theater art books film family special events

SPECIAL EVENTS LISTINGS 02 24 04 Respond to this Story family Wednesday 25 OFF TO THE MARKET WE GO. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-5135. Reading of Anne Miranda's To Market, To Market and making of animal crowns. Free. 1 p.m. Thursday 26 TODDLER PROGRAMS. Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St., 861-5123. Children ages 2-5 and caregivers, led by Audubon educator, experience zoo tours, arts and crafts and recreation. "Zooper Kids" held 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday afternoons, Toddlers at Ten 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday. More info www.auduboninstitute.org/education. $40 Audubon members, $65 nonmembers. Children visit zoo once a week. AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH EVENT. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-5135. Listen to Jacqueline Woodson's book The Other Side and make unity chains. Free. 7 p.m. Friday 27 MEET SPOT. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-5135. Meet Eric Hill's famed pooch Spot; cameras encouraged. Free. 7 p.m. Saturday 28 KIDS ONE MILE FUN RUN. Louisiana Superdome, 812-6388. Mardi Gras Marathon hosts 1-mile fun run for kids ages 13-under. Registration $10. 9:30 a.m. DO, DISCOVER. Longue Vue House and Gardens, 7 Bamboo Road, 488-5488, ext. 913. "Veggie Monsters!" program. Free Longue Vue members, $5 general. A REALLY LOUD YAWN. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 455-5135. Illustrator Tatjana Mai-Wyss reads and signs The Yawn Heard 'Round the World. Free. 3 p.m. special events Wednesday 25 LUNCHBOX LECTURE. The National D-Day Museum, 945 Magazine St., 527-6012, ext. 226. Discussion led by Nathan S. Woods on "The Red Ball Express" transport unit in World War II, comprised of mostly African Americans. Free. Noon to 1 p.m. MAKE MARDI GRAS SPECIAL. Mix Family Chiropractic, 7942 Hwy. 23, suite B, Belle Chasse, 393-8675. Fundraiser for students of St. Michael's Special School with public invited to bring in collected Mardi Gras beads in exchange for free consultations from Dr. Michelle Mix. 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. WALLY PONTIFF JR. BASEBALL CLASSIC. Zephyr Field, 6000 Airline Drive, Metairie, 734-5155. Baseball game between Louisiana State University and Southeastern Louisiana University, with proceeds benefiting charities in Wally Pontiff Jr. Foundation, honoring the late LSU baseball player. Tickets $15. 6:30 p.m. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS. New Orleans Arena, 524-HOOP. Hornets host the Los Angeles Clippers. Tickets $7-$272. 7 p.m. NEW ORLEANS POETRY FORUM. Residence, 257 Bonnabel Blvd., Metairie, 835-8472. Weekly workshop for poets. Free. 8 p.m. Thursday 26 TRANS-ATLANTIC GROWTH IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY. Plimsoll Club, 2 Canal St., 529-1701. World Affairs Council of New Orleans hosts luncheon with speaker Michael Maibach, president and CEO of European/American Business Council. RSVP requested. Lunch $30 WAC/N.O. members, $35 nonmembers. 11:30 a.m. bar opens, noon lunch. CENTRAL CITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. Allie Mae Williams Center, 2020 Jackson Ave., 569-1818. Meeting of Central City residents and community leaders to discuss plans to begin eight-month initiative in education, housing, employment, crime and other issues. Free admission. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. HBCU ALL-STAR CAMP. Various venues. Join top football players from historically black colleges or universities (HBCU) in a weekend filled with variety of activities, including signings and kids' activities Saturday at Zephyrs Field (6000 Airline Drive, Metairie). For more info, visit www.hbcuallstarclassic.com. Through Sunday. Friday 27 CIVIL RIGHTS FREEDOM TOUR. Dillard University, 816-4666. Dillard University's New Orleans Alumni Chapter hosts second annual bus trip to Civil Rights landmarks in Alabama and Georgia. Cost $210 double, $250 single occupancy. Departs 11 p.m. Friday. CAST OF QUEER AS FOLK. Best Buy, 6205 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 780-0172; Tower Records, 408 N. Peters St., 529-4411. Cast members Randy Harrison, Scott Lowell and Peter Paige of Showtime series Queer as Folk make appearances to celebrate release of third-season DVD. Free admission. 5 p.m. Friday at Best Buy, 2 p.m. Saturday at Tower. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS. New Orleans Arena, 524-HOOP. Hornets host the Indiana Pacers. Tickets $7-$272. 7 p.m. SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS. The Neighborhood Gallery, 1410 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 524-8800. Tribute to African-American ancestry with music and poetry, with soul, R&B, gospel and spoken word artists Thunda, Tondrae, Chris Williams, Danielle Edinburgh, Boss and Ernest Lewis III. Free food and giveaways. Tickets $8 advance, $10 at door. 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. POZAZZ OPEN MIC. True Brew Cafe, 200 Julia St., 524-8441. Pozazz presents weekly open mic for spoken-word artists, poets, rappers, activists, actors and more. Admission $5. 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday 28 HELPING ANIMALS 101. Holiday Inn Superdome, 330 Loyola Ave., 581-1600. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) leads workshop to teach how to stop the suffering of animals in the community. Info and registration at www.HelpingAnimals.com. