family
Tuesday 17
NEVER HOME ALONE. Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, 10601 Dwyer Road, 246-5276 --A new exhibit that depicts what kinds of urban critters lurk around the home. Tickets $5 adults, $4 seniors 65-over, $3 children, and free admission children under 3. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. Open run.
FIN FEST. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, 1 Canal St., (800) 774-7394 --Special aquatic programs, activities and presentations with dive shows, art carts and gallery chats. Visit www.auduboninstitute.org for more info. Tickets $15 adults, $11 ages 65-over, $8 children ages 2-12, and free for children under 2. 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Sunday, through Labor Day.
Saturday 21
MID-AUTUMN FESTIVAL: TET TRUNG THU. Louisiana Children's Museum, 420 Julia St., 523-1357 -- Also known as the Children's Festival, where kids can create a medallion necklace and dazzling dragon or unicorn hat. Dragon dance performed by Vietnamese Youth Services. Call for admission info. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
special events
Wednesday 18
ALL SPORTS DAY FAN EXPO. Place St. Charles, 201 St. Charles Ave., 897-5097, ext. 202 -- Mascots, players, cheerleaders and others from area college and professional sports teams such as LSU, Tulane, VooDoo, Saints and more are available for photo opportunities, kids activities, ticket sales and more. Free admission. 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
BREWMASTER'S DINNER. Crescent City Brewhouse, 601 Decatur St., 522-3901 -- Eleventh annual dinner prepared by chef Mark Latino with beers created by Brewmaster Wolfram Koehler paired to four-course meal. Cost $50, all-inclusive. 7 p.m.
POLITICS WITH A PUNCH. Le Chat Noir, 715 St. Charles Ave., 581-5812 -- Roundtable discussion of politics with local politicians and celebrities, hosted by Jeff Crouere. Tickets $20 per person, $30 per couple. 8 p.m.
Thursday 19
CULTURE AND COCKTAILS. Longue Vue House and Gardens, 7 Bamboo Road, 488-5488, ext. 912 -- Program 'Juleps and Jargon -- Politics, Southern Style' features Loyola professor and Informed Sources host Larry Lorenz discussing the presidential election. Mint juleps served. $5 Longue Vue members, $7 non-members. 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
OGDEN AFTER HOURS. Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Stephen Goldring Hall, 925 Camp St., 539-9600 -- Enjoy a live performance by Creole-Caribbean artists Eh, La Bas!. Tickets $10 non-member adults; $8 non-member seniors over 65 and students with ID; $5 UNO students with ID and children ages 5-17; free for members and children under 5. 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
DA DIVA. The Neighborhood Gallery, 1412 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 524-8800 -- Local poet, singer and performance artist Dionne Character performs as part of open mic night. Admission $5 general, $3 performers. 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
17 POETS. Gold Mine Saloon, 701 Dauphine St., 586-0745 -- Weekly reading series with open mic format for poets, singers, musicians, storytellers and dancers. Free admission. 8 p.m.
Friday 20
BACK TO SCHOOL SHINE. Nunez Community College Auditorium, 3710 Paris Road, Chalmette, 277-SHOW -- A variety show of comedy, drama and music featuring vocalists Jessie Tyson and Sherri Colletti Sellen and pianist Andy Rumbelow. Tickets $6 adults, $5 students and seniors. 7 p.m.
ARTIST/MODEL LIFE DRAWING. Fair Grinds Coffee House, 3133 Ponce de Leon St., 948-3222 -- Drawing session with live model. Cost $7. 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
UNITY IN THE HOOD. Club Caribbean, 2401 Bayou Road, 949-9246 -- Weekly series of open forums to discuss community concerns. This week: 'History Talks,' with topics of voting and the civil rights movement. Food served, jam session follows. Free admission. 8 p.m.
BABYLON. TwiRoPa Mills, 1544 Tchoupitoulas St., 587-3723 -- Fusion of club and Middle Eastern cultures with DJs Miss Watts (New York City), Tony Estrada (New Orleans) and Marcus (New Orleans) with belly-dancing by Sisters of Salome. Complimentary hookahs and pita bread. $10 admission. 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Saturday 21
OGDEN DOLLAR DAYS. Ogden Museum of Southern Art, 925 Camp St., 539-9600 -- The Ogden celebrates its one-year anniversary with $1 admission rate for weekends in August.
BICYCLE BEAUTY PAGEANT. Crescent City Farmers Market, 700 Magazine St., 861-5898 -- Shop the market as prizes are awarded for the best bicycles. Call to register bicycles. Free. 8 a.m. to noon.
BYWATER ART MAKRET. Markey Park, Piety and Royal streets, 944-7900 -- Monthly exhibition and sale of paintings, pottery, jewelry, furniture and more, with live music, demonstrations, food and more. Free admission. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
PRAYER SUMMIT. Office building 1010 Common St., second floor conference room, 897-6110 -- Prayer summit and cultural exchange for Jewish, Christian, Muslim and other faiths, with speaker Heather Hall. Refreshments served. Sponsored by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Free. 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
WOMEN'S SELF-DEFENSE SEMINAR. Tamashii Karate and Tai Chi Center, 8132 Willow St., 866-2241 -- Instruction for women on personal safety techniques against physical confrontation. King Lam instructs. Cost $40 per person, some funds benefit YWCA Battered Women's Fund. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. first session, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. second session.
