We’ve got your weekend: Carnival is here!

Twelfth Night in New Orleans. (Photo: Wiki Commons)

Saturday, January 5/912 Pietra (912 Julia Street): It always feels interesting to say, “the show that was new is now closing.” That might sound confusing, but specifically we are saying that the exhibit New Surroundings is having its closing this Saturday. From 6:00 to 10:00 PM you can get a last look at the show curated by Leona Strassberg Steiner for PhotoNOLA including artists: Jane Fulton Alt, Gason Ayisyin, Brian Barbieri, Muffin Berstein, BottleTree, and many more. This is a free show that is open to the public, and for more details, you can check out their event page here. 

Saturday, January 5/The ALLways Lounge (2240 St. Claude): You know that first date when you have all these expectations of the person you’re going out with and you think, “I just hope they’re funny.” Well, skip the date and head to 50 First Jokes, which is where 50 New Orleans comedians tell their first joke of 2019. 50 First Jokes takes place in cities throughout America including New York, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Atlanta and more. This is the only show in New Orleans sanctioned by the creators of 50 First Jokes, and it’s a free show. No, we aren’t joking about that. It’s free, so make sure to get there early and secure a seat. It all begins at 8:00 PM, and you can find out full details here. 

Sunday, January 6/French Quarter: It is beginning. While everyone else is mourning the loss of parties, holidays, and overeating, we in New Orleans are just getting started. The Annual Joan of Arc Parade walks on Joan of Arc’s birthday, January 6, which is also Twelfth Night. The walking parade consists of over 400 costumed medieval “characters” representing various people and places, events, and symbols of Joan of Arc’s short but valiant and dramatic life. A “Maid of Honor” is selected each year from a pool of local applicants aged 16-19 and this young Joan of Arc rides on horseback in the parade. Watch for knights, angels, peasants, kings and queens, jesters, stick horses, saints, priests, judges, and several representations of Joan. Collect handmade throws from each battalion, from handcrafted medallions to prayer cards, wooden swords to garden seeds. Enjoy live medieval music, brass bands, drumming, bagpipes, and large-scale puppets and props representing various chapters in Joan’s story. For full details on the parade as well as a parade route map, you can check out their event page here. 

Sunday, January 6/Bywater Bakery (3624 Dauphine Street): Remember that cleanse you wanted to go on after the holidays? Well, keep it in your distant memory because to ring in the official start of Mardi Gras there will be king cake and live musical performances all day long on Sunday.  Al Carnival Time Johnson, Deacon John, Cory Henry, Tom McDermott, Pinettes Brass Band, Wash Board Chaz, Soul Brass Band, New Orleans Klezmer All Stars, Indians, Baby Dolls, Skeletons and many other surprises will be at Bywater Bakery starting at 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM. They’ll be featuring their King Cakes in 8 different flavors (available whole or by the slice) and premiering their new Savory King Cake line. Drive-up King Cake pick up is available and for full details, check out their event page here. 

Sunday, January 6/Dancing Grounds (3705 St. Claude): With all this talk of parades, drinking, and food, we figured we should throw in some body movement as well. You can join the Ohm Well’s Black and Brown Bodies in Motion community as they host “Yoga for All Bodies,“a workshop with Jessamyn Stanley. Stanley is a yoga teacher, body positivity advocate, and writer based in Durham, North Carolina. Jessamyn uses high energy vinyasa flow as a way to move past mental and emotional barriers. Her classes provide a body positive approach to yoga which celebrates students’ bodies and encourages them to ask “How do I feel?” rather than “How do I look?” when practicing yoga. The class begins at 5:00 PM and goes until 6:15 PM. For full details and tickets, you can check out their event page here.