Crescent City Picayune 04-09-2025 by The Advocate

MURALS ON THE RIVER

BY ROBERT S. WOLF Contributing writer

The exterior of the Canal Street Ferry terminal building has ﬁve new colorful murals, painted by local artists, that pay homage to the Black and indigenous people who worked and lived along the Mississippi River and contributed to Louisiana culture.

Titled “River Rhythms: A Tribute to Louisiana’s Indigenous People,” each scene in the mural is painted by a different artist, and each portrays a different element of local culture, including runaway slaves, Mardi Gras Indians and Native American farmers.

The work is a collaboration between the Regional Transit Authority, which operates the ferry, and the Ashé Cultural Arts Center, which helped curate the story and coordinate the project with the artists, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.

Hankins said that when the RTA completed the new ferry terminal two years ago, it intentionally left the wall blank to accommodate an art project, but money was tight until the Super Bowl came to town. RTA partnered with GNO Inc., in December, and $175,000 was allotted for the art project.

“We wanted to honor the people who built the city and worked along the river, we wanted to honor the commerce and exchanges that happen along the wharf, we wanted to honor the entertainment that grew from that culture,

Canal Street Ferry artwork honors the city’s mix of cultural contributions ä See MURALS, page 2G

A Rosie the Riveter Congressional Gold Medal Commemoration was held recently at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans. During World War II, millions of American women joined the wartime effort by filling in defense industry jobs that had traditionally belonged to the men who left to fight in the war. The era was symbolized by the iconic pose of a woman flexing her arm.

As kitten season begins, here are some ways you can help

Warm weather is here, and it signals the start of a season most people don’t think about: kitten season.

For animal rescues, it’s the only season worse than hurricane season. It works the same each year: Spring arrives, stray cats begin to reproduce in large numbers and area shelters and rescues get overwhelmed with kittens. In fact, it’s common for dozens of cats to be surrendered to parish shelters every single day So what do you do if you ﬁnd a lone kitten or a litter and the mother isn’t around? The answer: Leave them alone and monitor from a distance. A litter without a mom nearby doesn’t necessarily mean that she has abandoned her babies. More likely is that she’s out looking for food and will return. If a litter is sited in a safe location, it’s best to leave them alone and just keep an eye out to make sure the mom does return.

An impulse reaction may be to “rescue” the kittens, but according to the national cat advocacy group, Alley Cat Allies, “Compassion is a good impulse, but our actions must always be guided by what is in a cat’s best interest. That means allowing kittens and moms who are already thriving outdoors to stay right where they are.”

PROVIDED PHOTO Kittens can be neutered as early as age 2 months if they weight requirements.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: There is something we can do, however We can help by providing the mother cat with regular food and water an outdoor shelter and peace and quiet to tend to her babies.

If the kittens are in a dangerous area, or the mother cat hasn’t come back after a reasonable amount of time, it is best to contact the parish shelter immediately to get assistance regarding next steps to get the babies to safety

FELINE FACTS:

n Most female cats go into heat three times a year, beginning in March-April.

n She will keep repeating a heat cycle until

Traci Howerton ANIMAL RESCUE

STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER

A five-panel mural titled ‘River Rhythms: A Tribute to Louisiana’s Indigenous People’ lines the outside wall of the Canal Street Ferry terminal. The artists are Jessica Strahan, Ayodele Owolabi, Ayo Scott, Ojo Akinlana and Marcus Akinlana.

ABOVE: Mary Masciangelo, center, who was a Rosie the Riveter during World War II, answers questions about her experience during the war

RIGHT: Betty Hayes makes a ‘We Can Do It!’ flex that was symbolic of the Rosie the Riveter She and other real-life Rosie the Riveters were honored recently at the National WWII Museum

STAFF PHOTOS BY CHRIS GRANGER

Real-life Rosie the Riveters are honored at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

Rhythms in the square

The Congo Square Rhythms Festival was held recently at Congo Square in Louis Armstrong Park in New Orleans. The free, twoday festival by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation featured live music on two stages, food, an art marketplace and activities for children.