PLAYING WITH QI. Fair Grinds Coffee House, 3133 Ponce de Leon St., 948-3222 -- Workshop on working with your own qi (life force) led by instructor Phyllis Parun. More info: www.enjoy-life.com. Fee $47 in advance, $60 at door. 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
PUNCH PEOPLE LAUNCH PARTIES. Virgin Megastore, 620 Decatur St.; Club 735, 735 Bourbon St., 256-8668 -- Local rock band presents in-store performance at Virgin (2 p.m.) followed by after-party with DJ Brik-A-Brack at Club 735 (10 p.m.). A party bus with DJ Timadelli rolls through the French Quarter; call for reservations. Free admission to Virgin, $5 to Club 735, $10 to party bus.
ROLE MODEL AWARDS GALA. Marriot Hotel, 500 Canal St., 585-1500 -- The Young Leadership Council's annual recognition of community role models. Tickets $150. 7 p.m.
Sunday 22
DEBUTANTE TEA FOR POLLY THE GOAT. Board of Trade of New Orleans, 330 Magazine St., 522-6545 -- Fundraiser for Southern Rep Theatre's production of The Goat, Or Who Is Sylvia? Event features libations, catered food and entertainment by New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra. Tickets $25 Southern Rep subscribers, $35 non-subscribers. 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
TRINITY ARTIST SERIES. Trinity Episcopal Church, 1329 Jackson Ave., 670-2520 -- The Yellow Dog Prophet Choir performs original music by Albinas Prizgintas. Free. 5 p.m.
TANGO DANCE. Residence, 1314 St. Mary's St., 524-3728 -- Gerardo Perez, the Bandonista, presents fundraiser with solo concert, refreshments and tango dancing. $10 donation. 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. Mama's Blues, 616 N. Rampart St., 309-6632 -- Screening of cult classic with opening act Demonium, a metal cover band. Admission $7. 10 p.m.
Monday 23
POSITIVE POETRY FOR A POWERFUL PEOPLE. New Orleans African American Museum, 1418 Gov. Nichols St., 565-7497 -- Weekly networking, poetry reading and discussion event. Refreshments offered. $5 donation; free for contributing poets. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
volunteers
Saturday 21
ESL TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOP. Monte de los Olivios Church, 4105 David Drive, Metairie, 896-8317 -- Teach English as a second language to adult students in program sponsored by YMCA Educational Services and The Hispanic Apostante. $20 workshop donation requested. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
SPRUCE UP NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Various schools, 865-5141 -- Annual rally for public schools combines area college students and community volunteers to paint and clean up three high schools and one elementary school in Orleans Parish. Volunteers needed Saturday Aug. 21, Aug. 28 and Oct. 2. Call or visit www.paintrally.tulane.edu for more info.
ongoing
CATHOLIC CHARITIES. 310-6962 -- Volunteers needed once or twice a month for special delivery from a food bank in Elmwood to a West Bank homeless shelter. Volunteers should have a truck or van, a flexible weekday schedule, a willingness to donate their gas mileage and an ability to carry groceries up the stairs.
GIRLS AND BOYS TOWN OF LOUISIANA. 949-9248 or email niuss@girlsandboystown.org -- Volunteer as a mentor for this group and work with at-risk youth on materials that target specific reading and writing skills. Teaching experience not necessary.
call for artists
FILMAKERS COMPETITION. To celebrate Flicker's two-and-a-half year anniversary, filmmakers will have the chance to screen their short films in seven major cities, starting with New Orleans. The anniversary party, which will be held sometime in September, will feature a fresh line-up of short films, each under 15 minutes, over two-and-a-half days. Send your films now to be a part of the event. Send a DVD or VHS copy of your film, along with your name, phone, email address and the length of the movie to: ten18 films, Jeremy Campbell, 1432 Constance St., New Orleans, LA, 70130. Tapes must be received by Aug. 20.
road trip
Friday 20
WAYNE NEWTON. Grand Casino, 265 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, Miss., (228) 436-2946 -- Famed vocalist performs. Tickets $34.95-$39.95. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday.
Saturday 21
MEDITATION RETREAT. Bayou de Zaire, 149 Hwy. 1077, Madisonville, (337) 984-9036 -- Tibetan Lama offers meditation retreat led by Khentrul Lodro Thaye Rinpoche, a Lafayette-based scholar and abbot. Email mdcgru@msn.com for more info. $150 donation.
Sunday 22
THE GREAT SOUTHERN ROCK FESTIVAL. The Grove, University of Mississippi, Oxford, Miss., (662) 234-3245 -- First-ever event features live music by DayBreakDown, Randall Bramblett Band, Willie Waldman Project featuring Rob Wasserman, Electric Mudd and special guests. Free admission. Noon to 9 p.m.
ongoing
GUARANTY GALLERY. First Guaranty Bank, Second Floor, 400 E. Thomas St., Hammond, (985) 375-0343 -- Works by Linda Trapp Chustz, through August.
LOUISIANA POTTERY MUSEUM. Cajun Village, Hwy. 22, Sorrento, (225) 675-5572 -- Remembering Ye Olde Potter -- Preston Kors, variety of art forms in clay, through August.
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, HOUSTON. 1001 Bissonet St., Houston, (713) 639-7540 -- Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America, exhibition devoted to avant-garde works by more than 67 Latin-American artists from 1920 to 1970, on display in the Caroline Wiess Law Building through Sept. 12.
OPELOUSAS MUSEUM OF ART. 106 N. Union St., Opelousas, (800) 424-5442 -- New York Show, avant-garde works from New York City artists (including six Louisiana natives), through Saturday.
RED DREAM. The Beau Rivage Theatre, 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, Miss., (888) 566-7469 -- Featuring 42 Russian performers, including dancers, comedians, trapeze artists, and fly boys. Call for more info. Tickets $19.95 and $24.95. 7:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, through Oct. 30.
