Upcoming Community Events in the New Orleans Area

It’s Mardi Gras and that means it’s party time in the Big Easy and WE want to party with YOU. Join us this February 10th at the Howlin’ Wolf for the “Big Sleazy Carnival”. We’re going to be celebrating our favorite holiday with acts inspired by the greatest city on earth, New Orleans! We’ll be parading all of your favorite Mardi Gras debauchery and naughtiness on the stage of the Howlin’ Wolf in bawdy, grand, Carnival fashion with outrageous and over the top burlesque and variety acts performed by some of the most exciting artists in the Crescent City.

General Admission $15
VIP $20 (includes a seat in the vip section which is near the front of the stage. There is also a vip section cocktail waitress.)
Link to purchase tickets coming soon.

Plan for a bountiful garden through late winter and early spring as guided by Horticulturist and Community Gardener Philip Soulet, in his garden at 10 a.m.

Giving away: 3 gallon trees; Seeds appropriate for the season.

Available at the greenhouse: colorful annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, shrubs, large specimen shade and fruit trees.

2012 Calendars with planting reference specific for New Orleans' micro-climate -- $6.

The O.C.H. Art Market, named for its location on 1618 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., started in November 2010 as an effort to bring more foot traffic to the Central City neighborhood. In addition to being in an historic building and in a nationally recognized historic district, O. C. Haley Blvd. is now a recognized Cultural Products District meaning there is no sales tax on original art.
In addition to offering locally made arts and crafts the OCH Market offers food from Nola Locavore's Local Foods Cafe. In collaboration with Hollygrove Market and Farm the OCH Art Market is an designated neighborhood location for receiving Hollygrove’s fresh locally grown weekly produce box.

Come buy or sell locally made crafts and contribute to the revitalization of Oretha Castle Haley by shopping locally!

Saturday, February 11, 11am to 10pm; Sunday, February 12, 10am to 4pm

Complimentary wine and cheese will be served beginning at 6pm Saturday. All bazaars this weekend will feature a wide range of works such as sculpture, textiles, paintings, clothing, and jewelry as well as repurposed items and art made from recycled objects. In keeping with the “Carnival Around the World” theme of the weekend will feature live Carnival music from New Orleans, Trinidad, and Brazil; a limbo contest; “Trini Winin’” dance instruction and demonstration; Mardi Gras beads-making workshops for kids; decorate-it-yourself king cakes; food samples from Trinidad, Brazil, and New Orleans; parades, and more.

Leading Educators, in partnership with the Loyola Institute for Quality and Equity in Education, is hosting the New Orleans Premiere of Happy: The Movie on World Happy Day. HAPPY 
takes
 the
 viewer 
from
 the
 bayous 
of 
Louisiana 
to 
the
 deserts
 of 
Namibia,
 from 
the 

beaches 
of 
Brazil 
to 
the 
mountains 
of 
Bhutan.
 Listen 
to 
the 
wisdom 
of 
a 
Kolkata
rickshaw
 driver,
 the 
compassion 
of 
a 
volunteer 
at 
Mother 
Teresa’s 
Home 
for 
the
 Dying 
and 
the 
knowledge 
of
 some 
of 
the 
world’s 
leading 
happiness 
researchers. 
Witness 
as 
middle
 school 
students 
applaud
 the 
bravery
 of 
their 
classmates 
during 
a 
moving 
presentation 
on
 bullying.
 HAPPY
 combines
 real‐life 
human 
drama 
and 
cutting‐edge 
science 
to
 provide 
insights
 into
 the 
mysteries 
of
 happiness.

Saturday, February 11, 11am to 10pm; Sunday, February 12, 10am to 4pm

Complimentary wine and cheese will be served beginning at 6pm Saturday. All bazaars this weekend will feature a wide range of works such as sculpture, textiles, paintings, clothing, and jewelry as well as repurposed items and art made from recycled objects. In keeping with the “Carnival Around the World” theme of the weekend will feature live Carnival music from New Orleans, Trinidad, and Brazil; a limbo contest; “Trini Winin’” dance instruction and demonstration; Mardi Gras beads-making workshops for kids; decorate-it-yourself king cakes; food samples from Trinidad, Brazil, and New Orleans; parades, and more.

Join us for a special Valentine's Day Storytime at Latter Branch Library as we welcome our special guests and friends, Beth Finke and her Guide Dog, Whitney!

Beth will read her book, 'Beth and Hanni: Safe and Sound', and talk a bit about guide dogs, their training, what they do and being a writer.

Free and Open to the Public
Tuesday, February 14th at 10:30am
For groups or classes please RSVP by calling 596-2625.