MURALS

Continued from page 1G

and we want to showcase just what the Mississippi means to New Orleans,” Hankins said “The Super Bowl came along and one of the things the NFL wanted to leave behind was art, so we took advantage of that initiative.”

Working on a tight deadline

The project started on a tight timeline in December, and it had to be completed and on the wall in early February

Hankins credits the Ashé Cultural Arts Center and the ﬁve artists for pulling it all together in time for the big game The content and look of the mural were left up to the artists.

“I gave them the theme and let the artists decide how they wanted to tell the story, and I think they captured that pretty well,” Hankins said.

Hankins said a dedication ceremony and celebration will take place in July, when the Essence Music Festival is in town. The mural was not painted directly on the wall. Rather, artists painted on mural cloth in a warehouse in Chalmette and then the cloth was installed on the wall with adhesive material A team from Philadelphia that specializes in mural cloth installations handled the job.

Ayo Scott, one of the artists, said it was his ﬁrst time painting on mural cloth, which he described as having the texture of a paper towel.

‘Creative and collaborative

The best part of the entire project for Scott was working with the other artists.

“We plotted what the different scenes were going to look like on the wall, and the experience was both creative and collaborative,” said Scott, who painted an energetic depiction of women in ﬂowing dresses dancing in a courtyard. “Everyone did their own work, but collectively it has a uniﬁed feel. I couldn’t ask for a more valuable learning experience.”

For artist Ojo Akinlana, who painted a scene of runaway slaves known as “maroons” making their way through knee-deep waters of Bayou Sauvage the experience was his ﬁrst mural and his ﬁrst collaboration with his father, Marcus Akinlana, who is well-known for his murals celebrating multicultural themes with an emphasis on Creole life and culture in New Orleans

The scene has an interesting split at the water line; it shows two escaped slaves trudging through the swamp at night, and below the water line, catﬁsh and turtles are swimming around their ankles. Ojo Akinlana said the runaway slaves are modern-day heroes to him “They wanted freedom so badly they were willing to ven-

Artist Ayo Scott created an energetic depiction of women in flowing dresses dancing in a courtyard.

STAFF PHOTOS BY SOPHIA GERMER

Ojo Akinlana’s painting of runaway slaves escaping through the waters of Bayou Sauvage includes a water line. Below it, catfish and turtles are swimming around the slaves’ ankles.

ture into the bayous and disappear into the swamps,” he said. “I felt that they needed to be honored.” Through his research, he discovered that maroons would sneak into town to sell ﬁrewood that they harvested from the countryside, so the female character in his work is carrying a bundle of ﬁrewood.

Artist Jessica Strahan and Ayodele Owolabi also contributed scenes to the mural.

The initiative was made possible through RTA’s collaboration with GNO Inc., Ashé Cultural Arts Center, Arts New Orleans, the city of New Orleans Percent for Art Program and the Louisiana Ofﬁce of Tourism.

Hankins said the project aims in part to strengthen New Orleans’ reputation as a cultural destination.

“Art is in our DNA, and we hope to create more opportunities for artists through the RTA arts program,” Hankins said.

KITTENS

Continued from page 1G

she gets pregnant.

n Once a cat conceives, it is about two months until the kittens are born.

n A cat can become pregnant as early as 5 months of age.

n A mother cat can become pregnant again while she is still nursing. There are ways to help decrease the number of homeless kittens that are born each year:

SPAY/NEUTER: This is critical to combating the cat overpopulation problem in our area. Kittens as young as 2 months old can be safely altered if they meet the weight requirements for anesthesia.

CARE FOR COMMUNITY CATS: If outside cats are being fed, they need to be ﬁxed as well. Local rescues and shelters manage neighborhood stray cat populations through trapneuter-return and feeding stations. Most local parishes have programs to get stray cats ﬁxed for free or a very reduced fee.

