family
Tuesday 28
FIN FEST. Aquarium of the Americas, 1 Canal St., 581-4629. Summerlong event with special activities, crafts and stage presentations to help kids learn about animals and the staff that cares for them. Free with paid admission. Admission $13.50 adults, $10 senior, $6.50 children.
TODDLER TIME. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Listen to Blue's Clues storytime and register to win Blue's Clues Live! tickets. Free admission. 1 p.m.
Wednesday 29
DRAKESTAIL. City Park, 1 Palm Drive, 482-4888. Puppet show about a duck that fights an evil queen to get his friends' possessions back. Tickets $2. 10:30 a.m. Wednesday through Friday.
Thursday 30
PAJAMARAMA. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Hear Clowns on Vacation by Nina Laden and make clown shoes. Free admission. 7 p.m.
Friday 31
ULTIMATE SOCCER MOM SEARCH. IMAX Theater, Aquarium of the Americas. Got Milk? hosts a search for the ultimate soccer mom with special guest, New Orleans Saints player Michael Lewis. Free admission. 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
HARRY POTTER VIDEO RELEASE PARTY. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-4929. Arrive in your costume for an evening of games, prizes and wand making. Free admission. 7 p.m.
Saturday 1
DRUM CIRCLE. Audubon Park, Tchoupitoulas Street behind Children's Hospital, 899-4028. Ezekiel Martin joins kids and their parents for an informal drum circle. Drums and shakers provided. Free admission. 10 a.m.
ULTIMATE SOCCER MOM SEARCH. City Park, Marconi Drive. Got Milk? hosts a three-on-three soccer shootout tournament. Free admission. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
DIG, DO, DISCOVER. Longue Vue House and Gardens, 7 Bamboo Road, 488-5488. Learn about weather, create a weather landscape, and build a weather vane. Admission $5 adults and children. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
TEETERING ANTICS AND CASCADING FOLLIES. Children's Castle, 501 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 468-7231. Juggler David Hunt from the New Orleans School of Circus Arts and clarinetist Ben Schenck entertain with gravity-defying antics. Tickets $3.50 adults, $2.50 children and seniors. 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
STORYTIME. Maple Street Children's Book Shop, 7529 Maple St., 861-2105. Stories and songs with Peter Holsapple. Free admission. 1 p.m.
CHILDREN'S DANCE THEATER. University of New Orleans, Music Building Recital Hall, 899-3780. Nonprofit, professional dance company of children ages 8-16 performs spring program of "La Boutique Fantasque" and "Illusions." Free admission. 3 p.m.
Sunday 2
NOMA FAMILY WORKSHOPS. New Orleans Museum of Art, City Park, 488-2631. Kids can make and decorate their own summer vacation journals. Admission $6 adults, $5 seniors and students with ID, $3 children. 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday 3
NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF CIRCUS ARTS. Lee Circle YMCA, 920 St. Charles Ave., 949-6593. Summer workshops for kids 8-15 that teach clowning, juggling and balance, and circus acrobatics. Admission $200 per workshop, $450 full session. 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 3-14.
special events
Tuesday 28
NEW ORLEANS ZEPHYRS. 6000 Airline Drive, Metairie, 734-5155. Zephyrs host the Nashville Sounds. Tickets $5-$9. 7:05 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Wednesday 29
JAZZ & GEOGRAPHY WALKING TOUR. New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, 916 N. Peters St., 589-4841. Walking tour through the French Quarter that explains the rise of jazz. Registration required. Free admission. 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
AFRICAN AMERICAN RELIGIOUS MUSIC & JAZZ. New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, 916 N. Peters St., 589-4841. Explore African-American religious music from its roots to Mahalia Jackson. Free admission. 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WEDNESDAY AT THE SQUARE. Lafayette Square, across from Gallier Hall, 561-8927. John Boutté performs as part of the Downtown Development District's weekly concert series. Free admission. 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday 30
NEW ORLEANS CARIBBEAN CONNECTION. New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, 916 N. Peters St., 589-4841. Explore the links between New Orleans and the Caribbean through religion, language and music. Free admission. 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
WINE TASTING. Martin Wine Cellar, 714 Elmeer Ave., Metairie, 899-7411. Learn about white wines of France with Sophie Wegmann. Reservations required. Tickets $24 per person. 6:30 p.m.
BLUESBERRY ALTERNATIVE JAM. Greater Covington Center, Jefferson Street, Covington, (985) 892-8650. Evening featuring alternative bands The Drive, Sub 7, and Gang of Creeps. Tickets $7. 7 p.m. to 10 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, first timers free. 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday 31
A GOLDEN CELEBRATION OF ORCHIDS. Lakeside Mall, Metairie. New Orleans Orchid Society hosts a spring show and sale of plants from 15 commercial greenhouses. Free admission. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, and 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
LOUISIANA PENITENTIARY BLUES. New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, 916 N. Peters St., 589-4841. Discover the music and lives of Louisiana's most famous penitentiary inmates. Free admission. 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
BLOCK PARTY. 200, 300, and 400 blocks of Columbia Street, Covington. Block party featuring the music of 4 Unplugged, Eclipse, and Dr. G and the G Spots. Free admission. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
ART RECEPTION. Slidell Art Gallery, 2238 First St., Slidell, (985) 847-9458. Opening reception for Primary Colors, works dominated by red, blue and yellow tones. Free admission. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
THE ROAST OF THE TOWN. Delgado Community College, Student Life Center, City Park Campus, 483-4118. Louisiana House of Representatives Speaker Pro Tempore Emile "Peppi" Bruneau is the honoree for this fundraising event. Call for tickets. 7 p.m. patron party, 7:30 p.m. reception, 8 p.m. dinner and program.
