We got your weekend: Post-Mardi plans

Friday / Just bust a move : Get down to popular music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s at Ashé’s Dancing Through the Decades benefit for the Central City Rennaissance Alliance. In addition to the retro hits, the event will feature a vintage fashion show, a dance challenge, old fashioned burgers and root-beer floats, a nostalgic candy table, and a photo booth. 7 – 10 PM. Tickets are $25.

Leslie Castay performs cabaret at Mid City Theatre

Friday & Saturday/ Show tuney : Mid City Theatre kicks off Cabaret Month — which is, well, exactly what the name implies — with Broadway (the real one, not the black hole of frat houses Uptown) vet Leslie Castay. Expect to hear tunes from Broadway hits such as Guys and Dolls and Wicked to standard American jazz numbers. 8 PM both days. Tickets are $25.

Saturday / A jack of all trades : St Claude Lab, a store-front educational space aimed to abridge the gap between the classroom, professional design network, and community, in the Bywater, and Dancing Grounds finally opens its doors to the public, with a day of free classes, performances, and a second line. From 10 AM – 4 PM, Dancing Grounds invites guests to partake in dance classes, creative writing activities by Press Street, and Youth DJ classes by NOLA Mix. Following, there will be a Pocket Park dedication ceremony, a silent auction; a visual art exhibit, dance performances, improv comedy by Machine A, live music and spoken word performances. The event is free and open to the public.

Saturday / Detox : Whether you’re giving up red meat for lent or still reeling from the horrendous Carnival hangover, the OCH Art Market will help you stay or get back on a heathy track. The monthly art market, open 10 AM – 3 PM, has appropriately themed their upcoming gathering under a “wellness” umbrella. In addition to the art for sale, local vendors will be selling health-oriented products and foods — from fresh juices to handmade green tea soaps. The market is free and open to the public.

The Downtown Irish Club leads a pre-St. Patrick’s Day parade and street party on Sunday.

Sunday / Practice makes perfect : If you’ve made a speedy recovery from Mardi Gras festivities, you can begin your  St Patrick’s Day celebration a week early. From noon – 5 PM, the Downtown Irish Club hosts a pre-Patty’s Day “stroll” in the Bywater, followed by some shenanigans at Markey’s Bar, including live music by Kan-Dee-Side, bagpipes, corned beef and cabbage, sheperd’s pie, raffles, and, of course, beer. The event is free and open to the public.

Chelsea Lee is associate editor at nolavie. Email comments to her at chelsea@nolavie.com.