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. DEVELOPING MARITAL SPIRITUALITY. Notre Dame Seminary, 2901 S. Carrollton Ave., 861-6243. Family Life Apostolate holds event for married couples with speaker Father Robert Ruhnke. Registration $20 before Thursday, $25 after. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP. University of New Orleans, Women's Center, 899-7595. Third annual Zona Rosa workshop led by author Rosemary Daniell to discuss various aspects of writing. Bring lunch; coffee and soda provided. Registration $75, students $30. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. FINANCIAL AID EXPO. Municipal Auditorium, Armstrong Park, 865-5723. Event explaining the financial aid process for college, hosted by local universities. Free. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE MILITARY. Chalmette Battlefield, 8606 W. St. Bernard Hwy., Chalmette, 281-0510. Living-history program honoring and explaining history of black soldiers in America, with films, discussion and weapons firing. Free. 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. BLACK HISTORY CELEBRATION. Audubon Zoo, 6500 Magazine St., 861-2537. Celebration of Black History Month with art and music, featuring Tekrema Center's traditional West African dance, readings by community leaders and performances by Franklin Avenue Dynamic Male Chorus and St. Augustine Catholic Church. Zoo admission $11 adults, $7 seniors, $6 children. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. GENS DU COULEUR LIBRE. French Quarter Visitor Center, 419 Decatur St., 589-3882. Program focusing on gens du couleur libre (free people of color) and African contributions to New Orleans culture with art and living history experts portraying Marie Laveaux, Rose Nicaud and others. Free. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. EBONY FASHION SHOW. Saenger Theatre, 147 N. Rampart St., 241-4268. Local Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority holds benefit fashion show "Color Splash" with proceeds going to GNO-ABO Charitable and Educational Foundation. More info www.ebonyfashionfair.com. 8 p.m. AN EVENING WITH THE GROWERS. Martin Wine Cellar, 3827 Baronne St., 899-7411. Wine tasting of wines from Burgundy and Italy with experts Becky Wasserman and Marco do Grazia. Tickets $30, includes $5 gift certificate. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. THE JOE HORN MONOLOGUES. Fair Grinds Coffee House, 3133 Ponce De Leon, (888) 898-9828. Chris Champagne delivers comedy performance. Admission $10. 8 p.m. Sunday 29 TEN COMMANDMENTS HIKE. St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 1101 S. Carrollton Ave., 889-0388. The Boy Scouts' Southeastern Louisiana Council hosts hike between places of worship along St. Charles Avenue, with presenters from each church and synagogue explaining their history and each stop including a discussion one of the Ten Commandments. Registration $10 and is required. 11 a.m. CAMELLIA TUTORIUM. Longue Vue Gardens, 7 Bamboo Road, 833-3970. Camellia Club's annual lecture and demonstration of how to grow camellias. Admission $3. 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. GEORGE M. The National D-Day Museum, 945 Magazine St., 527-6012, ext. 226. Drama department of St. Scholastica Academy celebrates 100th anniversary with performance of selections from George M. Cohen's musical George M. Free. 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. TRINITY ARTIST SERIES. Trinity Episcopal Church, 1929 Jackson Ave., 670-2520. Weekly informal concert series. This week: the Lichfield's Men Chorus from Minnesota. Free admission. 5 p.m. RED CROSS, RED CARPET. Loews Hotel, 300 Poydras St., 620-3105. Benefit for Red Cross with screening of Academy Awards show. Guests arrive on red carpet for night of cocktails, food, beauty pampering, contests and more. VIP tickets $80, regular $50. VIP party 6 p.m., general 7 p.m. ACADEMY AWARDS NIGHT. Prytania Theatre, 5339 Prytania St., 891-2787. New Orleans Film Festival and Prytania Theatre present annual screening of Academy Awards with contests for winning picks and trivia. Admission $15 general, $10 NOFF members, includes pre-show buffet, wine, beer and popcorn. 6:30 p.m. call for artists ART FOR F--K'S SAKE. 957-3614. Artists of all genres, from painters to dominatrix, needed for showcase of local, independent art March 13. Each artist given 10 minutes on stage. Email jeremy@ten18.org. road trip Thursday 26 GEORGE STRAIT. Mississippi Coast Coliseum, Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, (228) 594-3707. Country music star performs. Tickets $49.50 to $59.50. 7:30 p.m. Friday 27 THE LAST PRIVATE. Columbia Theatre, 1320 N. Morrison Blvd., Times Square Center, Hammond, (985) 542-9243. The Command Performers Inc. presents Jim Creel's drama about the last soldier to die in the Vietnam War. Tickets $10 adults, $8 seniors/children. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Saturday 28 KOOL & THE GANG. Grand Casino, Beach Boulevard, Gulfport, (800) WIN-7777. Group performs concert. Tickets $24.95-$34.95. Ongoing GALERIE LAFAYETTEJefferson Street Market, 538 Jefferson St., Lafayette, (337) 233-2589 -- I Want to Believe and Back Stage With Stevie Nicks, multi-media works and items from the personal collection of Ralph Bourque, through March 6. LOUISIANA ART AND SCIENCE MUSEUM 100 S. River Road, Baton Rouge, (225) 382-3575; (800) LA ROUGE -- Sam Gilliam: Folded & Hinged, exhibit of multimedia installations, opens Saturday through April 18. Artist lecture 7 p.m. Saturday followed by opening reception. Other Stories This Week in Arts & Entertainment: A&E Feature Rare Bird, Indeed Art Review Martyrs and Vamps Theater Review Bittersweet Memories Arts Listings