FESTIVALS
ISLAND STRONG MUSIC FEST: The festival will be held July 18-20 at the Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion, 4500 La. 1 in Grand Isle. The three-day event will feature music, food, craft booths and more. All proceeds go to rebuilding recreational facilities and other projects after Hurricane Ida. House are Thursday 4-11 p.m.; Friday noon-11 p.m.; and Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Entrance Thursday is $10; Friday and Saturday are $15. Weekend bracelets are $30. Children 12 and under are free. www.islandstrongmusicfest.com.
MISS FISHER CON: The three-day convention hosted by the Adventuresses’ Club of the Americas celebrates the 1920s world of Phryne Fisher July 18-20 at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St. The event includes in-depth sessions, dancing and cosplay. Registration starts at $210. The Friday night masquerade and banquet is an additional $75. www.missfishercon.com.
COMMUNITY
TOGETHER GERT TOWN COMMUNITY SKATE: United We Skate 504 will host a free day of skating on July 23, 6-8 p.m., at Norwood Thompson Park, 7200 Forshey St. in New Orleans. Free rental skates available for youth. Registration is required via Eventbrite. www.togethergerttown.com.
A STORYTELLING SHOW ABOUT STORIES: Local creatives share their community’s stories and how those may have changed them in some way on July 25, 7:30-9 p.m., at Big Couch, Suite 101 at 1045 Desire St. in New Orleans. Tickets start at $8. bigcouchnola.com.
RESEARCHING AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES: Genealogist and historian Antoinette Harrell will discuss birth and death records, marriage certificates, church records, newspapers and other records at a presentation on July 31, 7-8:30 p.m., at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave. in Metairie. She will talk about Louisiana African American census records, Louisiana church records and court resources. www.jplibrary.net.
BONSAI AUCTION AND PLANT SALE: The Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society hosts its annual sale Aug. 10 at the VFW Hall, 1133 Hickory Ave. in Harahan. Viewing of trees and plant sale begins at 4 p.m. Auction runs 6-9 p.m. gnobs.org.
FREE MOVIES
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER: Movies inspired by books will be shown on Saturdays in July at the Garden District Book Shop in The Rink, 2727 Prytania St. in New Orleans. The movie begins at 4:30 p.m. The movie for July 20 is “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”; and July 27 is “Homeward Bound.”
“COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT”: The 1970 sci-fi thriller is a cautionary tale about a super computer created to control U.S. defense systems. It stars Eric Braeden ("The Young and The Restless") and will be shown July 24, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at the Old Metairie Library, 2350 Metairie Road in Metairie, as part of the Old Metairie Sci-Fi and Fantasy Group's monthly discussion. www.jplibrary.net.
“KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE”: The July 27 Saturday matinee movie at the Live Oak Library, 125 Acadia Drive in Westwego, will feature a film about a young witch who supports herself by running an air courier service. The film will be shown 2-4 p.m. and is appropriate for all ages. www.jplibrary.net.
“MRS. HARRIS GOES TO PARIS”: The adventures of a women seeking a Parisian adventure will be shown July 29, 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Live Oak Library, 125 Acadia Drive in Westwego. The 2022 film is based on the 1958 novel by Paul Gallico. www.jplibrary.net.
CULTURE AND CONCERTS
LIGHTER THAN AIR: WARTIME BLIMPS: The July Dinner with the Curator at the National World War II Museum, 945 Magazine St. in New Orleans, will discuss the U.S. Navy’s blimp squadrons for coastal defense from German U-boats and rescue and recovery July 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at BB’s Stage Door Canteen. Tickets start at $77. www.nationalww2museum.org
SUNDAYS @ SIX SERIES: John Calvin Presbyterian Church will host a free summer concert series at 4201 Transcontinental Drive in Metairie. The July 21 concert is guitarist David Sigler; July 28 is Crescent City Big Band; and Aug. 4 is Crescent City Sound Chorus. www.johncalvinchurch.org.
STAGE DOOR IDOL: The National WWII Museum is hosting a singing competition, with the finals Aug. 13. Local celebrity judges will decide the winner, as the finalists are accompanied by the Museum’s Victory Six Swing Band. Remaining preliminary rounds are July 23 and 30. Tickets are $15; $20 for the finals Aug. 13. Performances start at 6 p.m. at BB’s Stage Door Canteen, 945 Magazine St. in New Orleans. www.nationalww2museum.org.
COMING TO AMERICA LECTURE SERIES: Burke Bischoff will present “The Familial History of a German Dairy Farm in Gretna” on July 21, 2 p.m., at Deutsches Haus, 1700 Moss St. in New Orleans. The free presentation focuses on the city of Gretna on the west bank, originally founded as the village of Mechanikham in 1836 and home for many German immigrants. (504) 522-8014.