FOSTER: Kittens under the age of four weeks need around-the-clock care, and our local rescues and shelters depend on bottle parents to help keep these tiny kittens alive. Kittens do not do well in a shelter environment, as they are more prone to illness until all vac-

PROVIDED PHOTO

Cookie is a dainty and ever-so loving 10-monthold tabby. She’s easygoing and gets along well with other cats. She does have a mischievous side, so you can expect her to cunningly maneuver tunnels, boxes and towering cat trees. To learn more, email adoptionteam@ animalrescueneworleans. org

cinations are administered, and therefore beneﬁt from spending their early weeks in a foster home.

ADOPT: If you’re considering getting a new cat, or two, now is the time! You will literally have the pick of the litter! Looking for a more mature companion? Older cats need homes, too, and shelters and rescues need to make room for all the kittens that will soon be coming through

the doors, so consider a teenage or adult feline. This endless cycle can only be tackled by spay/neuter of both owned and community cats. Our shelters and rescues need help They need volunteers, fosters and adopters. Please consider volunteering to care for kittens until they are old enough to be adopted or by fostering or adopting a homeless cat.

Events

APRIL 13: ARNO Petsmart adoption event will be from noon to 4 p.m. at 6851 Veterans Blvd., Metairie. Meet adorable puppies and dogs. All approved adopters will receive a coupon book from Petsmart and a new dog bed from ARNO. For more information, email info@animalrescueneworleans.org.

ONGOING: The Jefferson SPCA Egg My Yard Fundraiser is in full swing but needs candy Thanks to generous donations, it has plenty of plastic eggs, but not enough candy. Ship or deliver items to 4421 Jefferson Hwy., Jefferson, LA 70121.

Traci D. Howerton is the volunteer manager for Animal Rescue New Orleans, a nonproﬁt, volunteerbased, no-kill shelter For more information on ARNO, visit www animalrescueneworleans. org.

MAIL: use address above

PET OF THE WEEK

Darrielle Craddock, 6, makes a bracelet in the Kids Tent.

STAFF PHOTOS BY SCOTT THRELKELD

A painting by artist Jessica Strahan is displayed for sale.

Trombonist Marc Francis of Da Truth Brass Band performs.

A drummer with Bamboula 2000 uses his hands.

Members of Bamboula 2000 perform during the Congo Square Rhythms Festival

STAFF PHOTO

SOPHIA GERMER

Neurodiverse people can come together for fun, games, information in Metairie

Library patrons have an opportunity to connect with members of the neurodiversity community at “Celebrating Neurodiversity: An Acceptance and Awareness Event” taking place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m April 12 at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. Meet-and-greet tables with community advocates, fun crafts, interactive games, and informative displays will be available.

Chris Smith LIBRARY LAGNIAPPE

“Whether you’re looking to learn more about neurodiversity or connect with others who share your passion for advocacy, this event is a great way to celebrate and promote acceptance,” said Daniel Perez, manager of the East Bank Regional Library “Everyone is welcome to join us in fostering a more inclusive world.”

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variations and differences in how human brains function and process information It encompasses a wide range of cognitive styles, learning abilities, and neurological conditions, including autism spectrum disorder, attention-deﬁcit/hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia and Tourette’s syndrome.

Neurodiversity recognizes that there is no one “normal” way for the brain to work.

COFFEE AND CARS: East Bank Regional Library will host its ﬁrst car show from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. April 5.

Car collectors are encouraged to bring their vehicles to the parking lot Signage will indicate where the vehicle display will take place and library employees will serve as guides. Auto enthusiasts are welcome to browse the vehicles and chat

BROTHER MARTIN: The Dionysians drama club will present “Newsies,” Disney’s musical about a New York City newsboys’ strike on April 10 and 12 at 7 p.m., with a matinee April 12 at 2 p.m. The site is the campus auditorium at 4401 Elysian Fields Ave., in New Orleans. Reserved seating is $20, and general admission is $15. Tickets can be purchased at the door with cash or check brothermartin.com/drama.

FIRSTLINE SCHOOLS: Talented in theater students present the live version of Disney’s popular animated ﬁlm “The Little Mermaid” April 11-12 at Langston Hughes Academy, 3519

with the owners, all while enjoying a special roast of coffee provided by Orleans Coffee to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Jefferson Parish Library A book display about vintage cars and auto repair will also be set up for attendees.

