It's the big end-of-summer Labor Day weekend, and that means big goings-on in south Louisiana, from mermaids to Taylor Swift and shrimp and petroleum.
MERMAID PARADE
Sea creatures of all sorts, plus pirates, seamen and other aquatic types hit the streets of the French Quarter for the Krewe du Fool's inaugural MERMAID PARADE at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, "swimming" from St. Philip Street at the Mississippi River through Woldenberg Park to the plaza beside the recently reopened Aquarium of the Americas. A costume contest will decide the watery wearers of the crowns, then the parade "swims" upstream to the start. Participation starts at $15. Swim on over here for the info.
GARTH BROOKS / SUGAR BOWL COUNTRY KICKOFF
Take a big dose of Garth Brooks, add in some Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and a generous portion of Louisiana's own Lainey Wilson and you've got a sweet deal in the Caesars Superdome starting at 5:30 p.m. Saturday for the SUGAR BOWL COUNTRY KICKOFF. The inaugural Louisiana Office of Tourism event has tickets starting at $87. The tickets are still available here.
SOUTHERN DECADENCE PARADE
The SOUTHERN DECADENCE PARADE is a glittering, glowing and grand street procession that is the highlight of the Labor Day weekend event. It starts at 2 p.m. Sunday at Royal and Barracks streets in the French Quarter. Grand marshals Nicole Dubois, Jimmy Gale and Monica Synclaire Kennedy will lead the 51st annual event under the banner "Wicked, Wild and Wet." Get ready for the grand procession here.
SHRIMP AND PETROLEUM FESTIVAL
Got an envie for some great seafood and festival fun? Head down to Morgan City (less than 90 minutes' drive) and experience one of the state's premiere cultural, culinary and captivating events: the SHRIMP AND PETROLEUM FESTIVAL. Celebrating two unique Louisiana industries, the 88-year-old fête kicks off with arts and crafts, a children's village, blessing of the fleet, art show, a street parade and festival royalty. There's, of course, food and music and even fireworks. The fun gets rolling at 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and even runs to Monday in downtown Morgan City, 305 Everett St. Get a taste of the fun here.
SUICIDEBOYS
New Orleans cousins $lick Sloth and Ruby da Cherry (Scott Arcenaux Jr. and Aristos Petrou) come back to their stomping ground as $UIDICEBOY$ for an epic hip hop concert Friday at 6:30 p.m. at the Smoothie King Center, 1501 Dave Dixon Drive, New Orleans. Joining them will be Ghostemane, City Morgue, Sematary and Ramirez. Ticket start at $29. Check out the ticket situation here.
NORTHSHORE ROLLER DERBY DOUBLEHEADER
It's a NORTHSHORE ROLLER DERBY DOUBLEHEADER when the local Lethal Ladies host the West Florida Roller Derby after the Big Easy Roller Derby goes up against the Troller Derby in a free-wheeling, elbow-slamming event at 5 p.m. Saturday at the Harbor Center, 100 Harbor Center Blvd., Slidell. Collections will also be made for Safe Harbor Northshore. And, there's a halftime show with the Louisiana Ladies Dance Team. Tickets start at $12 in advance. Get rolling toward the fun here.
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, THE VIEW UPSTAIRS, 13, SPRING STORM
Four stage plays open this weekend around the greater metro area, with musicals and more running the gamut from coming-of-age fun to tragic heroines. All the shows are opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday and have different schedules. "SINGIN' IN THE RAIN" opens at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts at Kenner. Check it out here. Jefferson Performing Arts Society stages the New Orleans-based "THE VIEW UPSTAIRS" at the 6400 Airline Drive theater. Take a closer look here. "13" takes off at 30 by Ninety Theatre in Mandeville. Get up on the fun here. The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company opens "SPRING STORM" at Lower Depths Theater at Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles Ave. Get into the storm here.
27TH ANNUAL NO DEAD ARTISTS
"NO DEAD ARTISTS" is a unique juried exhibit that for 27 years has shown the works of contemporary artists from around the world. The 15 artists for 2023 come from the U.S. and China, German, Italy, Greece, Russia, Slovakia and the United Kingdom, and the works will be featured at an opening reception Saturday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Jonathan Ferrara Gallery, 400A Julia St., New Orleans. The opening coincides with the Arts District New Orleans' First Saturday Gallery Openings. The exhibit is up until Oct. 14. Take a look at the works here.
CRUEL SUMMER: A TAYLOR SWIFT DANCE PARTY
Need to bury you sorrows "Swift-ly" because you didn't get your tickets yet? Head over to Tipitina's at Tchoupitoulas Street and Napoleon Avenue Saturday at 8 p.m. for the "CRUEL SUMMER: A TAYLOR SWIFT DANCE PARTY" with some of your closest fellow Swifties and send out the summer and all those bad vibes with a DJ playing the salving sounds of the talented Taylor, plus a costume contest, lip sync battle and bridge challenge, not to mention bracelet trading and Koozies. Tickets start at $20. Don't get "Red" in the face, get going here.