Congo Square Rhythms & Treme Creole Gumbo Festival
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation combines two of its annual festivals for two days of music and more in Congo Square. The Treme Creole Gumbo Festival has always focused on brass bands, and one of the stages at this event features Rebirth Brass Band, Hot 8, Treme, The Stooges Brass Band and more. Congo Square usually hosts a mix of local sounds and African dance, and the Congo Square Rhythms stage features Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles, Charmaine Neville, Casme, Erica Falls, local African dance groups such as Tekrema and Kumbuka African Dance, a drum circle and more. There also is an art market as well as food and drink vendors. The festival kickoff event on Friday featuring John Boutte, Tanya Boutte, Arsene DeLay and more will be live-streamed for free via jazzandheritage.org/live. Events in Congo Square are from 10:45 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 26, and Sunday, March 27. Find details at the foundation website.
Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
The festival celebrates the 75th anniversary of “A Streetcar Named Desire” and hosts a wide array of events, such as readings, tributes to Tennessee Williams, music, tours, performances and more. Participating writers include Jericho Brown, Ladee Hubbard, Maurice Carlos Ruffin, Nathaniel Rich, Megan Mayhew Bergman, Peter Ho Davies and Katy Simpson Smith. Performances include Vinsantos DeFonte’s “Nightingale,” based on Williams’ “Vieux Carre,” and a production of parodies of Williams’ “Streetcar,” “A Glass Menagerie” and more (see “Saved by the belle,” page 46). The festival runs March 23-27. Visit the festival website for a complete schedule and tickets.
Freret Street Festival
The festival brings live music and more to a six block stretch of Freret Street starting at Napoleon Avenue. The music lineup includes Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Erica Falls, Hash Cabbage, The Marc Stone 3, Valerie Sassyfras and more. The street will be lined with food and craft vendors and more. The festival is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 26. Visit the festival website for information.
Marc Broussard and Little Freddie King
The Wednesday at the Square free concert series continues with singer-songwriter Marc Broussard and bluesman Little Freddie King. There’s also an art market and food and drink vendors in Lafayette Square from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 23. Visit the event website for details.
Shell-A-Bration
Since 2014, the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana has been collecting oyster shells from New Orleans restaurants for reuse in rebuilding oyster reefs and habitats along Louisiana’s coast. CRCL says it has collected more than 10 million pounds of shells from more than 30 restaurants. CRCL hosts Shell-A-Bration, a festival to raise awareness and funds for the oyster shell program, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Crescent Park. The night will be headlined by the Lost Bayou Ramblers and will feature local restaurants serving oysters and other dishes, beer and a silent auction. Tickets are $45 at the event webpage.
Gates Fest
Pop band X Ambassadors headlines Gates Fest, the one-day music and arts festival thrown by Metairie’s Congregation Gates of Prayer synagogue. The lineup also includes Jon Cleary & The Absolutely Monster Gentlemen, Sweet Crude, John Boutte, Big Sam’s Funky Nation and more. There also is an artist village, and a beer garden will donate proceeds to the Team Gleason Foundation. Gates Fest opens at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, March 27, at 4000 W. Esplanade Ave., Metairie. Tickets are $54 at the festival website.
Saints & Sinners
Held in conjunction with the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, Saints & Sinners highlights LGTBQ writers and literature in readings, panel discussions, interviews and more. The lineup includes Jericho Brown, Robert W. Fieseler, Mary Gauthier, David Pevsner, Lisa Doral, Eric Nguyen, Greg Herren, Alicia P. Long, Frank Perez and more. The festival runs Thursday, March 24, to Sunday, March 27, with many events at the Monteleone Hotel. Visit the festival website for schedule and tickets.
Chew
Atlanta psych-rock band Chew returns to New Orleans for a show with Loudness War and Secret Cowboy at 9 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Saturn Bar. Tickets are $10 at the door.
Musicians from Marlboro
The acclaimed Marlboro Music program, based in Marlboro, Vermont, develops young talent by providing mentoring by master musicians. This chamber music presentation features works by Benjamin Britten and Franz Schubert. At 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 28, at Tulane University’s Dixon Hall. Find tickets via Friends of Music’s website.
Mahmoud Chouki’s New World Ensemble
Moroccan composer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Mahmoud Chouki marks his fifth year anniversary in New Orleans. The New World Ensemble includes saxophonists Khris Royal and Brad Walker, pianist Oscar Rossignoli, drummer Pegro Segundo and more. There are shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at Snug Harbor. Tickets $35 at Snug Harbor’s website.
Little Feat
Little Feat is on tour celebrating the 45th anniversary of its first live album, “Waiting for Columbus.” The recording included some of the band’s more popular songs, such as “Dixie Chicken,” “Spanish Moon” and “Fat Man in the Bathtub.” Amy Helm, daughter of Levon Helm, also performs. At 8 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Saenger Theatre. Find tickets via the Saenger Theatre’s website.
Louisiana Derby
Racing season comes to a close at the Fair Grounds Race Course and Slots on Sunday, March 27. The highlight of the weekend is the Louisiana Derby, with its $1 million purse, on Saturday, March 26. Other big races on Saturday include the Fair Grounds Oaks and New Orleans Classic. Post time is noon Saturday. For more information, go to the Fair Grounds’ website.
Fabulously Funny Comedy Festival
Mike Epps headlines a comedy bill along with Sommore, Lavell Crawford, Gary Owen and Tony Rock at UNO Lakefront Arena. At 8 p.m. Friday, March 25. Find tickets via the arena website.
Art in Bloom
The annual show of flower and plant designs inspired by works of art features installations throughout the New Orleans Museum of Art. The expo runs Thursday, March 24, through Sunday, March 27. Visit the museum’s website for tickets and details.
Ministry
The industrial metal band Ministry tops a bill of heavy rock stalwarts, including Washington sludge metalists Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity. At 7 p.m. Thursday, March 24, at The Fillmore. Find tickets at Ticketmaster.
Leif Vollebekk
Canadian indie folk singer Leif Vollebekk released his first live album in February, “New Waves (Live Recordings ’19-’21).” He’s joined by multi-instrumental Dosh at Gasa Gasa at 8 p.m. Friday, March 25. Tickets $15 on Ticketweb.