The library is at 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.

PITOT HOUSE: Stacey Pﬁngsten, executive director of the Louisiana Landmarks Society and Pitot House, will discuss the historic house at 7 p.m. April 10 at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie

The Pitot House celebrates 225 years this year It was one of the few West Indies-style houses remaining in Louisiana, The Pitot House was home to the ﬁrst U.S. Mayor of New Orleans James Pitot and his family, 1810-1819.

SATURDAY WRITER’S CLINIC: Madeline Landry will discuss “Perceptions in Writing” at 9:30 a.m April 12 at the East Bank Regional Library 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie Sharon LaCour will discuss “Point of View” at 11 a.m.

GENEALOGY: Gwen Kelley, special collections librarian, will discuss the U.S. Census at 7 p.m. April 9 at the East Bank Regional Library 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie

This lecture will focus on how to use U.S Census records to reconstruct your family history She will focus on vital records at 7 p.m. April 16, also at the East Bank Regional Library

Chris Smith is manager of adult programming at the Jefferson Parish Public Library

SCHOOL NOTES

Trafalgar St. in New Orleans. Friday’s curtain is 6 p.m., with a patron party at 5 p.m. Saturday’s curtain is 11 a.m. Tickets start at $2 through ParentSquare.

ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL: The New Orleans school will hold its major fundraiser, “Blackboards and Blue Jeans,” on April 12, 6:309:30 p.m., at 3937 Canal St in New Orleans. The event includes food, live music and a silent auction. Advance tickets start at $40. www stjohnlutherannola.com.

MOUNT CARMEL ACADEMY: STK Theater Club presents its alumni showcase “Celebrating Generations of

Talent,” on April 12, 7 p.m., at Fitzmorris Performing Arts Center, 7027 Milne Blvd. in New Orleans. The event features performers from all generations. This is a fundraiser to help send the current troupe to the International Thespian Festival. Tickets start at $10. stk. booktix.com.

NEW ORLEANS CENTER FOR CREATIVE ARTS: The NOCCA Jazz Department presents its spring jazz concert on April 16, 6-7:30 p.m., in the Nims Black Box Theatre at NOCCA, 2800 Chartres St. in New Orleans. Free, with reservations through Eventbrite. nocca.com.

St. Charles schools pick top teachers of the year

St. Charles Public Schools announced its 2024-2025 Teachers of the Year at the annual Teachers of the Year Banquet on March 13. The Roaring ’20s theme was “Elegance & Excellence.” SCPPS elementary, middle and high school recipients were Diana Mascarella, Luling Elementary School; Kathryn Wilken, Albert Cammon Middle School; and Kristie Gough, Hahnville High School. These educators will advance to compete at the state level for Louisiana Teacher of the Year. In addition to the district winners, outstanding teachers were honored as the Teacher of the Year for their respective schools. They were Holly Dauzat, Madaline Evers, Jordan Dauphin, Bridget Summers, Lacy Trosclair, Heidi Pizani, Katherine Martinez, Mona Wexler, Jill Clement, Ashley Cotton, Haley Frickey, Monique Guitterrez and Wayne Sentilles.

‘Drawn Together’ author will talk about children’s book over breakfast

BY JANE LEGROS Contributing writer

Award-winning author Minh Lê will visit East New Orleans Regional Library on April 12 for a family-friendly book talk and signing of his “Drawn Together,” an illustrated children’s book about a young boy visiting his grandfather Their lack of a common language, culture and their age difference all lead to frustration — until they sit down to draw together With a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond.

The event will include a light breakfast of fruit and a traditional Vietnamese sweet sticky rice dish. It starts at 10:30 a.m. and will last about two hours.

The book was the subject of this year’s NOLA Readers 2.0 ﬁeld trip program, which is held in conjunction with the Louisiana Children’s Museum in City Park. During this yearlong partnership, second-grade classes visit the Main Library 219 Loyola Ave. and the Children’s Museum for a day full of literary-based activities centered around one book.

