We’ve got your weekend: Dance parties, lesbian strip clubs, and galas

The Evergreen Plantation on River Road an hour outside New Orleans, LA. A print donated by Robert Schaefer to the Art Against AIDS Gala. (Photo by: Robert Schaefer)

Wednesday, November 28/Siberia (2227 St. Claude): Do you know what’s better than a late night dance party on the weekend? An early evening dance party mid-week. Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers are putting on a free show on Wednesday because…well, why not? If you haven’t heard them before, think Rockabilly weirdness. There’s some performance art, there’s almost always banter, and there will be music that will make you want to dance, dance, dance. It all begins at 6:00 PM and goes until 9:00 PM. For full details on this free show, you can check out the event page here.

Thursday, November 29/Milton Latter Library Carriage House (5120 St. Charles): The Woman’s Workshop is putting on a reading in the dreamy carriage house on Thursday. The Women’s Workshop, a New Orleans poetry workshop, is comprised of teachers, gardeners, and programmers working and writing across the Crescent City. If you haven’t heard their work, your soul is super mad at you because it will make you feel in ways you never thought you could feel. And it will make you think like you’re using parts of your brain that are caked in rust. What we’re saying is…it’s really good! It’s also one of the writer’s birthdays, so make sure to wish Elizabeth Gross a very happy birthday after listening to the lines that will float through the air. It all begins at 7:30 PM and goes until 9:30 PM. For more details, you can check out their event page here.

Friday, November 30/Pietra at 912 (912 Julia Street): Join Shotgun Cinema for their last Full Aperture screening of 2018: the New Orleans premiere of Leilah Weinraub’s feature debut, Shakedown. Weinraub uses her own footage, cut with recent interviews, from working the underground black lesbian strip club scene in Los Angeles in the early 2000s. Weinraub captures the energy of this genesis, championing the all-black, all-female run clubs in a post-Riots, still racially divided L.A. The feature will be preceded by Fucked Like a Star (dir. Stefani Saintonge), with producer Zuri Obi in attendance to discuss the film. Doors open at 7:30 PM, with films rolling at 8:00. Admission is $8 at the door (cash or charge), and DJ Dreamer spins all the right jams to get you in the mood. For more information, you can check out their event page here.

Friday, November 30/UNO Lakefront: Martin Lawrence is coming through town, but he’s not just passing through; he’s here to make us laugh. Continuing his “Lit AF Tour,” he will be landing at the UNO lakefront on Friday at 7:30 PM, and he will be in good company. With him will be fellow comedians Deray Davis, Rickey Smiley, Michael Blackson, Jay Pharoah, Deon Cole, Bruce Bruce, Adele Givens, Clayton Thomas, and Benji Brown. You can find tickets to the performance here as well as more information on Martin Lawrence’s event page.

Saturday, December 1/NOCCA (2800 Chartres): Imagine a city where all women and girls thrive. That is the topic that will be up for discussion at the Nola4Women summit on Saturday. Nola4Women celebrates women and girls and their contributions to the city of New Orleans since its founding; it also creates a forum to address the challenges they face and support a future that provides the opportunities. Throughout the year they have various talks and summits, and the one on Saturday begins at 8:30 AM and goes until 4:00 PM. There is no charge for this event, but they do ask that you register here.

Saturday, December 1/Holiday Art Market (2835 Esplanade Avenue): Ho! Ho! Ho! To you hear the stockings and empty gift boxes calling? Do not fret, the holiday art market is coming to town. Artists from around the city, including Alex Podesta and Julie Depré, will be coming together to bring you their artistic creations. It will begin at 10:30 AM and go until 6:00 PM.

Saturday, December 1/Club XLIV at the Superdome): This event is not only good but also important. It is the Art Against AIDS gala that is sponsored by Crescent Care. In addition to the food, drinks and entertainment, this year’s event will also have information and talks centering around the fight against HIV/ AIDS. This is an opportunity for the New Orleans Community to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died from an AIDS-related illness. The gala begins at 8:00 PM; tickets range in price and can be purchased here.