From Kenner to St. Bernard and beyond, you'll find plenty of activities to fill your time this weekend.
Tonight through Sunday, it's the Festa Italiana at Kenner's Rivertown. The music lineup includes Louis Prima's daughter, Lena Prima, The Molly Ringwalds, the Topcats and the Chee-Weez.
And, Nick Congemi, President of Kenner's Italian Heritage Festival, says you won't go hungry...with great Italian food from top area restaurants...LaBella's, Gendusa's, Andrea's and Ravasio's and the like.
Probably no parade in the area throws as much produce as the St. Bernard Irish Italian Islenos Parade. They'll toss over a half-million pounds to onlookers this weekend. What type of produce, you might ask? Says president Chad O'Neil...
"You know, all the normal stuff...cabbage, onions. potatoes, carrots...we got mini-watermelons, pineapples...all kinds of stuff."
The parade rolls at noon Saturday. And, O'Neil says this year's event may be St. Bernard's biggest parade ever.
"This year, we have nearly 50 floats, in all. And, we have ten of the new Blain Kern mega-floats they built, that can hold up to 65 riders. So, it's probably the first time in history that we're going to have floats that size. We got about 1,500 riders."
Lots of other things going on this weekend, as well:
4/3-7 — New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (Various locations in New Orleans) — The annual festival has tasting events, wine dinners, culinary experiences, seminars and the Royal Street Stroll shopping and sampling event. Hours and admissions vary.www.nowfe.com
4/5 — Mandeville Live! (Mandeville Trailhead, 675 Lafitte St., Mandeville) — The concert series features Dave Jordan and NIA. The series also includes dates April 12, 26 and May 3. Food and drinks will be available. 6:30 p.m. Free.https://www.louisiananorthshore.com/event/mandeville-live!-free-friday-c...
4/5-7 — Festa Italiana (400 block of Williams Boulevard, Kenner) — The Italian heritage festival has food, live music, amusement rides, games, crafts vendors and more. 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Friday, noon-10 p.m. Saturday, noon-6 p.m. Sunday. $5, free for children 12 and younger.www.italianheritagefestival.com
4/5-7 — Kite Fest Louisiane (West Baton Rouge Soccer Complex, Highway 415 at Rosedale Road, Port Allen) — There's a kite design competition, a kite-making workshop, indoor kite flying, inflatable structures, live music, food booths and professional kite flying teams. Free.www.westbatonrouge.net
4/5-7 — Scott Boudin Festival (Lions Club Road in front of City Hall, Scott) — The festival celebrates Cajun culture, particularly boudin, and there's live music by Keith Frank & Soileau Zydeco, Lil Nate & the Zydeco Big Timers, Chris Ardoin & NuStep Zydeko and others, plus food vendors, carnival rides and kids' activities. $5 Friday and Saturday, free for children 5 and younger, free Sunday.www.scottboudinfestival.com
4/5-8 — Great Louisiana Birdfest (Northlake Nature Center, 23135 Highway 190 E., Mandeville) — The festival is held during bird migration season, when songbirds, waterfowl and other birds pass through the area, and includes tours of migratory bird habitats, workshops and other events. Registration required. Hours and admissions vary.www.northlakenature.org/birdfest
4/6 — Asian Pacific American Society Festival (Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St.) — There are cultural performances, live music, educational displays, handmade crafts from Asian countries and Asian foods. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Free with regular zoo admission.www.audubonnatureinstitute.org/apas
4/6 — Crawfest (Tulane University, LBC Berger Family and Newcomb quads) — More than 20,000 pounds of crawfish will be prepared for the festival, which allows attendees unlimited mudbugs. There also are two stages of live music, local food and art vendors. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Admission TBA, free for children 11 and younger.www.crawfest.tulane.edu
4/6 — Freret Street Festival (Freret Street between Napoleon Avenue and Valmont Street) — There's live music on three stages, pet adoptions and more than 200 vendors offering art, clothing, food and other items. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free.www.freretstreetfestival.org
4/6 — Louisiana Crawfish Boil Championships (4520 Sixth St., Marrero) — There's live music by Bucktown All Stars, Junior and Sumtin' Sneaky and Joey Thomas Band as well as amusement rides and thousands of pounds of crawfish cooked by dozens of cooking teams competing for championship titles. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Admission TBA.www.louisianacrawfishchamps.org
4/6 — St. Bernard Irish Italian Islenos Parade (West Judge Perez Drive, Chalmette) — The parade features 53 floats, 35 marching groups and 1,500 members tossing about 350,000 pounds of produce to revelers. The procession starts and ends at Meraux Drive and West Judge Perez Drive. Noon-till. Free. 278-4331 Lenor www.iiiparade.wixsite.com
4/6-7 — Delgado Music Festival (Delgado Community College, 615 City Park Ave.) — The two-day festival includes live music, master classes, a songwriting contest and vendors. Free.https://www.evensi.us/delgado-music-festival/288557854
6-7 — New Orleans Spring Fiesta (826 St. Ann St.) — The celebration of New Orleans culture includes a parade of horse-drawn carriages in the French Quarter, presentation of the queen at Jackson Square and tours of private home, gardens and courtyards. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. $15-$20 in advance, $20-$30 day of event.www.springfiestanola.com
4/6-7 — Spring Garden Show (New Orleans Botanical Garden, 5 Victory Ave., City Park) — There are dozens of horticulture exhibits, a marketplace, educational lectures, a plant health clinic, plant sale and children's activities. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. $10, $5 for children 5-12, free for children 4 and younger and Friends of City Park members.www.neworleanscitypark/events/spring-garden-show
4/7 — Music Under the Oaks (Audubon Park, Newman Bandstand) — LPO String Quartetwww.audubonnatureinstitute.org/events
4/7 — Pinch A Palooza Festival (Deanie's Seafood, 1713 Lake Ave., Metairie) — The party features crawfish-eating contests and races, kids' activities, face painting, inflatables, live music, boiled crawfish and other crawfish dishes. Noon-7 p.m. Admission for $1 donation.www.pinchapalooza.com