Every student receives a free copy of the NOLA Readers book, and families who attend the April 12 event will get one, too. The library is at 5641 Read Blvd.

The Books & Breakfast with Mihn Lê event is presented in collaboration with Journey of Resilience: 50 Years of Vietnamese Americans in Louisiana, and VIET and is sponsored by New Orleans Public Library Foundation and the Friends of the New Or-

leans Public Library Visit nolalibrary.co/minhle for details and registration.

PLANTING THE SEEDS: Aspiring gardeners are invited to Mid-City Library, 4140 Canal St., on April 12 at 1:30 p.m. for a seedlingstarter class with Barcelo Gardens.

In this hands-on gardening workshop, attendees will learn the necessary skills to take seeds all the way through to harvest. They include:

n Different ways to start seeds beyond the traditional method of starting in pots.

n How and when to transplant into a larger container or into the ground.

n What soil to use in each stage of the growing process.

n Best planting choices for the summer and early fall seasons.

All attendees will also get the opportunity to practice

their skills by planting a plant to bring home. Barcelo Gardens is a community garden and fresh produce market in Upper 9th Ward, dedicated to helping people learn to grow and providing access to fresh produce. This program is sponsored by Friends of the New Orleans Public Li-

Autistic children can benefit from experiencing new things in a more controlled setting, possibly even using headphones to dampen noise

PROVIDED PHOTO

SCPPS District Teachers of the Year are, from left, Diana Mascarella, Kathryn Wilken and Kristie Gough.

FESTIVALS

FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL: April 10-13, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; around the Quarter. The free celebration features more than 20 stages and more than 60 food vendors, kicking off with a parade on Thursday at 10 a.m. The French Quarter Fest After Dark Series offers nighttime programming from 9 p.m. to midnight. After Dark tickets and Family VIP passes for sale. frenchquarterfest.org.

NOLA CIGAR FESTIVAL: April 10-13; various locations. Cigar enthusiasts gather to celebrate the culture surrounding premium cigars. Activities include meet-and-greets, a car show, crawﬁsh boil and the Black & Gold Ball. Tickets start at $100 via Eventbrite www.nolacigarfestival.com.

NEW ORLEANS POETRY FESTIVAL: April 10-13; various locations. The 10th annual event starts with the Locals Night Opening Gala April 10, 7 p.m., at the Saturn Bar, 3067 St. Claude Ave. in New Orleans. Readings, roundtables, workshops and a small press fair will take place April 12-13, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., at the New Orleans Healing Center, 2372 St Claude Ave. in New Orleans. Other events include an open mic session and a main event. Free. nolapoetry.com.

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL: Jazz Fest takes over the Fair Grounds Race Course, 1751 Gentilly Blvd. in New Orleans, during the two weekends between April 24 and May 4, playing out across 14 stages with more than 5000 performers. Food vendors along with crafts in three marketplaces. Advance tickets through April 8 start at $89. Multi-day and VIP passes are available. www.nojazzfest.com.

ENTERTAINMENT

CRAWFISH BOIL COOK-OFF: The Crawﬁsh Boil Cookoff will take place on the University of Holy Cross New Orleans campus, 4123 Woodland Drive in Algiers, on April 12, 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Team registration is $150. Winners will be announced in the

categories of best crawfish, best corn, best potatoes and best sausage. Admission is $25 in advance; $40 at the gate, including all-you-caneat crawfish. Children 10 get in free. www.uhcno.edu/ crawfish

WESTWEGO SPRING FOOD

TRUCK

FESTIVAL: The Westwego Booster Club will sponsor the food festival on April 12, 3-7 p.m., at Wego Park, Avenue D THAI NEW YEAR SONGKRAN

FESTIVAL: The Wat Wimuttayaram Buddhist Temple of Louisiana, Inc. will sponsor a free Thai cultural festival on April 13, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at 1601 Stanton Road in New Orleans. Experience Thai culture, performance, activities and foods. (504) 343-8241.

