There is always something exciting happening in downtown New Orleans. From world famous dining, music and nightlife to exciting sporting events, one-of-a-kind cultural exhibits and art galleries; check out what's happening downtown in May.

Festivals
Jazz & Heritage Festival
5/3/2012 – 5/6/2012

Bayou Boogaloo
5/18/2012 - 5/20/2012

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
5/22/2012 – 5/27/2012

Greek Fest
5/25/2012 – 5/27/2012

Art & Exhibits
Toddler Time
Tues/Thurs 10:30 am
LA Children’s Museum

Story Time
Mon-Sat, 11:00am
LA Children’s Museum

Lunchbox Lecture: Seth Paridon presents “The Hit and Run Carrier Raids and the Battle of the Coral Sea”
Wed, 5/2/2012
National WWII Museum

Film Screening: “Midway”
Thurs, 5/3/2012
Stage Door Canteen

Tell Me A Story
Sat, 5/5/2012
LA Children’s Museum

Family Workshop: “Young Historians Tour”
Sat, 5/5/2012
National WWII Museum

Book Discussion: Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer
Tues, 5/8/2012
Stage Door Canteen

Historic House Workshop: “Purchasing a Move-In-Ready Home – A Beginner’s Guide”
Tues, 5/8/2012
Preservation Resource Center

Unveiling of George Rodrique’s “Aioli Dinner”
Thurs, 5/10/2012
Ogden Museum

Play Day
Sat, 5/12/2012
LA Children’s Museum

Knit-In at the Museum
Sat, 5/12/2012
National WWII Museum

Film Screening: “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”
Tues, 5/15/2012
Stage Door Canteen

Lunchbox Lecture: Walt Burgoyne presents “The Fight for Ethiopia”
Wed, 5/16/2012
National WWII Museum

International Jewelry Fair/General Merchandise Show
Thurs, 5/17/2012
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center

Sippin’ in Seersucker
Fri, 5/18/2012
Ogden Museum

Play Day
Sat, 5/19/2012
LA Children’s Museum

Family Workshop: Code School
Sat, 5/19/2012
National WWII Museum

Joseph Havel
Thru 5/19/2012
Arthur Roger Gallery

David Bates – Down Highway 23
Thru 5/19/2012
Arthur Roger Gallery

Michael Combs – Game Room
Thru 5/19/2012
Jonathan Ferrara Gallery

Tony Fitzpatrick – Nickel History: In the Service of Ghosts
Thru 5/19/2012
Jonathan Ferrara Gallery

Target Free Sunday
Sun, 5/20/2012
LA Children’s Museum

Renovators’ Happy Hour Goes to the Seventh Ward
Thurs, 5/24/2012
Preservation Resource Center

Mitchell Lonas – Undercurrents
Thru 5/25/2012
Callan Contemporary

Asian Heritage Festival
Sat, 5/26/2012
LA Children’s Museum

Shirley Rage Masinter – “Made in Louisiana”
Thru 5/26/2012
Lemieux Galleries

Pub Quiz
Wed, 5/30/2012
National WWII Museum

Victory in Europe Travel Tour
5/30/2012 – 6/17/2012
National WWII Museum

Ken Matsubara – The Sleeping Water
Thru 6/15/2012
Jonathan Ferrara Gallery

Shifting: Photographs by Michael Varisco
Thru 7/23/2012
Ogden Museum

Mark Messersmith: Maximalist and Naturalist
Thru 7/23/2012
Ogden Museum

Alexa Kleinbard: Remedies
Thru 7/23/2012
Ogden Museum

CC Lockwood: Photographs from the Permanent Collection
Thru 7/23/2012
Ogden Museum

Colleen Mullins: Elysium, Woody Woodroof: Field Work, Nell Campbell – Duck Blinds: Louisiana
Thru 7/23/2012
Ogden Museum

Lee Deigaard, Plastic Gulf 2012, single channel video
Thru 7/23/2012
Ogden Museum

Music and Performances
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band Featuring special guests
Every night in May
Preservation Hall

On the Air
Every Weekend in May
Stage Door Canteen

The Victory Belles present Lullaby of Broadway
Every Wednesday
Stage Door Canteen

The Sunday Gospel Brunch
Every Sunday in May
House of Blues

2 Chainz
Tues, 5/1/2012
House of Blues

Boom Boom Room presents Dragon Smoke
Tues, 5/1/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Seun Kuti and Egypt 80
Wed, 5/2/2012
House of Blues

Bear Creek All-Stars featuring Robert Walter, Eddie Roberts, Nikki Glaspie, George Porter Jr. Natalie Cressman plus Wyllys with Jennifer Hartswick
Wed, 5/2/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Wednesday’s at the Square – Marcia Ball plus The Pinettes Brass Band
Wed, 5/2/2012
Lafayette Sqauare

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Thurs, 5/3/2012
House of Blues

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe presents The Rolling Stones “Sticky Fingers” in its entirety with special guest Anders Osborne (late show)
Thurs, 5/3/2012
House of Blues

Soul’d Out and NOLAFUNK presents Allen Stone
Thurs, 5/3/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Grace Potter & the Nocturnals
Fri, 5/4/2012
House of Blues

