We got your weekend: Masks, mustaches, movies

A previous ZOOvie night

Friday / Dinner and a ZOOvie : While Black Friday chaos rages on, relax under the stars with dinner and a movie. As part of their ZOOvie Nights series, Audubon Zoo will screen Disney/Pixar’s Monsters University on their outdoor projector. Guests are welcome to bring in outside food (turkey sandwich anyone?), beverages (no glass containers, though), chairs, and blankets. If you already ate leftovers for lunch and don’t care for the post-Thanksgiving turkey for breakfast, lunch, dinner thing (December is going to be a long month for you, my friend), food trucks Empanada Intifiada, Rue Chow, and NOLA girl will be offering dinner options, as well.

Doors open at 6 PM; movie starts at 6:30. Tickets are $5 in advance or at the door; children under 2 years are free.

Friday / Don’t trash the ‘stache : As part of Movember, Dirty Coast, Freencheeze fodo truck, and the Rusty Nail art partnering to bring you 50 Shades of Stache competition. Mustache-bearing contestants must name and describe their ‘stache, then read a page from Fifty Shades of Grey for a panel of judges, including Mistress Bella Blue of the New Orleans School of Burlesque. Prizes from Dirty Coast and a barber shop will be awarded for the top three contenders in each of the three components of the competition. Registration is $5, which will be donated towards prostate and testicular cancer initiatives. No ‘stache? No problem, come in and watch for free. Freencheeze will be on hand, serving up cheesy concoctions.

A craft demo at the Louisiana Renaissance Festival

Saturday – Sunday / It reminds me of a simpler time : Throw on a mask and catch the second to last weekend of the Louisiana Renaissance Festival in Hammond, where you can jump back in time to the 15th or 16th century, with the fest’s offering of period appropriate crafts, rides and games, food, costumes, merchandise, and entertainment. This weekend is “Wear a mask weekend” — any mask, really any mask, — from an old Darth Vader mask to a face paint to a Mardi Gras masquerade favorite — will do. The festival is open from 9:45 AM – 5 PM, rain or shine. Admission is $17 for adults, $10 for children 6 – 12 years, and free for children under 6.

You can also take advantage of Family and Friends Friday, this Friday, when the LRF will offer free admission to children , with the purchase of an adult ticket. Friday is not part of wear a mask weekend (that could have been awkward…).

Looks like these guys are ready for Santa Paws on Sunday

Sunday / Santa paws is coming to town : Or, a whole bunch of santa paws are going out on the town, I should say. Santa paws NOLA and the LASPCA have partnered to bring you and your furry friends a pet-friendly holiday celebration. Finally, your cat has an event he can wear his ugly Christmas sweater to.

The event will begin at 2 PM at Heritage park where decked out pets and their owners will register for the second line and costume contest, as they (the humans) enjoy complimentary beer from Barcadia and bites from Rouses, Cook me Somethin’ Mister Jambalaya, and Parkway Bakery.

Shortly after 3 PM, the holiday-themed pet second line will make its way over to the Christmas in the District installation (consisting of about a mile of musically synchronized lights and over 70 holiday trees) at the Convention Center. Festivities at the CC will include photos with Santa, a pet costume contest, holiday merchandise, pet adoptions, and the light display, which will turn on at 5 PM. Registration is $15 per pet. All pets welcome; although, your snake and goldfish might not mix well. And, if you don’t have pet to register, you can ogle over other peoples’ animals at the event for free.

Chelsea Lee is associate editor at NolaVie. Email comments to her at chelsea@nolavie.com.