FESTIVALS

FORESTIVAL: A Studio in the Woods will present "FORESTival: A Celebration of Art and Nature" from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at 13401 Patterson Road, in Lower Algiers. Shamarr Allen, Sabine McCalla and Wayne Singleton & Same Ol’ 2 Step will perform. Tulane University scientists will lead walks in the woods. FORESTival is the only time that A Studio in the Woods is open to the public. Suggested donation is $15 per adult. www.astudiointhewoods.org.

JEAN LAFITTE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL: Travis Tritt and Lauren Alaina will be the musical headliners during the Jean Lafitte Seafood Festival  on Nov. 11-13 at Jean Lafitte Auditorium, 4953 City Park Drive, Jean Lafitte. Visitors can enjoy live music, Louisiana food, swamp tours, kayak rentals, carnival rides and an art walk. Tickets are $10 for Friday and $15 for Saturday and Sunday. A weekend wristband is $30. Tickets can be purchased at www.lafitteseafoodfestival.com.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

BIKING ST. BERNARD: Cyclists from across the country will gather at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 5, for Tour da Parish, a noncompetitive bike ride beginning and ending at the Los Islenos Heritage Site, 1345 Bayou Road, St. Bernard. Registration from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the day of the event is $60. Jambalaya and fried catfish will be served after the ride.

CAMP PARAPET DAY: Camp Parapet, an 1861 fortification built by the Confederacy to defend New Orleans, will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5. The powder magazine is the sole remaining structure of the original vast complex. Camp Parapet is at 2801 Arlington St. in Old Jefferson. Infantry and artillery units will be on hand to explain the life of the soldier during the Civil War.

WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT: Executive coach Dima Ghawi will be the keynote speaker when the River Parishes Chamber of Commerce holds a women's empowerment session from 9:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 9 at Legacy, 737 Paul Maillard Road, Luling. Tickets are $65, with discounts for members, at (985) 359-9777 or operations@riverregionchamber.org. 

NOPL BOOK SALE: The Friends of the New Orleans Public Library will hold a book sale from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 12 at the Milton Latter Library, 5120 St. Charles Ave. 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. is for members only. For information about membership, visit friendsnola.org.

COIN SHOW: Mardi Gras doubloons and foreign coins will be among the items on display when the Crescent City Coin Club holds a show Nov. 18-19 at The Columbus Room, 3310 Florida Ave., Kenner. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Free. For information about the club, visit www.crescentcitycoinclub.org or email cccoinclub@gmail.com.

1972 RAULT CENTER FIRE DOCUMENTARY: A fire that engulfed the Lamplighter Club on the 16th floor of the Rault Center in downtown New Orleans will be detailed in a 45-minute documentary to be screened at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 29, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. The fire resulted in six fatalities and changed state law requiring high-rise buildings to have sprinklers. Admission is free.

CONCERTS & CULTURE

U. S. NAVY COMMODORES BAND: The jazz ensemble of the U.S. Navy Band Commodores will present two free performances in New Orleans in November: 

  • Nov. 3, 3 p.m., Loyola University Roussel Performance Hall, 6301 St. Charles Ave. 
  • Nov. 12, 2 p.m., The National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine St.

For ticket information, visit www.navyband.navy.mil. 

HOLIDAY MUSIC AT METAIRIE LIBRARY: The East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, will present eight free concerts as part of its holiday programming.

  • Trombone Choir of New Orleans Concert Band, 7 p.m. Nov. 17
  • Jerusalem Shrine Jazz Orchestram 7 p.m. Dec. 6
  • The Piatigorsky Concert, 7 p.m. Dec. 13
  • American Legion Post 377 Band, 7 p.m. Dec. 14
  • New Aurora Saxophone Ensemble, 7 p.m. Dec. 15
  • Mike Scorsone Presents, 7 p.m. Dec. 19
  • Memory Lane, 1 p.m. Dec. 20
  • The Jefferson Parish Community Band, 7 p.m. Dec. 22.

CAMPS

LOUISIANA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM: Registration is open for winter camps for ages 4-8 at the Louisiana Children's Museum, 15 Henry Thomas Drive, New Orleans. The Kindness Camp will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 21-23. There will be Cozy Camp sessions from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 19-23 and Dec. 26-30. Cost is $65 a day, with discounts for museum members. For information, email camps@lcm.org.

BROTHER MARTIN BASEBALL CAMP: Boys ages 6-12 can hone their baseball skills during a holiday camp from 9 a, m. to noon Nov. 21-23 on E.A. Farley Field at Brother Martin High School, 4401 Elysian Fields Ave., New Orleans. The cost is $125. To register, visit www.brothermartin.com by Nov. 18.

BOOKS

CHILDREN'S FRENCH LITERATURE: The Alliance Française of New Orleans is planning a children's French literature festival Nov. 3-5 at the Alliance headquarters, 1519 Jackson Ave, New Orleans. Activities will include:

  • A performance of the story "Le Loup en Slip" ("The Wolf in Underpants") by French author Wilfrid Lupano
  • Create your own cartoons with Éditions Animées
  • Storytime by Louisiana author Barry Ancelet. 

DOWN-HOME BOOK READINGS: Blue Cypress Books, 8123 Oak St., New Orleans, will sync up with the Po-Boy Fest a block away with a series of readings by authors with local ties from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 6: 

  • Shannon Atwater, 10:30 a.m.
  • Kevin Belton, 11:30 a.m.
  • Marti Dumas, 12:30 p.m.
  • Jarred Zeringue, 1:30 p.m.
  • Poppy Tooker, 2:30 p.m.
  • Alex Jennings, 3:30 p.m.

