OffBeat Magazine

OffBeat contributing writer John Radanovich will have a release party for his new book,  Pérez Prado: King of the Mambo on Thursday June 18 at The Broadside (600 N Broad St), featuring special musical guests, Charlie Halloran and the Tropicales. Journalist Radanovich reads from his brand-new biography of the Cuban bandleader known as the King of the Mambo, Pérez Prado.

Unless you work from home, you probably have to drive to work, find a free place to park on the street, or pay a parking lot for space to park your car while you’re working. Now think about if you had to lug expensive, bulky or heavy equipment to your job every day from a parking place that could potentially be blocks from where you work.

BLERDFEST, the Gulf Coast’s First & Only Black Nerd Festival, returns to McDonogh 35 High School (4000 Roneagle Way in Gentilly) for its fifth annual event on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.as part of their ALL-BLERD WEEKEND. The Gulf Coast’s first and only Black Nerd Festival returns for its fifth annual fest and is about representation, education, and inclusion.

Local music nonprofit Second Line Arts Collective (SLAC) celebrates its 10-year anniversary of both the organization and its founding program, the Sanaa Music Workshop, the first program of its kind in New Orleans. SLAC merges artistic excellence with entrepreneurial training, giving young artists (ages 14 to 24) the tools needed for success by developing musical expertise. The difference is that SLAC’s mission is to build true, sustainable careers for musicians.

The French Market District invites locals and visitors to celebrate one of Louisiana’s most beloved seasonal staples at the 40th Annual Creole Tomato Festival, Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7, 2026, in the historic French Quarter.

The Roots of Music celebrated a major leadership transition during its graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 30, marking both a full circle moment for the organization and a new chapter in its nearly two decade mission of empowering youth through music education, mentorship, and cultural preservation.

The 34th annual Cutting Edge Conference and Entertainment Law Seminar will return to New Orleans August 26–29 at the InterContinental Hotel, bringing together musicians, attorneys, managers, producers and industry professionals for four days of discussions on the future of the entertainment business.

The NOCCA Foundation will bring New Orleans’ legacy of arts education to the nation’s capital with “NOCCA in the Capital,” a two-day celebration taking place June 4–5 in Washington, D.C. The event will commemorate more than 50 years of excellence at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts while examining the evolving role of creativity and arts education in the age of artificial intelligence. Honorary co-chairs include Louisiana Lt. Gov.

New Orleans funk and R&B legend Cyril Neville has released Don’t Wait Til I’m Gone, his first solo album in several years. Produced by trumpeter and vocalist Shamarr Allen, the album features a wide-ranging cast of New Orleans musicians, including members of the Hot 8 Brass Band, guitarist Leo Nocentelli, saxophonist Donald Harrison, keyboardist Ivan Neville and Kermit Ruffins.

Dr. John passed away on June 6, 2019, and since then has been mourned worldwide by fans, friends and family. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and six-time Grammy Award winner left behind unforgettable music to remember him by, including seven critically acclaimed albums released by his Estate, among them a Grammy-nominated studio album.