New Orleans Free and Frugal Events This Weekend

If you happen to be on the north shore this weekend, head over to the Louisiana Gator Fest in Mandeville for plenty of children's activities, music, and of course, alligator dishes!

While you're up that way, bring the kids to the Firehouse Concert at Fire District 12 (19375 LA 36, Covington) at noon on Saturday.  Christian Serpas will perform, and there will be fire safety demonstrations and kids' activities.

Back on the south shore, at 11am Saturday, bring the kids to Borders (in Metairie or Uptown) for games and stories promoting the new PBS Kids series The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That!

If you're child is a member of the Simon Kidgits Club, head over to Esplanade Mall in Kenner for the Groovy '60s Party.  Enjoy games and activities with a '60s theme from 1-3pm.  Yearly Kidgits memberships are only $5.

Take advantage of free admission at the Louisiana Children's Museum on Sunday, courtesy of Target.  The museum will be open from noon until 4:30pm.

Have a wonderful weekend!

New Orleans Free and Frugal Events This Weekend

There are a few local fairs and festivals this weekend that look to be fun. First is the Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival in Belle Chasse. This one is free for 12 and under - just $5 for adults, and the proceeds benefit local charities and fishermen affected by the BP oil spill.

Also this weekend is the Greek Festival at the Hellenic Cultural Center. This is also a $5 admission, with kids 12 and under getting in free. Enjoy all things Greek: food, music, dancing, and art!

Hungry for some crawfish before the season ends? Head over to Washington Square Park for the New Orleans String Project crawfish boil on Saturday from noon until 6pm. Enjoy crafts, music, kids' games and activities, and of course some delicious crawfish! All proceeds from the crawfish sales will benefit the New Orleans String Project.

From 10am to 2pm, check out the free Square and Compass Child Safety and Health Fair at the Kenner Pavilion. Teach your kids about safety, and check out the Fire House courtesy of the Kenner Fire Department!

Halloween Weekend Safety

Hopefully everyone will be out haunting their neighborhoods Saturday night and hauling home lots of candy. We received a reminder today from school that we should be vigilant and check the sex offender registry before trick-or-treating with the kids. It is good practice to be aware of your surroundings always, so do yourself a favor and arm yourself (and your children) with some knowledge by checking out these websites:

Halloween Safety Tips

Louisiana State Police sex offender registry

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children


You can also check out this previous post for a link to an article that shares some staggering statistics.

And while we're on the subject of safety, when you turn your clocks back Saturday night, be sure to change the batteries in your smoke detectors!

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Protect Your Children

Some people would tell you I'm an overprotective parent. Although we live in a pretty nice area, when we first moved into the neighborhood, I registered online with the sheriff's office to notify me of any sexual predators within a one-mile radius of our home. My older son is not allowed to walk 2 doors down to his friend's house without either me or my husband to walk with him - just in case.
I just read, with tears welling in my eyes, this very important article by Leslie Mayorga R.N. BSN, regarding child safety. The statistics mentioned are staggering and heartbreaking. Reading this article just reinforces my actions, and I think its important as parents that we all take a look at the tips here and share them with our children. We can't always be with them, but we can teach them how to protect themselves when we are unable to be there. Please take the time to read Leslie's article, and share it with other parents you know. It could make a difference in the life of a child.
Thanks to Leslie for writing the article, and to Pat from Here & There for brining it to my attention!