"BAR MENU": André Darlington will discuss his new book for happy hour hosts, "Bar Menu: 100+ Drinking Food Recipes for Cocktail Hours at Home," at 6 p.m. Nov. 10 at The Chickory House, 610 S. Peters St., New Orleans. Tickets are $30 with a copy of the book, or $10 without, at eventbrite.com. 

"THE WISE MEN WHO FOUND CHRISTMAS": Author and broadcaster Raymond Arroyo will sign copies of his new children’s picture book, “The Wise Men Who Found Christmas Reveals the True Story of the Magi and Their Epic Adventure" at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at Barnes & Noble, 3721 Veterans Blvd., Metairie.

"A HAUNTED ROAD ATLAS": Podcasters Christine Schiefer and Em Schulz will discuss and sign copies of their new book, "A Haunted Road Atlas: Sinister Stops, Dangerous Destinations and True Crime Tales" at 6 p.m. Nov. 2 at the Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St., New Orleans. Tickets are $28, including a copy of the book, at eventbrite.com. 

"THE LAST HILL": Co-author Bob Drury will discuss “The Last Hill: The Epic Story of a Ranger Battalion and the Battle that Defined WWII” at 6 p.m. Nov. 3 at the Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St., New Orleans. The book tells the story of “Rudder’s Rangers,” the most elite and experienced attack unit the Army had at that time, that served as the spearhead into Germany in December 1944. Tickets are $30, which includes a copy of the book, at eventbrite.com. 

FUNDRAISERS/GALAS 

TRINITY LOAVES AND FISHES: A Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Cathy Posey, and Jason Haney and Ben Haney will be honored as volunteers of the year at a fundraiser for Trinity Loaves and Fishes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at the home of Frances and Calvin Fayard Jr., 5809 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans. Trinity Loaves and Fishes provides 800 to 1,000 meal bags and 110 hot meals a week for the needy. Tickets are $50 at trinitynola.com. 

SUICIDE PREVENTION: The Louisiana chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will participate in the nationwide Out of the Darkness community walks, with its event on Sunday, Nov. 6, at Lafreniere Park, 3000 Downs Blvd., Metairie. To donate or participate, visit www.afsp.org/nola.

NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART: The Odyssey gala benefiting the New Orleans Museum of Art will be from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Nov. 8, at the museum, 1 Collins Diboll Circle, New Orleans. Tickets are $300 with discounts for Young Fellows. For tickets, visit noma.org/event/odyssey-2022/. 

THE ROOTS OF MUSIC: The Big 15 gala to benefit The Roots of Music will be from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at The Sazerac House, 101 Magazine St. The program provides low-income New Orleans children ages 4-15 with music instruction. Tickets are $125 general admission and $200 for patron party at bidpal.net/rom or contact Erica Spruille at (504) 407-1027 or espruille@therootsofmusic.org.

YMCA ADULT LITERACY: The Corporate Classic, presented by the Crescent City Classic, will begin at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, at New Orleans City Park. Proceeds will benefit the adult literacy program of YMCA’s Educational Services . Discounted registration of $40 is available through Nov. 4 at www.ccc10k.com. The Crescent City Classic will be April 8. 

ARTISTS WITH AUTISM: The Chartwell Center of Easterseals Louisiana has established an all-inclusive art exhibition featuring artists with autism, which will be on display at 6 p.m. Nov. 12 at 935 Gravier St., Suite 720, New Orleans. Tickets are $200 for two at eastersealslouisiana.salsalabs.org/ArtforAutism2022. 

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM: The Improvisations Gala benefiting the New Orleans Jazz Museum will be from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. Dec. 3 at 400 Esplanade Ave., New Orleans. Tickets begin at $150 at eventbrite.com. The lineup will include Irma Thomas; Galactic, featuring Anjelika Jelly Joseph; Mahmoud Chouki; Aurora Nealand; Tim Laughlin; and the Original Wild Tchoupitoulas. 

CLASSES

ELDER LAW: Jason Frank, president of Frank, Frank & Scherr LLC, will speak on “Elder Law: Legal Issues that Impact Seniors” at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Homer L. Hitt Alumni Center, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, at the University of New Orleans. Dues for the monthly Learning Before Lunch lecture series are $25 or $30 for a couple; a $5 donation for guests is requested. For information, visit www.learningbeforelunch.com.

FREE EXERCISE CLASSES: The nonprofit Be Well — Come Together is organizing free exercise classes modified for all levels from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at 2525 Apollo Ave., Harvey. No registration is required. For information, call (504) 368-2525 or email bewellcometogether@gmail.com.

MEETINGS 

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES: Elections for new officers of Vernon N. Landry Chapter 1398 of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees will be held when the group meets for lunch at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in the Sicilian Room of Rocky and Carlo’s Restaurant, 613 W. St. Bernard Highway, Chalmette. 

EAST JEFFERSON GENERAL HOSPITAL AUXILIARY: A meeting of the East Jefferson General Hospital Auxiliary will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 10, in Esplanade Room 2 of the EJGH/LCMC Hospital Conference Center, 4200 Houma Blvd., Metairie. For information, email Rosalie Edwards at rosalieedwards@aol.com. 

REPUBLICAN WOMEN'S CLUB OF JEFFERSON PARISH: Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain will be a guest speaker, along with Jefferson Parish Councilwoman Jennifer Van Vrancken, when the Republican Women's Club of Jefferson Parish meet at 11:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at Metairie Country Club, 580 Woodvine Ave. $38 cost goes up to $42 after Nov. 11. To make a reservation, contact Lynn Duvernay at (504) 416-6612 or rwc.jeffparish@gmail.com.