Saturday 1
GARAGE SALE. 714 Marigny St., 948-9924. Yard sale of various items hosted by DRAMA! Free admission. 8:30 a.m.
HELPING HANDS DAY. Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, I-10 Exit 244 Read Boulevard, 378-4119. Help the Nature Center sparkle by volunteering to clean, dig and repair. Registration recommended. 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. shift one, 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. shift two.
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN OF GNO. Hyatt Regency Hotel, 500 Poydras St., 525-0798. Celebration brunch and fundraiser honoring Emma Bromon, the recently retired executive director. Tickets $35 person. 10 a.m.
LIVE IN A LANDMARK WORKSHOP. 2857 Annunciation St., 636-3046. View vacant historic properties for purchase and revitalization at this workshop hosted by the Preservation Resource Center's Operation Comeback and the Irish Channel Neighborhood Association. Free admission. 10 a.m.
ADOPTION AFFAIR. Fi-deaux's Dog-O-Mat, 1245 Magazine St., 944-PETS. Find the right pet for your family and home. Free admission, $60 adoption fee one pet, $100 for two. Noon to 4 p.m.
PANEL DISCUSSION. New Orleans Museum of Art, City Park, 488-2631. Discussion on "Getting Down to Business: What Artists Need to Know About Business and the Law" with Glynn Lunney, Brad Brewster and Polly Moore. Admission $10 general, free NOMA and EABC members. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
NEW ORLEANS ZEPHYRS. 6000 Airline Drive, Metairie, 734-5155. Zephyrs host the Memphis Red Birds. Tickets $5-$9. 6:05 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7:05 p.m. Monday.
ARGENTINA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY. Le Meridien Hotel, 614 Canal St., 861-8475. Casa Argentina hosts an Independence Day celebration with dinner and the New York Tango Trio. Tickets $60 members, $65 non-members for dinner and show; $20 members, $25 non-members for show only. 7:30 p.m. dinner, 10 p.m. show.
BOHEMIAN VOODOO. Contemporary Arts Center, 900 Camp St., 528-3805. Evening of poetry featuring Vicki Hudspith, Andrei Codrescu and MacCurdy. Open-mic session for writers will conclude evening. Tickets $3 CAC members, $5 non-members. 8:30 p.m.
Sunday 2
STORYLAND RUN/WALK. Storyland, City Park, 482-6682. 5K and half-mile run/walk. Admission $10 children, $15 adults, $10 no shirt. 8 a.m. 5K, 9:15 a.m. 1/2 mile.
PLANT SHOW AND SALE. Mount Carmel Academy Gym, 7027 Milne Blvd. Fifth annual event hosted by the New Orleans Hibiscus Society and featuring a contest and plant sale. Free admission. 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. judging, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. exhibit and sale.
TOMATO FESTIVAL. St. Philip Street performance tent in Dutch Alley and Dutch Alley at Dumaine and Decatur streets. Annual festival features the music of Change of Pace, Irma Thomas, and Big Al Carson and Rare Connexion, and more. Free admission. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
FACES FROM OUR PAST. New Orleans Museum of Art, City Park, 488-2631. Douglas Brinkley discusses the artists and the subjects featured in A Brush With History. Admission $6 adults, $5 seniors and students with ID, $3 children. 4 p.m.
TRINITY ARTIST SERIES. Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Ave., 522-0276. Sakiko Ohashi Decell performs a program of Chopin, Moussorgsky and Bartok on piano. Free admission. 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
THE SHIM SHAM REVUE. Shim Sham Club, 615 Toulouse St., 606-9903. Ingrid Lucia and Ronnie Magri's Shim Sham Revue Band accompanies burlesque dancers, the Southern Jezebelles. Tickets $15 advance, $18 at the door. 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Monday 3
QI GONG. Latitudes, 3701 Magazine St., 895-9880. Learn about this ancient Chinese holistic discipline with instructor Huy Nguyen. Admission $10. 10:30 a.m. to noon.
HISTORY OF GARDEN ROSES. Old Metairie Branch, 2350 Metairie Road, 838-1100. June Kollin, president of the New Orleans Old Garden Rose Society, offers presentation on the history of the rose. Free admission. 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
MICHAEL CALMES. Lakeview Presbyterian Church, 5914 Canal Blvd., Metairie, 482-7892. Louisiana-born tenor performs a program of old American songs with organist Timothy Smith. Free admission. 8 p.m.
auditions
Thursday 30
NEW ORLEANS CHILDREN'S CHORUS AND YOUTH CHORALE. Grace Lutheran Church, 5800 Canal Blvd., 488-5973. Auditions for places in six choirs based on age and experience for children ages 5-18. Call for appointment. 4 p.m.
cooking demonstrations
Tuesday 28
SCOTT SNODGRASS. Crescent City Farmers Market, 200 Broadway St., 861-5898. Lee Circle Restaurant chef offers demonstration. Free admission. 11 a.m.
