New Orleanians love to throw a good party–keep in mind this is a city that dances in the street after a funeral. So don’t fret if you miss the big money draws Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest. There are still plenty of festivals to go around, including Southern Decadence with the ultimate drag parade down Royal Street; the French Quarter Festival in April that attracts local and international bands as well as some of Jazz Fest’s favorite food vendors; and the Creole Tomato Festival, a smaller affair, but just as delicious.

Music

A ton of musical history and a citywide penchant for “shakin’ it” make New Orleans ground zero for catching great music all year long. Even more good news: if you go local and hit clubs outside the French Quarter you’ll find yourself rarely paying more than a $5 cover charge with standard bar prices.

New Orleans is most famous for Jazz. This is where the national art form was born, and the natives haven’t forgotten it. You can capture the various evolutionary forms of this African/European musical merger throughout the city. Fans of Dixieland should stick with the Quarter’s top venues: Fritzel’s and Preservation Hall–understandably touristy, but undeniably soul satisfying. Swingers and hipsters should make an appointment to check out Harry Connick Jr. back-up man Jeremy Davenport at the luxuriously kitschy Red Room on St. Charles. Modern Jazz buffs will enjoy the omnipresence of Ellis Marsalis, father of Wynton and Brandon, and musical director at the University of New Orleans. During the school year, he holds court every week at the Sand Bar in the school’s student union. You can also catch Ellis in various combos at Snug Harbor on Frenchmen Street. For contemporary New Orleans style jazz, stick with acts such as Kermit Ruffins at Vaughn’s, Nicholas Payton or Los Hombres Calientes at the Funky Butt on Rampart Street, and brass bands like The Dirty Dozen at Donna’s, conveniently next door to the Funky Butt.

The next most popular New Orleans musical requests? Cajun and Zydeco, additional examples of the melding of European and African stylings. Both genres fall under the “unapologetic dance” heading and draw on their strong regional country roots (accordions, washboards and smatterings of French). Tipatina’s Uptown hosts a Fais-Do-Do every Sunday night featuring the traditional selections of Bruce Daigrepont. The sessions serve as a weekly reunion of Cajun aficionados from around the city , but beginners are welcomed whole heartedly. At Mid-City Lanes Rock and Bowl, the pine floor boards creak as Zydeco bands play to enthusiastic throngs every Thursday night. Finally, check out Mulate’s on Julia Street, a great place to brush up on your waltz and get some good grub.

Speaking of dancing, international enthusiasts can get their tango/reggae/salsa groove on at Frenchmen Street’s Cafe Brasil. And don’t go forgetting the funk! Look for acts like former Meters man George Porter Jr. and Walter “Wolfman” Washington at the Maple Leaf on Oak Street Uptown or the French Quarter’s House of Blues.

For a special alternative treat, take a cab to the difficult to find, impossible to forget Mermaid Lounge on Constance Street near the freeway overpass. Built, owned, and staffed by local musicians, the Mermaid is where many prominent local bands developed their loyal followers. Between sets, grab a dollar Schaeffer and kick back at the cafe-style tables or outside on the hoods of cars that line the club’s dead end street.

It’s back into the Quarter and the House of Blues for bigger name out-of-town acts. Other night life attractions to be found in the area include Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Cafe, full-tilt silly karaoke at Cat’s Meow on Bourbon Street, and bass bumping house and disco tunes at neighboring Bourbon Pub and Oz, two of the more integrated gay clubs in the city.

Wind things down with a visit to Kerry’s Irish Pub on Decatur Street or O’Flaherty’s on Toulouse. Both spots preserve the integrity of Irish pub culture: quiet conversation, respect for local musicians and relaxed service.

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