspective. The Ogden is located at 925 Camp Street.
With all this going on in town you’d think finding a nicely-priced hotel room in the French Quarter or downtown the weekend of May 13 through 15 might be tough. You’d be right. When you fly in why not stay at Fairfield Inn & Suites Kenner New Orleans Airport. Grab a free shuttle bus from the hotel to the airport, and catch a van to the Quarter. It takes a bit of time, but saves considerable money. One-night’s stay at the Fairfield Inn runs $129, taxes not included.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: Paul Burani)
