After being nearly blown away last year, the Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo is back on Bayou St. John Friday night through Sunday.
"Roughly 50 different performances between four stages and 30 food vendors serving up Louisiana cuisine and featuring Louisiana artists, musicians and the wonderful culture that we have in New Orleans," says Festival Manager, Jared Zeller.
There's also the canoe and kayak racing, the Bicycle Pub Crawl and just relaxing on the banks of the bayou.
"You know, that's what we've been doing for 13 years on the bayou and that's not going to change. We're looking forward to it."
One change this year is a first ever $10 admission per day or $20 for all three days. That's due to an increase in land use fees from the City and increased insurance costs.
5/17-19 - Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo (Bayou St. John at Orleans Avenue) - There are four stages of live music, a marketplace with more than 60 local artists and businesses, food and beverage vendors, a kids' area, canoe and kayak racing on Saturday and other activities. 5 p.m.-9 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-9:15 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Sunday. www.thebayouboogaloo.com
The 15th annual Plaquemines Parish Seafood & Heritage Festival also kicks off Friday night and runs through Sunday. Festival organizer Dondra Kientz says there'll be live bands, helicopter and carnival rides, and you won't go away hungry.
"Oh, we have some excellent food," she says. "We have tons of seafood dishes. I can't even describe them all or name them all."
"I think if it swims in the sea, we have it at the festival."
Some seafood creature that don't swim are also featured. "Crawfish eggrolls, char grilled oysters...we've got seafood nachos and of course, all the boiled crawfish and shrimp...and fish."
5/17-19 - Plaquemines Parish Seafood & Heritage Festival (F. Edward Hebert Boulevard off Woodland Highway, Belle Chasse) - The three-day festival features lots of seafood dishes, live bands, an oyster drop, helicopter rides, carnival rides, a queen pageant, sandbagging contest and arts and crafts. 6 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. $5, free for children under 12.www.plaqueminesparishfestival.com
And, the weekend features two brand new festivals.
5/18 - NOLA Soul & Art Festival (Armstrong Park, 701 N. Rampart St) — The inaugural festival showcases New Orleans and international performers in soul, funk, blues, brass and jazz genres on two stages. A third stage will feature DJs, and there's an art market with 60 vendors. Performers include Jack Freeman, Tomar & the FCs, Flow Tribe, Water Seed and others. 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Free.www.nolasoulandart.com
5/18 - Parish President Guy McInnis will host St. Bernard’s Inaugural Family Fest at Borgnemouth Park (2507 Hannan Blvd, Old Hannan High School). The festival will featue a Gumbo Cook-Off and live music. Gates will open at 11:00 a.m. and will feature live performances by Cypress Pop Trio and the Bucktown All-Stars. There will also be a First Responder Tug-of-War competition between SBFD and SBSO beginning at 1:15 P.M. Youth activities will include a 40-foot obstacle course, face painting, rock climbing wall, dunking booth, hamster balls, train rides and other family fun activities. Admission for those over 12 years old will be $5.www.sbpg.net/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=252
Also, this weekend, 'The Roar Returns to Audubon Zoo'. Audubon Zoo reopens its lions exhibit Saturday. The new lion habitat is located in Audubon Zoo’s popular African Savanna exhibit. Audubon recently welcomed four lions with the hope of successful breeding. Nia, Kali, Zuri, and Arnold were chosen to form the Audubon pride based on the best genetic and behavioral matches available to help bolster the lion population in human care. The new exhibit’s focal point is a replica of an abandoned 1920s-era train station -- a symbol of the transportation system that once spanned lion country and, tragically, opened the door to habitat loss, poaching, and the devastation of Africa’s vast natural resources.https://newsroom.audubonnatureinstitute.org/the-roar-returns-to-audubon-...