BOOKS
POETRY READING: Local poets will celebrate the life of Martha McFerren by reading from her poetry July 20, 2 p.m., at the Old Metairie Library, 2350 Metairie Road in Metairie. www.jplibrary.net.
'BLACK CREOLE CHRONICLES': The 2024 selection of One Book One New Orleans, written by Mona Lisa Saloy, will be celebrated with a free listening party July 15, 5-8 p.m., at Garden District Book Shop at The Rink, 2727 Prytania St. in New Orleans. The event features a custom-crafted cocktail. onebookonenola.org.
FUNDRAISERS/GALAS
SPAGHETTI DINNER: Metairie Humane Shelter is sponsoring a fundraising spaghetti dinner on July 27, 4 — 8 p.m., at St. Matthew’s UMC, 6017 Camphor St. in Metairie. Meals are $14. Takeouts and walk-ins are welcome. (504) 458-0531.
CLASSES
DRONES FOR KIDS: Students can learn the science and safety of piloting a drone at a workshop July 17, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at Nunez Community College, 3710 Paris Road in Chalmette. Each participant will construct and fly their own drone that is theirs to keep. Cost is $60. Sign up at form.jotform.com/230674552849163.
SAFE SITTER CLASSES: The Junior League of New Orleans will host 10 Safe Sitter classes throughout the summer to teach children in grades 5-8 how to safely stay home alone, help care for younger siblings and prepare for babysitting opportunities. Classes will be held at JLNO headquarters, 4319 Carondelet St. in New Orleans, on July 20, 21, 27, 28 and Aug. 3 and 4. Participation is limited to 32 students per class. Advance registration is required. The cost is $80 per person. www.jlno.org/safesitter.
MYTH WRITING WORKSHOP: July 22, 5:30-7:30 p.m., the weekly group for school-age children will explore mythical creatures from folklore in different cultures at the Jane O’Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd. in Harvey. Participants can write their own story and share with others. Parental supervision required. (504) 364-3664.
DOG TRAINING: Brooke DeFore, a dog trainer who specializes in behavior modification, will discuss training issues on July 24, 7 p.m., at the Edith S. Lawson Library, 635 Fourth St. in Westwego. Her free talk will include basics such as potty training, crate training, how some breeds are trickier than others, as well as the importance of patience on the part of the human. www.jplibrary.net.
BOATING SAFETY CLASSES: The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will conduct a boating safety class July 27, beginning at 9 a.m., at the River Ridge Library, 8825 Jefferson Highway in River Ridge. The course includes information on choosing a boat, equipment requirements, navigation rules, navigation charts, and more. Students who complete the course will be issued a vessel operators certification card. The class lasts between six and eight hours. Preregistration recommended at the DWF website. www.jplibrary.net.
MEETINGS
DUTCH OVEN SOCIETY: The Wego Cookers, part of the Louisiana Dutch Oven Society, will gather July 20 in pavilion 6 at Bayou Segnette State Park, 7777 Westbank Expressway in Westwego. Set up begins at 9 a.m., and sampling of the creations begins at 11:30 a.m. The event is free, but an entrance fee of $3 is required for those under 62. (504) 756-1853 [email protected].
SPORTS
TACKLE FOOTBALL ACADEMY: The St. Charles Parish Department of Parks and Recreation and Ochsner Performance Training will host a three-day academy geared to teach kids 7-14 safe playing skills, Aug. 6-8, 5-7 p.m., at the West Bank Bridge Park, 13825 River Road in Luling. Cost is $50; registration is open through July 31. www.scpparksandrec.com.
SUMMER CAMPS
CREATIVE ARTS CAMP: Victory Church will host a summer arts camp July 22-29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., at 5708 Airline Drive in Metairie. The camp for students entering first through fifth grades will offer hands-on training and group lessons for each child. Camp will include a Praise and Worship service each day as well as breakout sessions that offer beginner to intermediate lessons for piano, drums, guitar, bass, vocal, dance and drama. Registration is free via Eventbrite.
SUMMER DAY CAMP: The Salvation Army of New Orleans will sponsor a camp for children 6-12 years Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m., and Open-Gym every Thursday afternoon, 3-5 p.m. running June 1-Aug. 1. The facility is located at 4530 S. Claiborne Ave. in New Orleans. Cost is $25 per child to register with a weekly camp fee of $50 per child. Fee includes lunch and two snacks daily. (504)-309-4347; [email protected].