Our Top Picks for May 2013

Greek Fest Turns 40
This Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, the New Orleans Greek Festival celebrates four decades of bringing its lively culture to New Orleanians. The standout at the festival is the food – goat burgers, gyros and baklava, among other delicacies – but don’t overlook the marketplace, the music or the “Athenian playground,” which has a climbing wall and canoe rentals. The festival overlooks Bayou St. John at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Information, GreekFestNola.com.

 

Party on the Bayou
The MotherShip Foundation hosts the eighth annual Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Festival, May 17-19, along the banks of Bayou St. John. The musical lineup features more than 30 bands, including Rebirth Brass Band, Bonerama, Debauche and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas. Attendees can also partake in delicious food, spirits and libations, visit the Health and Wellness area and shop for arts and crafts. Other highlights include a Bicycle Pub Crawl on May 18; a bike second-line on May 19, an 11-mile route that begins and concludes at the bayou; and the Rubber Duck Derby, hosted by Second Harvest Food Bank, which encourages attendees to “adopt” one or more of 10,000 rubber ducks and then see if their “lucky duck” swims to victory after being dumped into the water. Information, TheBayouBoogaloo.com.

 

Living It Up
For bon vivants – and we know there are a lot of you – the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience returns this year, showcasing local food and chefs, and more than 1,000 national and international wines. Beginning on May 22, there will be wine pairings, tastings, a Royal Street stroll, seminars and more. One of the highlights this year is the “Gateaux Show” – a lighthearted competition with cake and champagne. Many of the events take place at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and at local well-received restaurants. As always, the four-day fête benefits a variety of local charities. Information, nowfe.com.

 

More Top Events

May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29. YLC Wednesday at the Square; Lafayette Square. Information, WednesdayAtTheSquare.com
Through May 5. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival; New Orleans Fair Grounds. Information, NOJazzFest.com
Through May 19. “Reinventing Nature: Art from the School of Fountainebleau; New Orleans Museum of Art. Information, noma.org
Through June 16. “Brilliant Disguise: Masks and other Transformations;” Contemporary Arts Center. Information, cacno.org
May 3. Whitney Zoo-To-Do; Audubon Zoo. Information, AudubonInstitute.org
May 3. Debauche; The Circle Bar. Information, DebaucheMusic.com
May 5-June 3. Wicked; Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts. Information, MahaliaJacksonTheater.com
May 7. Ben Taylor; The Parish at House of Blues. Information, HouseOfBlues.com
May 10. Sippin’ in Seersucker; The Shops at Canal Place. Information, OgdenMuseum.org
May 17- June 3. Crimes Against Nature; The AllWays Lounge. Information, TheAllWaysLounge.com
May 19. PurpleStride 5K Run/Walk; New Orleans City Park. Information, PurpleStride.kintera.org
May 25. Asian Heritage Festival; Audubon Zoo. Information, AudubonInstitute.org
May 15-19, 22-26, 30-June 2, June 6-9. Southern Rep presents Next to Normal; Contemporary Arts Center. Information, SouthernRep.com
May 25. Big Easy Comedy Festival; UNO Lakefront Arena. Information, BigEasyComedyFestival.com
May 30. One Eyed Jacks and SimplePlay present Black Moth Super Rainbow with The Hood Internet; One Eyed Jacks. Information, OneEyedJacks.net

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