EASTER

EGG HUNT AND FAMILY

FESTIVAL: The family event featuring arts and crafts, games, face painting, food and music will be held in the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at the New Orleans Museum of Art, 1 Collins C. Diboll Circle in New Orleans, on April 12, 10 a.m.12:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20. noma.org.

EGG SCRAMBLE: City Park Conservancy will host the annual egg hunt April 13, 9:30 a.m. to noon, in the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park and Storyland at City Park, 1 Palm Drive in New Orleans. Children will be provided with bags to hold the

LENTEN FISH FRIES

ORLEANS PARISH

ALL SAINTS CATHOLIC: The church at 300 Ptolemy in Algiers will host dinners April 11. Fish plates $15, gumbo $8, hush puppies and crawﬁsh balls are $3. allsaintschurchnola.org.

GOOD SHEPHERD PARISH: KC Council 3411 will sell drive-thru dinners at the Basilica of St. Stephen, 1025 Napoleon Ave April 11, 5-7 p.m. Cost is $12 per plate. (504) 239-1297, www goodshepherdparishnola.com

HOLY NAME OF MARY AND SANTA MARIA: KC 1724 will sell dinners at the church, 342 Olivier St., on April 11. Fish dinners are $15, combo plates are $16, and shrimp plates are $17. (225) 226-9813,holynameofmarynola.org.

MATER DOLOROSA: Dinner at 1231 Dublin St. on April 11, 5-8 p.m. $15 per plate. (504) 813-4913, www.mdolorosa. com. OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE: The Knights of Peter Claver 394 will hold dinner at the church, 411 N. Rampart St., on April 11, 10:30 a.m. until sold out. $10 per plate. judeshrine.com.

ST. DAVID: Dinner April 11 at 5617 St. Claude Ave., 11 a.m.4:30 p.m. Catﬁsh or shrimp plate is $13. Combo plate is $15. stdavidnola.com.

ST. DOMINIC: On April 11, 6-8:30 p.m., the church will hold a dine-in or takeout dinner at 775 Harrison Ave Shrimp St. Dominic is $15. Shrimp, ﬁsh or combo plates are $15 for adults and $10 for kids. (504) 482-4123, stdominicparish.com.

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH: Dinner on April 11, 6 p.m., at 1802 Tulane Ave. Donations will be accepted. stjosephchurch-no. org.

ST. JOSEPHINE BAKHITA: The church at 3501 N. Miro St. will hold dinner on April 11, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Plates are $13. (504) 945-3186, sjbnola.org.

ST. MARIA GORETTI: The church, 7300 Crowder Blvd., will host dinner on April 11, noon-5 p.m. Plates of fried or baked ﬁsh are $15. www.smgnola.com.

ST. MARTIN DE PORRES: The church at 5601 Elysian Fields Ave. will hold dinner, 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. or until sold out, on April 11. Plates of fried or baked ﬁsh are $15. (504) 908-8279, smdpnola.com

ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE: The church, 6828 Chef Menteur Highway, will hold dinner April 11, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Plates are $12. (504) 242-8820, www. stpaultheapostlechurch-nola. org. ST. PETER CLAVER CHURCH: Drive-thru dinner, 1923 St. Philip St., on April 11, 11 a.m.4 p.m. Plates are $12. TOUPS FAMILY MEAL: Throughout Lent, Toups Meatery, 845 Carrollton Ave. in Mid-City New Orleans, will host $26 lunch specials, beginning at

eggs they collect from among the 36,000 hidden throughout the Carousel Gardens. Recommended for children 8 and younger. Storyland will be reserved for toddlers. Tickets are $25 for guests over 36” tall and include unlimited Amusement Park rides. Admission affords all-day access to Carousel Gardens, opening to the public at noon. neworleanscitypark.org.

