We’ve got your weekend: No sleep necessary

The Dancing Grounds Showdowns happens this weekend.

Thursday, October 11/Felicity Church (1220 Felicity Street): It’s time to have a Dark and Stormy night, and we aren’t just talking about the cocktail. You can join the youth writing nonprofit 826 New Orleans for their annual benefit for New Orleans’s young writers, which will center around a ghost story cocktail contest featuring celebrated bartenders from Balise, Bar Tonique, Catahoula Hotel, Josephine Estelle, Morrow’s, Saba, Seaworthy, and The Quisby. A Dark and Stormy Night is inspired by the New Orleans Haunting Supply Co., the creative storefront of the 826 New Orleans Youth Writing Center in the 7th Ward. In addition to the cocktail contest, the event features a pop-up version of the store, small plates from local restaurants, a silent auction, and a costume contest. The evening culminates with a dance party, featuring spooky spins from DJ Chinua. Tickets range from from $65+ and you can purchase them here. 

Friday, October 12/The Art Garage (2231 St. Claude Avenue): Get your Hispanic Heritage Month on with the Taco Truck Theater / Teatro Sin Fronteras performance. Driven by a hybrid music sound-bed and street theater vibe with Tacos for sale, this truck theater addresses the anti-immigrant hysteria and proclaims that no human being is illegal and that black lives matter. Their battle cry is “No guacamole for Immigrant Haters!” With T-shirts for sale with their slogan, they’ll make you laugh, move your heart, and engage you with visual dynamics and human stories. It all starts at 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM, and you can get full details here. 

Friday, October 12/Pietra at 912 (912 Julia Street): Full Aperture returns to Pietra at 912 on Friday, October 12 with Full Aperture: A Table of the Elements. This program explores the natural world, focusing on the elements of earth, air, fire, and water, and features 16mm prints from Stan Brakhage, J.J. Murphy, Barbara Klutinis, Gary Adlestein, Rose Lowder, and a special print from the NOVAC archive. Prints courtesy of Canyon Cinema Foundation and NOVAC. Doors open at 7:30 PM, with films rolling at 8:00. Admission is $8 at the door (cash or charge), and they’ll have some beverages available by donation.

Artwork from Thirty New Orleans Artists, which is on exhibit at the Second Story Gallery. (Photo: Charles Lovell)

Saturday, October 13/1750 St. Bernard Avenue: Nothing says Halloween like a good day of crafts for a good cause. Actually, we’re not sure that says “Halloween” at all, but it does show you have a good heart, so head to The Annual Halloween Fundraiser for Whole VIllage Art Therapy. You can paint and decorate a scary or fun ceramic sculpture. Choose from a variety of flowered cats, scary skulls, and cute pumpkins. Your ticket includes a Master’s level artist to give you supportive, non-judgemental instruction and help; an unpainted, molded ceramic sculpture; painting supplies; and a variety of decorative materials. You will take home a marvelous and unique creation for Halloween! Plus, you will help raise money for Whole Village Art Therapy, which is a non-profit organization that provides art therapy services in various locations around New Orleans. Their art therapists work with people of all ages to utilize creative expression to manage stress and cope with mental health difficulties. Spaces are limited for the event, tickets will cost you $35, and you can purchase them here. 

Saturday, October 13/Second Story Gallery (2372 St. Claude Avenue): It’s the second Saturday on St. Claude, so it’s easy to remember to swing by the Second Story Gallery. They have announced the jurors’ decision and award winners for Thirty New Orleans Artists Awards, an open call for New Orleans visual artists juried by Gia Hamilton, former Director of the Joan Mitchell Center; Charlie Tatum, Editorial and Communications Manager at Pelican Bomb; and Emily Wilkerson, independent curator.  This exhibition highlights the many contributions of our contemporary visual artists during New Orleans’ Tricentennial, and you can see them all on Saturday from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM. Head into the gallery and get awestruck by our New Orleans talent. 

Saturday, October 13/The Civic Theater (510 O’Keefe Avenue): If there is one thing we love to do in New Orleans, it is to shake anything and everything in front of an audience. Now Dancing Grounds is taking that to the next level with their “Dancing Grounds Showdown.” Eight finalists have been selected by a panel of judges to battle it out live at the Dancing Grounds Showdown. The finalists were ranked in 1st and 2nd place amongst 60 submissions in one of four categories: youth solo, adult solo, youth group, and adult group. Each finalist is guaranteed to walk away with cash: 1st place in each category will receive $1,000; 2nd place in each category will receive $500. The live audience will use their cell phones to vote on an additional $1,000 fan favorite prize for one lucky contestant. Tickets are between $10-$150, and you can purchase them here. 

Saturday, October 13-Sunday, October 14/French Quarter: The Patio Planters of the Vieux Carré opens magnificent courtyards of the French Quarter for a special weekend tour on Saturday, October 13 and Sunday, October 14 from 12:00 PM until 4:00 PM.  This event offers the allure of private and historic gardens otherwise closed to the public.  The self-guided walking tour reveals how garden designers take advantage of small spaces, and provides access to the cool and private hideaways suited to the Louisiana climate in styles of early Spanish and French architecture. Multiple courtyards will be opened in different locations each day for a self-guided walking tour between the hours of 12:00 noon and 4:00 p.m. Tickets, which you can purchase here, are $20 each (children 12 and under free).