Curtains Up
October signals the official end of the summertime lull in New Orleans arts offerings, with many of the city’s performance groups opening their seasons. Specifically, it’s curtains up for New Orleans’ ballet and opera groups. The New Orleans Opera Association opens its season Oct. 7 and 9 with Mozart’s Don Giovanni (NewOrleansOpera.org). Later on in the macabre season, catch Macbeth, Sweeney Todd and Faust. Very timely with the recent Olympics, the New Orleans Ballet Association’s season opens Oct. 15 with Brazil’s Grupo Corpo, a company fusing ballet, modern and “hip-swiveling Brazilian” dance styles. The rest of the season includes Ronald K. Brown’s “EVIDENCE,” the return of Stars of American Ballet, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Jessica Lang Dance (NobaDance.com).
Now Screening
The New Orleans Film Festival (Oct. 12-20) continues to expand with offerings and venues. Last year, the festival added the restored Orpheum Theater as screening venue. This year, the new Ace Hotel has been added to the mix. The usual slate of national features, documentaries and shorts, plus an unprecedented number of Louisiana films, will be screened. Information, NewOrleansFilmFestival.org
Hell Yes!
Always reliable in showing off the local comedy scene, Hell Yes Fest (Oct. 6-16) has a lot of big national names on the lineup: 2016 headliners include Sarah Silverman, Nick Swardson and Cameron Esposito. Catch stand-up, sketch, improv and everything in between in the St. Claude corridor and in bigger venues on Canal Street and Uptown. Information, HellYesFest.com
CALENDAR
Fridays and Saturdays through October. House of Shock haunted house. Information, HouseOfShock.comOct. 1. Art for Art’s Sake, Warehouse Arts District and Magazine Street. Information, NewOrleansArtsDistrict.com
Oct. 7-9. Gentilly Fest, Pontchartrain Park. Information, GentillyFest.com
Oct. 7-8, 14-15 & 21-22. Oktoberfest, Rivertown. Information, OktoberfestNola.com
Oct. 8. Japan Fest, New Orleans Museum of Art. Information, NOMA.org
Oct. 8. Beignet Fest, Lafayette Square. Information, Facebook.com/BeignetFest
Oct. 8. Kenny Rogers in concert, Saenger Theater. Information, SaengerNOLA.com
Oct. 10-11. Carnaval Latino, various locations. Information, CarnavaLatinoLa.com
Oct. 14-16. Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, Lafayette Square Park. Information, JazzAndHeritage.org/Blues-Fest
Oct. 15. Keith Urban in concert, Smoothie King Center. Information, SmoothieKingCenter.com
Oct. 15. O What a Night! Gala, Ogden Museum of Southern Art. Information, OgdenMuseum.org
Oct. 15. Elvis Costello in concert, Saenger Theater. Information, SaengerNOLA.com
Oct. 15. Anba Dlo Halloween Festival, New Orleans Healing Center. Information, AnbaDloFestival.org
Oct. 16. Celebración Latina, Audubon Zoo. Information, AudubonInstitute.org
Oct. 21-23. Ghosts in the Oaks, City Park. Information, FriendsOfCityPark.com
Oct. 22. Krewe of Boo Halloween parade, Marigny, French Quarter and CBD. Information, KreweOfBoo.com
Oct. 23. Oak Street Po-Boy Festival, Oak Street. Information, PoBoyFest.com
Oct. 25. David Sedaris, Orpheum Theater. Information, OrpheumNola.com
Oct. 27-30. Halloween New Orleans: A benefit for Project Lazarus, various locations. Information, HalloweenNewOrleans.com
Oct. 28-30. Voodoo Music + Arts Experience, City Park. Information, VoodooFestival.com
