It’s officially Carnival season, and we couldn’t be happier. With the first parades of the season last weekend, this is your chance to rest up before the big parades roll around. But don’t worry – there’s still plenty to do in NOLA. Start the weekend with a show. The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival has a one-night-only performance of the Tempest on Friday. At the Orpheum on Friday and Saturday is a night of classical music with Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with community celebrations and free admission to the Ogden Museum. All weekend long, you can get your game on at the Call of Duty World League New Orleans. Finally, savor all the king cake you can all weekend long. Now that Mardi Gras is here, we’re not holding back.
ALL WEEKEND
Call of Duty World League New Orleans – If you’re a fan of the video game, this event is for you. This weekend, head to the Convention Center for the Call of Duty World League and watch as teams battle it out for the grand prize of $200,000. Also at the event will be the Major League Gaming Pro Shop, walk up and play tournaments, and autograph signings. General admission is $59.99 with Premium and VIP passes available.
FRIDAY
The Tempest – This Friday, you’ll have a chance to see this classic Shakespeare play be brought to life on stage. The New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane brings you the Tempest, a tale of love and revenge, for a one-night-only performance on January 12. Get your tickets in advance here. The play begins at 7:30 p.m. at Dixon Hall on Tulane’s campus, and general admission tickets are $25.
FRIDAY & SATURDAY
Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 – Head to the Orpheum Theater this weekend for a night of great music. The night begins with Samuel Barber’s very first orchestral composition, Overture to School for Scandal, and ends with Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. Also included in the program is celebrated soloist Xiaohui Yang at the piano, performing Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. Tickets start at $20.
LAGNIAPPE
Eat King Cake – Last weekend hailed in the 2018 Carnival season, meaning it’s time to start eating king cake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And you’d better start now – there are only five more weekends to enjoy this decadent delight. Aside from finding the perfect king cake, get adventurous this year and try a king cake-inspired dish like the King Cake Latte at Community Coffee or the King Cake donut at District Donuts. Trust us – it’s worth the calories.
Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – It may be a long weekend for many of you with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, but instead of taking the day off, join the community for celebrations. On January 15 at 9 a.m., join the city of New Orleans at Al Davis Park for a Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration program followed by a communal block party on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. at noon. If you’re looking to visit a museum, The Ogden Museum is offering free admission all day courtesy of the Helis Foundation. While you’re there, check out Solidary & Solitary, which tells the history of art by African American artists from the 1940s to the present moment.