The New Mastersounds (late show)
Fri, 5/4/2012
House of Blues

Garage a Trois
Fri, 5/4/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Trombone Shorty plus Orleans Avenue with special guests Ozomati
Fri, 5/4/2012
Mahalia Jackson theater

Black Star plus Galactic and the Hot 8 Brass Band
Fri, 5/4/2012
Sugar Mill

Preservation Hall Crescent City Revue
Sat, 5/5/2012
Joy Theater

Nick Lowe and His Band plus The Autumn Defense
Sat, 5/5/2012
House of Blues

The New Mastersounds (late show)
Sat, 5/5/2012
House of Blues  

Primus with Dead Kent G’s & Tony Clifton
Sat, 5/5/2012
Sugar Mill

Filter Magazine and Fender presents Roky Erickson, Morning 40 Federation, Thurston Moore, Oberhofer and more
Sat, 5/5/2012
One Eyed Jacks

An Evening with Eric Lindell
Sun, 5/6/2012
One Eyed Jacks

311
Mon, 5/7/2012
House of Blues

311
Tues, 5/8/2012
House of Blues

Acid Mother Temple with Phantom Family Halo plus The Clang Quartet
Wed, 5/9/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Wednesday’s at the Square - Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe plus Robin Barnes
Wed, 5/9/2012
Lafayette Square

Shirley Valentine
5/9/2012 – 5/17/2012
Southern Repertory Theater

Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3
Thurs, 5/10/2012
Mahalia Jackson Theater

Ogden After Hours – The Geraniums
Thurs, 5/10/2012
Ogden Museum

Rock 92.3 and Rocco’s Old School Tattoo Balm Presents NOLA Rocks
Fri, 5/11/2012
House of Blues

Eyehategod with Fat Stupid Ugly People
Fri, 5/11/2012
One Eyed Jacks

The Amazing Race 2012 presents Kenny Chesney – A Benefit for the Brees Dream Foundation & J.K. Livin Foundation
Sat, 5/12/2012
House of Blues

Heartless Bastards with These United States
Sat, 5/12/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Velveteen Rabbit
Sat, 5/12/2012
Southern Repertory Theater

The Joffrey Ballet
Sat, 5/12/2012
Mahalia Jackson Theater

StarKid Presents: Apocalyptour
Mon, 5/14/2012
House of Blues

Lotus Plaza with Mirror Mode and Frankie Broyles
Wed, 5/16/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Wednesday’s at the Square - Jeremy Davenport plus Brenton Sound
Wed, 5/16/2012
Lafayette Square

Debauchery
Wed, 5/16/2012
Southern Repertory Theater

Ogden After Hours – Alvin “Youngblood” Hart
Thurs, 5/17/2012
Ogden Museum

Shpongle presents The Masquerade plus Phutureprimitve
Fri, 5/18/2012
House of Blues

Reckless Kelly plus Gabriel Kelley
Sat, 5/19/2012
House of Blues

Mahler Symphony No. 9
Sat, 5/19/2012
Mahalia Jackson Theater

Yann Tiersen plus Piano Chat
Sun, 5/20/2012
House of Blues

Black Dice with Nicky Da B and Rotten Milk
Sun, 5/20/2012
One Eyed Jacks

The Darkness
Wed, 5/23/2012
House of Blues

Father John Misty with Har Mar Superstar
Wed, 5/23/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Wednesday’s in the Square - Trombone Shorty plus the Hot 8 Brass Band
Wed, 5/23/2012
Lafayette Square

6X6
Wed, 5/23/2012
Southern Repertory Theater

Great Lake Swimmers with Cold Specks
Thurs, 5/24/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Ogden After Hours – Spinning Leaves
Thurs, 5/24/2012
Ogden Museum

k.d. lang
Fri, 5/25/2012
Mahalia Jackson Theater

Bustout Burlesque
Sat, 5/26/2012
House of Blues

Shantel’s Dance Academy
Sat, 5/26/2012
Mahalia Jackson Theater

Rights of Spring: A Burlesque Benefit for Planned Parenthood and Celebration of Reproductive Rights
Sat, 5/26/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Performing Arts Dance Center
Sun, 5/27/2012
Mahalia Jackson Theater

YACHT
Mon, 5/28/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Wednesday’s in the Square - Walter Wolfman Washington plus Billy Iuso
Wed, 5/30/2012
Lafayette Square

St. Vitus with Dixie Witch plus Star and Dagger
Wed, 5/30/2012
One Eyed Jacks

Ogden After Hours – Kelcy Mae
Thurs, 5/31/2012
Ogden Museum

Markets
Crescent City Farmers Market
Saturdays, 8am-12pm
Magazine St and Girod St

ArtWorks Market Place
Saturdays, 11am-5pm
Louisiana ArtWorks

Sports
World Series of Poker Circuit Events
5/10/2012 – 5/21/2012
Harrah’s Casino

VooDoo vs. Pittsburgh Power
Fri, 5/18/2012
New Orleans Arena

VooDoo vs. Arizona Rattlers
Sat, 5/26/2012
New Orleans Arena

WWE Raw Super Show
Mon, 5/28/2012
New Orleans Arena