Wednesday, January 31/601 Poydras Street: We often talk about the infrastructure of New Orleans, and now you can head to the city council meeting to voice your opinion. The New Orleans City Council Utilities Committee will soon make a decision on Entergy’s proposal to build a gas power plant in New Orleans, and you can put in your two cents. The meeting begins at 10:00 AM and it is scheduled to go until 2:00 PM. It will be on the 11th floor of the Pan American Building at 601 Poydras (not City Hall). For more information, you can check out the event here.

Thursday, February 1/The ALLways Lounge (2240 Saint Claude Ave): It’s Black History Month, so the ladies of Black Girl Giggles are getting together to put their wits, history, and the future together. As they explain it, they are going to “…celebrate Black History Month. But in a funny way.” The show begins at 9:00 PM, tickets will run you up to $40, and you can purchase them here.

Friday, February 2/The Music Box Village (4557 N. Rampart): Get those costumes aired out because the balls are upon us, and this Friday New Orleans Airlift and the Krewe of Vaporwave join forces to bring you “The World’s Unfair” — a Mardi Gras Ball that travels back in time to send up the storied 1984 World’s Fair. The ‘84 World’s Fair represents both a fond memory and a financial fiasco for the city of New Orleans, and it is with those dualities in mind that the Krewe of Vaporwave & New Orleans Airlift present a chopped and screwed version of The Music Box Village that pays homage to the hubris and grand scale of the last World’s Fair in America. There will be improv artists, live-stream broadcast, and it’s a World’s Fair. Tickets range in price, so you can check them out here, and the ball begins at 6:00 PM.

Friday, February 2/Antenna (3718 St. Claude Ave): Antenna is hosting “King for a Day,” which is an immersive installation and community event space that reveals how carnival costuming acts as a platform for social engagement across diverse communities in New Orleans. The installation space will have local costumes and hold workshops, panel discussions, and costume markets. The exhibit’s aim is to highlight the costumes and cultures of groups that have historically been marginalized – people of color, queer people, women, and those with limited access to resources, so we are all about that! The opening reception on Friday begins at 6:00 PM, there is a $5 suggested donation, and you can find about full details for the event here.

Friday, February 2/Arrow Cafe (628 N. Rampart): If you are needing a little caffeine pick-me-up or a baked good binge for Carnival as well as a desire to see some new art, then Arrow Cafe is the place for your Friday night. They are hosting Gavin Jones’s art that night, and they will also have food by Midnight Noodle if you get hungry looking at all the art. The exhibit starts at 7:00 PM and goes until 9:00 PM. For full details, you can check out their event here.

Saturday, February 3/Glitter Box (1109 Royal Street): Sometimes a good title just catches your eye, and that’s what Glitter Box did with their “Yung Hussy Mardi Gras Pop Up at Glitterbox.” We haven’t used the word hussy in years, but now it is a full-on event. Glitterbox will fulfill your last minute Mardi Gras fringe dreams with their rack of wearable fringe and new earring designs. You can get decked for Mardi Gras all in an afternoon. The pop-up starts at 12:00 PM and goes until 6:00 PM, and you can find full details here.

Saturday, February 3/Art Klub (1941 Arts Street): There’s a new kind of rent party in town, so make sure you have your business plans and cards ready. “That Rent Party!” is a networking event disguised as a 1960’s inspired Rent Party that brings current and future artists and entrepreneurs together to network, socialize and have a good time while exploring the ‘one step forward and two steps back’ ideology and other themes. Your host for the night will be Young Funny’s very own, Kyle Smith. Also featuring live music by Mario Abney & the Abney Effect and the premiere of Process, a short film with live performance created and choreographed by Terreze Williams.
Light hors d’oeuvres provided, and it all starts at 7:00 PM. Tickets are $15 (advanced) and $20 (door), and you can purchase them here.

Monday, February 5/Antenna (3718 St. Claude Ave): The Baby Dolls are legends in New Orleans, and Antenna is hosting a discussion so the community can learn even more about them. There will be a book signing by Kim Marie Vaz, author of The Baby Dolls: Breaking the Race and Gender Barriers of the New Orleans Mardi Gras Tradition as well as a panel discussion with Alana Harris, New Orleans Creole Belle Baby Dolls Cinnamon Black, Treme Million Dollar Babydolls, and Ms. Berryhill, Baby Doll costume maker. It all begins at 7:00 PM, and you can find out full details here.