This weekend's fairs and festivals...

The New Orleans-area fair and festival season is in full swing! The big one this weekend is the Gretna Heritage Festival. This one is free for children 12 and under, and $10 for all others (per day - a $25 weekend pass is also available). Judging by the musical talent scheduled to appear on seven different stages (including Soul Asylum, Clarence Carter, and Chicago), the admission fee is a real bargain! The festival gates open at 4pm today, and they'll wrap up Sunday night.

Two of the local Catholic schools are having their fall festivals this weekend as well. St. Ann Church and School in Metairie is presenting "St. Ann and All That Jazz" tonight through Sunday. Dragos will be there tonight preparing their to-die-for chargrilled oysters...
St. Mary Magdalen, also in Metairie, is having their Seafood Festival starting tonight and running through Sunday. Scheduled tonight is their seafood platter dinner in the cafeteria, and a wide array of food will be served in the back field all weekend (everything from smoked turkey legs to gumbo to crawfish cakes and much more). This is NOT the weekend to be on a diet!