It's a Great Weekend to Eat Local, Slurp Some Oysters, Enjoy a Hurricane, and Party on the Lake!

Happy Weekend Everybody!!

Friday Fun!

Tonight - is the kick-off party for the 2013 New Orleans Eat Local Challenge from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Downtown Rouse's on Baronne!  Come sign up for the eat local challenge or pick up registration packets and enjoy local foods and local ingredient cocktails.  The party is on Rouses’ Rooftop Gardens of their downtown store, and it's a celebration of NOLA Locavores’ Eat Local Challenge! Get excited for a month of reducing the distance between you and your food while learning about the environmental, health, and economic benefits of eating locally sourced foods!
*Chefs Jack Treuting, Alex Harrell of Sylvain, Nathaniel Zimet of Boucherie, and Jeff Mattia of the American Sector will be working together to create an all Louisiana local ingredient feast. Dishes include Duck and Andouille Gumbo, and Duck Fried Rice. Ingredients were sourced from Hoffstadt Farms, Liuzza Produce Farm, Covey Rise and Jazzmen Rice. Cocktails will be served by Old New Orleans Rum, Donner Peltier Distillers and Atelier Vie. Wines will be provided by Pontchartrain Vineyards and Becnel Vineyards.

Saturday Fun!

Freret Market! Start your weekend off at the Freret Street Market (corner of Freret and Napoleon) for more than 90 vendors with loads of food, produce, art, collectibles, pet adoptions, music and appearances by the Big Easy Roller Girls.  The market runs from noon to 5:00 pm and musical performances include - Honeypots at Noon, John Mooney at 1:45 pm and Tin Men at 3:30 pm!  For more info visit www.freretmarket.org

Hurricane Party! Time to head down to Pat O's for and drink your cares away! June 1st marks the first day of the 2013 Hurricane Season, and to commemorate, Pat O’Brien’s (718 St. Peter) will hold their annual Hurricane Season Kick-Off Partry from from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. They'll be serving up half-priced Hurricanes - Come on down for the fun!

Parade! If you're hanging out in Mid-City this evening, be sure to be on the look out for the Krewe of Palmyra and they presents the “Palmyra Gets Lei'd”!!  All Hail -King Palmyra VIII – Lee Mullikin, Queen Palmyra – Gina Christina and Big Kahuna – Norton Hirsch. The Caravan de Baucherry (aka parade) starts at Palmyra and S. Bernadotte St. at 4:00 pm with legendary brass band Egg Yolk Jubilee!!

Weekend Festivals!

It's oyster time and there's no better place to appreciate this beautiful delicacy then the Oyster Festival

at Woldenberg Park!!  There's going to be amazing food, a stellar line-up of music and of course oyster shucking and eating contests - fun!  Don’t miss out on the contests.  Acme Oyster House sponsors the Oyster Eating Contest, whose winner last year slurped up 47 dozen raw oysters, and P&J Oysters sponsors the Shucking Contest, which pits local restaurant shuckers in a test of their skills. In addition, the New Orleans Fish House sponsors the Largest Oyster Contest, as judged by the oyster’s length, width and weight.

Check out the Oyster Fest music schedule below, and click here for all the festival events and food listings.

Saturday, June 1st

10:30 – 11:45 a.m. The Stooges Brass Band
12:00 – 12:45 p.m. P&J Shucking Contest
1:00 – 2:00 p.m. The Mulligan Brothers
2:15 – 3:15 p.m. Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs
3:45 – 4:45 p.m. Rose Falcon
5:15 – 6:30 p.m. Joe Nichols

Sunday, June 2nd

10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Zion Harmonizers
11:45 – 1:00 p.m. Acme Oyster House® Oyster Eating Contest
1:15 – 2:30 p.m. Brass-A-Holics
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. The Revivalists
5:00 – 6:30 p.m. The Gin Blossoms

This weekend is also the 24th Annual - Back to the Beach Festival - the Lake Pontchartain Basin Foundation's signature event - will be held Saturday 3:30 pm to 11:00 pm and Sunday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm in Kenner's Laketown (where Williams Boulevard meets the Lake). The two-day Festival has something for everyone: a family atmosphere with New Orleans' best live music, out-of-this-world food from local caterers, arts & crafts vendors, and lots of children's activities. It all kicks off with a Run/Walk on Saturday evening, and the weekend is jam-packed with a Bikes at the Beach motorcycle rally, a Car Show, Fishing Rodeo and much more - all while helping to Save Our Lake & Coast!   For more info click: www.saveourlake.org
*Tickets - Adults: $10, Students with ID: $8, Children (12 & under): $4
*Parking will be available on the festival grounds for $5 per vehicle

Saturday

Groovy 7 - 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm
The Yat Pack - 5:05 pm - 6:15 pm
Contraflow - 6:35 pm - 7:45 pm
Supercharger - 8:05 pm - 9:20 pm
Chee Weez - 9:40 pm - 11:00 pm

Sunday

Bobby Cure & the Summertime Blues - 11:45 AM - 1:10 PM
The Wiseguys - 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
The Boogie Men - 3:25 PM - 4:55 PM
Bucktown All-Stars - 5:20 PM - 6:50 PM
The Top Cats - 7:15 PM - 8:45 PM

Alrighty, well that should keep you busy this weekend...If you're looking for more fun stuff to do...check out the WWOZ Livewire -  http://www.wwoz.org/new-orleans-community/music-calendar!!



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