Thursday, Oct. 10
The New Orleans Film Festival opens tonight with the New Orleans-shot Twelve Years a Slave, which is already getting Oscar buzz (tonight’s screening at the Civic Theater appears to be sold out, but there may be a very limited number of tickets at the door). The festival closes with another locally made film, Bayou Maharajah: The Tragic Genius of James Booker, Lily Keber’s documentary about the eccentric New Orleans piano player. The rest of the fest includes local, national and international feature, documentary, animated and short films screened at various locations. Info here.
Endless Gaycation, a four-day event with workshops, community meals, live music, performance art, dance parties and more targeted to the LGBT community, starts today. Info here.
Friday, Oct. 11
Featuring three full weekends of festivities, Oktoberfest starts tonight at Kenner’s Rivertown. Don’t miss the dachshund races! Info here.
If sausages aren’t your thing, the Louisiana Seafood Festival also is this weekend. Info here.
Passion Pit and Joy Formiddable, two infectious pop bands, split the bill at a show at the Civic Theatre tonight. Info here.
Tonight’s the opening night of Marschner’s The Vampire (Der Vampyr), a creepy opera that fittingly opens the season in New Orleans. Info here.
Saturday, Oct. 12
Hey, NPR fans: Garrison Keillor, humorist and the yawny host of the daily Writer’s Almanac, brings his famous live radio variety show Prairie Home Companion to the Saenger. Info here.
Japan Fest at NOMA features martial art demonstrations, performances, exhibits, activities, food and more. Info here.
Sunday, Oct. 13
Another cultural festival: Celebración Latina honors Latin American culture with live music, children’s activities, Latin cuisine and crafts. There’s also a health and resource fair. Info here.
Wynton Marsalis directs the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, which includes 15 jazz soloists, in a performance of “Abyssinian Mass” at the Saenger. Info here.