FRENCH QUARTER EASTER

PARADES: Three parades will be held on Easter Sunday.

n The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade begins at Tableau Restaurant, 616 St. Peter St. in New Orleans, on April 20 at 9:45 a.m. The parade travels to St. Louis Cathedral for 11 a.m. Mass. After Mass, the women promenade in Jackson Square.

n The 40th French Quarter Easter Parade, formerly the Chris Owens French Quarter Easter Parade, starts and ends at the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 St. Louis St., rolling at 1 p.m. Activities start at the hotel at 11 a.m. with a hat contest, silent auction and entertainment in the ballroom.

n The Gay Easter Parade rolls at 4:30 p.m., beginning at the Armstrong Arch at 12981100 St. Ann St. and ends at Betty’s, 700 Burgundy. This is also a family-friendly affair.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

SUPER TAX DAY: Entergy New Orleans will offer its customers free tax preparation at

11 a.m. and featuring wildcaught fried catfish, hushpuppies, potato salad. All proceeds go to Toups Family Meal, a nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity. www toupsfamilymeal.com

PLAQUEMINES

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP: Dinner will be held April 11, 5:30-8 p.m., at 8968 Louisiana 23 in Belle Chasse. Drive thru is available. olphbc.org

ST. BERNARD PARISH

OUR LADY OF LOURDES: The church at 2621 Colonial Blvd Violet will host dinner on April 11, 5-8 p.m. www.olol-church. com.

ST. BERNARD: The church, 2805 Bayou Road in St. Bernard, will serve dine-in dinners April 11, 5-8 p.m. Dinners/po-boys start at $16 with options including fried fish, fried shrimp, stuffed crab, seafood platter plates, shrimp or fish po-bo seafood gumbo, crawfish pies, shrimp jambalaya and shrimp fettuccine. (504) 281-2267, stbernard-stbla.com

ST. CHARLES PARISH

ASCENSION OF OUR LORD: 1809 Greenwood Drive, LaPlace: April 11, from 10:30 a.m.6 p.m. Drive-thru plates, $13, two large pieces of ﬁsh, fried or grilled, with Cajun-boiled corn and potatoes. Mike Ab bate, (504) 388-2452.

ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA: The church, 234 Angus Drive in Luling, will host dinner on April 11, 5-7 p.m. Fish or seafood gumbo plates are $13. (504) 810-0011 stanthonyluling.or

ST. CHARLES BORROMEO: The church, 13396 River Road in Destrehan, will serve drivethru dinners only on April 11, 4-7 p.m. Plates are $15. (985) 764-6383, scblittleredchurch.

org.

upcoming events throughout New Orleans. Qualiﬁed Entergy customers can walk in and receive assistance from IRS-certiﬁed volunteers. The events will be held at Algiers Regional Library, 3014 Holiday Drive, and at the University of Holy Cross, Saturdays through April 12. www.uhcno. edu or www.entergy.com/ freetaxhelp.

CITY PARK COMMUNITY

MEETING: City Park Conservancy invites the public to a meeting to shape the future of City Park April 9 at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters, 3 Victory Ave. in New Orleans. Doors open at 11:30 a.m., with a presentation and activity at noon. RSVP is requested. Community engagement meeting documents are available online. neworleanscitypark.org/master-plan-community-input/. HIBISCUS SHOW AND SALE: The New Orleans Hibiscus Society will host a show and sale on April 13, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., at Alfred Bonnabel High School, 2801 Bruin Drive in Kenner. Free.

GLASS RECYCLING: Glassroots will accept clean glass donations on April 15, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., at the Alvar Library, 913 Alvar St. in New Orleans; April 16, 4:306:30 p.m., at the East New Orleans Regional Library, 5641 Read Blvd. in New Orleans; and April 17, 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m., at the Algiers Regional Library, 3014 Holiday Dr. in New Orleans. Glass will be turned into sand and used for coastal restoration, ecoconstruction and more.

CULTURE & CONCERTS

EVENINGS WITH ENRIQUE:

The free concert series at The Helis Foundation Enrique Alferez Sculpture Garden at New Orleans Botanical Garden City Park, 5 Victory Ave in New Orleans, will continue each Wednesday in April, 5-7:30 p.m. April 9 will feature Patrice Fisher and Arpa . neworleanscitypark.org.

