family
Tuesday 5
CHIEF OF THE CHIEFS. Mardi Gras Museum, 421 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7231. Mardi Gras Indian Chief Larry Bannock offers live demonstrations. Admission $2 children, $2.50 seniors, $3 adults. 9:30-1:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday.
Wednesday 6
FAMILY FUN DAY. Oakwood Center, 197-33 Westbank Expwy., Gretna, 361-1550. Entertainment featuring Jo Jo the Clown. Free admission. 10:30 a.m.
DINNER THEATRE FOR KIDS. Fine Arts Center, 1733 Constantinople St., 269-3922. Porta-Puppet Players present "Depaul Da Pirate," a true Mardi Gras ball. Reservations required. Admission $10, includes supper and show. 6 p.m. doors open, 8 p.m. show.
Saturday 9
QUEEN AND KING CAKE BALL. Children's Castle, 501 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7231, ext. 220. Dress in regal attire and enjoy stories by Angela the Yarnspinner and Frank Levy. Admission $3.50 adults, $2.50 children and seniors. Reservations encouraged. 11:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m.
WETLANDS PROGRAM. Fontainebleau State Park, 67825 Highway 190, Mandeville, (888) 677-3668. One-hour program exploring the park's marshland area. Admission $2 per vehicle for four persons, 50 cents each additional person. 3 p.m.
Monday 11
ANNUAL LUNDI GRAS PARTY. Louisiana Children's Museum, 420 Julia St., 523-1357. Special activities include creating king and queen crowns, medallion necklaces and a performance by the Batiste Kids. Admission $6 adults and children. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SECOND LINE UMBRELLA WORKSHOP. Louisiana Children's Museum, 420 Julia St., 523-1357. Workshop to create your own second-line umbrella. Supplies provided. Admission $10 per umbrella, plus museum admission. 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m.
special events
Tuesday 5
HENRY BUTLER AND FRIENDS. Palm Court Jazz Café, 1204 Decatur St., 525-6710. Pianist Henry Butler headlines a benefit jazz concert for the Orleans Parish Public Schools' "Dollars-for-Scholars" music scholarship. Admission $20. 7 p.m.
VERDEHR TRIO. Southeastern Louisiana University, Pottle Music Bldg., Hammond, (985) 549-2341. Musical performance by violin-clarinet-piano trio. Free admission. 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday 6
MUSIC AT MIDDAY. Tulane University, Roger Memorial Chapel, 862-8361. Performance by Jerzey Kosmala on viola and Michael Gurt on piano. Free admission. Noon.
AFRICAN AMERICAN RELIGIOUS MUSIC AND JAZZ. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, 365 Canal St., Ste. 2400, 589-4841. Explore the musical relations between the sacred and the secular. Free admission. 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
EUROPEAN CARNIVAL. Pontchartrain Center, 4545 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 523-6530. Timothy Muffit conducts the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in a performance that includes Dvorak's Carnival Overture and Slavonic Dance, and others. Tickets $7-$22. 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 7
ZION: VOCAL MUSIC FROM THE AFRICAN DIASPORA. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, 365 Canal St., Ste. 2400, 589-4841. Performance by Zion, female quartet singing songs of the African Diaspora Free admission. 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
PARADE OF HEARTS. RHINO Contemporary Crafts, 927 Royal St., 561-8191. Opening party to celebrate the Carnival and Valentine seasons with Louisiana artist creations. Free admission. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
CRESCENT CITY INTERNATIONAL DANCERS. Grace Episcopal Church, 3700 Canal St., 486-1723. European and Middle Eastern folk dancing. Admission $4 singles, $6 couples, $2 students, free for first timers. 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday 8
FRENCH MARKET MASK MARKET. French Market, Dutch Alley at Dumaine and Decatur streets, 524-3342. Mask-Makers celebrate 20-year tradition with crafts and music, including the Treme Brass Band, Storyville Stompers and more. Free admission. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Monday.
PREWAR BLUES IN NEW ORLEANS. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, 365 Canal St., Suite 2400, 589-4841. WWOZ disc jockey Bill Berry discusses prewar blues musicians who performed or recorded in New Orleans and their relationship to jazz. Free admission.1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
AM I BLUE? New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, 365 Canal St., Ste. 2400, 589-4841. Matt Hampsey and Bruce Barnes perform examples of blues, demonstrate playing techniques, and discuss how the blues influenced the evolution of jazz. Free admission. 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
KREWE OF O.A.K 16th ANNUAL PARTY AND PARADE. Maple Leaf Bar, 8316 Oak St., 866-9359. Parade led by Mustang Sally's Brass Band, and party with Papa Grows Funk. Party admission $15. 8:30 p.m.
Saturday 9
SIXTH ANNUAL SAMEDI GRAS FESTIVAL. Orleans Avenue Meadow, between North Olympia Street and North Carrollton Avenue. Endymion's annual festival with actor/director Jason Alexander, 2002 grand marshal; the Saints' Kyle Turley, four heroes from Ground Zero, and musical acts. Free admission. 11:30 a.m.
CHARITY MUSIC EVENT. Tipitina's Ruins, 1020 S. Peters St., 828-2873. Nine hours of music, including ReBirth Brass Band, Dash Dip Rock, and more to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Admission $55. Noon to 9 p.m.
AFRICAN AMERICANS AND "PAPA" JACK LAINE. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, 365 Canal St., Ste. 2400, 589-4841. Jazz historian, author and musician, Dr. Jack Stewart, discusses the effects of segregation on black musicians in the South. Free admission. 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
BRENT ROSE QUARTET. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. 365 Canal St., Ste. 2400, 589-4841. Brent Rose performs an afternoon of new and old New Orleans jazz. Free admission. 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
LOCALFEST 2002. 9800 Westbank Expwy., Westwego, 436-0224. Area bands perform at indie unsigned music festival. Admission $1 donation. 2 p.m. 'til? Saturday, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday.
Sunday 10
JAZZ AND GEOGRAPHY WALKING TOUR. New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, 365 Canal St., Ste. 2400, 589-4841. Walking tour through the French Quarter to visit cultural and geographic facets of the city where jazz flourished in the 20th century. Reservations required. Free admission. 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Monday 11
ANNUAL LUNDI GRAS CELEBRATION. Rivertown Exhibition Hall, 415 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7200. Celebration honoring King and Queen Zulu and King and Queen Argus. Free admission. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
ANNUAL HOOKERS BALL. The Mint, 940 Elysian Fields Ave., 943-8929. Miss Thompson's annual Lundi Gras celebration with proceeds benefiting Buzzy's Boys & Girls. Admission $5 donation. 7 p.m.
cooking demonstration
Saturday 9
RICHARD KIRAL. Martin Wine Cellar, 714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, 899-7411. Bull's Corner chef offers cooking demonstration. Free admission. Noon to 2 p.m.