For more information about this and other great New Orleans Public Library programs and services please visit our website at www.neworleanspubliclibrary.org or Find your Favorite Branch's Page on Facebook!

New Orleans Public Library will make every effort to provide interpretation of library programs for the hearing impaired. To request this service please call 596-2605.

Learn how to begin researching your family at a beginners workshop held by Mr. Aristide O. Marshall, Author and Genealogist. Become familiar with various approaches and learn about Ancestry.com and other genealogical resources on the internet. Advanced registration required. Please call 596-2597 to register.

NOFS and Ashe Cultural Arts Center present a FREE screening of the documentary film THE INTERRUPTERS. The event is open to the public.

An epic tale of courage and hope, The Interrupters is a new film by director/producer Steve James and author-turned-producer Alex Kotlowitz whose original article inspired the film.

The film follows a year in the life of the city as it grapples with the plague of urban violence. At the heart of the story are Ameena Matthews, Cobe Williams and Eddie Bocanegra, each of whom has credibility on the street because of their own personal histories. With gumption, wisdom and wit, they work to protect their Chicago communities from the violence they themselves once employed. These “Violence Interrupters” work for CeaseFire, a local organization whose guiding principle is that the spread of violence mimics the spread of infectious diseases, and so respond with similar treatment: go after the most infected, and stop the infection at its source.

Downtown Irish Club Block Party 2012

DATE: Saturday, 3 March 2012
TIME: noon - 4pm
LOCATION: Markey's Bar
640 Louisa St
New Orleans, LA 70117
Live music, dancing, food, spirits
Guinness specials
Jameson specials
50/50 raffle
Club merchandise
(bring folding chairs)

Trainings are for potential tutors who want to assist local citizens with developing, or improving computer skills through an on-line curriculum called the Learner Web. Those who need a refresher course or service learning hours are also invited to attend. Due to limited space and ID account set-up, please RSVP your name, email, and organization to kharrisliteracy@gmail.com the day before the scheduled training. Bring only an open mind and your commitment to close the digital divide in New Orleans.
Want to preview Learner Web? Click here btoptutordemo.learnerweb.org and create an account.

Come join Alice, The Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, and the Rabbit – all from Alice in Wonderland to see a fashion show of The Saint John Collection by SAKS Fifth Avenue along with a celebrity hat judging contest with Mrs. Tom (Gayle) Benson, Margarita Bergen, Carolyn Elder, Rene Fransen, Angela Hill, George Schmidt, and Jude Swenson as judges. Additionally, there will be a silent auction and a raffle with a chance to win a $1,000 Saks Gift Card plus a personal shopper at Saks Fifth Avenue in NYC, a three night week-end stay at the Marriott Marquis Hotel at Times Square, and American Airline (2) tickets. Tickets for the raffle are $25 each or 5/$100 and can be purchased from Laura Cowser at 985-445-5208. Tickets for this great event are still available at Patron tickets are $85/person or at the general admission cost of $75/person. Please call Cindi Mistrot at 504-416-8890 to purchase your tickets. Proceeds from the event will benefit the New Orleans Opera Association.

Registration
6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. at the Casino Bldg. (Parkview Cafe)
Fishing begins
6:30 a.m.
Weigh-in at 11:00 a.m.

Fishing Categories:
Bass by fly rod/reel fishing
Bass by spinning/spincast/baitcasting
Junior Anglers
Team Event-Rio Grande Roundup
Champion's Challenge

Fishtival!
9:00 a.m. to noon
Educational exhibits by La. Wildlife & Fisheries, wildlife, fishing,ecology & consevation groups, crafts and more.
Learn to tie "flies" with the N.O. Fly Fisherman.
Mardi Gras toss of fishing baits - fill up your tackle box!
Win one of three charter boat fishing trips

“French Quarter Fest CLE: 4th Annual White Collar Crime Symposium” – sponsored by the Louisiana State Bar Association, Thursday, April 13, 2012, 8:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. at the New Orleans Marriott Hotel located at 555 Canal St., New Orleans.. Registration is $295 in advance, $320 after April 6, and $360 on-site. For more information, call Bridget Berins at (504) 619-0137 or go to: www.lsba.org.

The Camp Tiger Benefit Auction is the biggest fundraiser for Camp Tiger. Camp Tiger is a week-long camp put on by the LSUHSC School of Medicine for kids with disabilities. This camp allows these children a week of "just being one of the kids." All money raised at the auction goes towards funding Camp Tiger. The Camp Tiger Benefit Auction is a large auction full of great opportunities to buy an immense variety of items and packages. Local restaurants also provide a great spread of food for the event. Attend the auction and benefit Camp Tiger!