THURSDAYS AT TWILIGHT: The musical series returns from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to the Pavilion

ST. JOAN OF ARC: 346 Fir St., LaPlace. April 11, 3-7 p.m. Drive-thru. Hot dinners include $14 fresh Des Allemands catﬁsh plate with corn, potatoes, hush puppies; $15 plate of either Gulf of Mexico shrimp; or combo of ﬁsh and shrimp with corn, potatoes, hush puppies. Also, $14 plate of cold shrimp pasta. More info, Jared Cazenave, (504) 487-2412.

ST. MARK: Dinner will be held at the church’s Father Cote Center, 10773 River Road in Ama, on April 11, 5-7 p.m. Dine-in or takeout. Plates will include shrimp, ﬁsh or shrimp stew options. Phone orders start at 4:30 p.m. (504) 4702489, stmarkama.com

ST. JOHN OUR LADY OF GRACE: The church, 780 Louisiana 44 in Reserve, will host dinner April 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 5:30-7 p.m. Fried ﬁsh or baked spaghetti plates are $15. Fish patties are $5. Pre-orders available. olgcommunity.com

of the Two Sisters in the Botanical Garden, 1 Victory Ave in City Park, New Orleans. On April 10, entertainment will be provided by Bon Operatit! and Mediterranean Pasta and on April 17 by The Ladies of Soul and Red Beans. Tickets are $15. NewOrleansCityPark.org.

RHYTHM & ROSES CONCERT

SERIES: The weekly series of outdoor concerts at the Historic BK House & Gardens, 1113 Chartres St. in New Orleans, will feature French Quarter Festival bands will perform April 10. New Orleans

ﬁddler Amanda Shaw will perform April 17. Limited seating; bring chairs. Shows start at 6 p.m. Tickets start at $25. www.bkhouse.org.

LPO MARKET NIGHT: The LPO will be joined by guitarist, songwriter and founding member of The Revivalists Zack Feinberg to perform his original songs on April 9, 5:30 p.m., at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, 1426 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. in New Orleans. Tickets start at $40. lpomusic.com.

CATHEDRAL CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA SPRING CON-

CERT: The choir will perform Rossini’s “Stabat Mater,” a musical reﬂection on Mary’s experience of the cruciﬁxion of Jesus, on April 12, 2 p.m., at St. Louis Cathedral, 615 Pere Antoine Alley in New Orleans. The concert will also be performed April 13, 2 p.m., at Mater Dolorosa Church, 1230 S. Carrollton Ave. Free.

THE LAFAYETTE TOUR: The French National Orchestra of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will perform April 13, 4 p.m., at the Orpheum Theater, 129 Roosevelt Way in New Orleans, as part of its musical and immersive tour in the United States, celebrating the bicentennial of Marquis de Lafayette’s visit in 1825. Tickets start at $48.50 via Ticketmaster. orpheumnola.net.

BOOKS

“NEUTRAL GROUND”: Photographer and New Orleans native William Greiner will be joined in conversation by Abram Himelstein at Garden

District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St. in New Orleans, on April 13, 4 p.m. An audience Q&A and book signings will follow. www.gardendistrictbookshop.com.

“MARDI GRAS AT MIDNIGHT”: Author Mary Walsh will celebrate the release of her book, the third in the Big Easy Collection, on April 9, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., at Laﬁtte Hotel and Bar, 1003 Bourbon St. in New Orleans. The event will feature book signings and light refreshments. Free with reservations via Eventbrite. THE EVOLUTION OF STORYTELLING: Local authors Constance Adler and Teresa Tumminello Brader will discuss the topic and celebrate the release of their latest books, “Sight Unseen” and “Secret Keepers,” respectively on April 10, 6:30 p.m., at Blue Cypress Books, 8123 Oak St. in New Orleans. The discussion will be followed by an audience Q&A and book signings. www.bluecypressbooks.com.

BOOK SALE: The Friends of the University of New Orleans Library will hold a three-day used book sale fundraiser on April 10-12 on the fourth ﬂoor of the UNO Earl K. Long Library, 2000 Lakeshore Drive in New Orleans. Hours are 10