If you're looking for something new to try at the 30th edition of French Quarter Fest, skip the shrimp and gator sausage cheesecake and check out the inaugural Film Festival, presented by local filmmaking collective Timecode:NOLA. The documentary-heavy program features stories of local music culture, and a look at NOLA neighborhoods from the film fest organizers.

by Daniel Paschall

Just like on Mardi Gras, New Orleans didn't let a little severe weather alert get in the way of one of the local biggest parties of the year on Thursday. French Quarter Fest's locals lagniappe day went on despite the heavy afternoon downpour. After the sun shined through, photographer Daniel Paschall was there to capture the good times rolling. Click through to view the results:

We've had a couple days to roll into French Quarter Fest, but today is the main event. With all of the fete's stages belting out all day long and the weather nothing short of picturesque, Saturday is looking to be a prime day for cutting loose. Below, NoDef hand picks our festival selections for this fine Saturday:

Today, the French Quarter Fest explodes into its second day with a lineup much bigger than yesterday's, Hurray for The Riff Raff have a record release party at the Allways Lounge, and the Royal Teeth have a Zoolander throwback party at the Republic. This day in history, Legendary record producer and owner of famed J&M Studios Cosimo Matassa was born in New Orleans (1926), and in the 1964 Grammy Awards Louis Armstrong picked up the award (his only Grammy) for Best Male Vocal Performance for "Hello, Dolly." Click through for more.

Throughout French Quarter Fest, local podcast producer Aura Fedora will ask five questions of four different scheduled acts. For t installment, she caught up with The Revivalists' David Shaw. 

“Original, soulful and from the heart. “ That’s how vocalist David Shaw describes the sound and feel of The Revivalists’ music. With very obvious blues and soul influences melded with rock, they power through more tour dates in support of their newest release, City of Sound.

Today, the French Quarter Festival bursts out with the likes of the Pfister Sisters, Rebirth Brass Band, Papa Grows Funk and more. Last year, a Thursday night bill was Lagniappe. But this year it gets full inclusion into the fest schedule with New Orleans heavyweights playing. Check out our picks, plus a couple more events happening in New Orleans today:

As French Quarter Fest approaches 30, mid-20s anxiety about growing up too fast has settled into steady, strategic additions. Even as it adds new stages and vendors, and expands into a new day, the Fest maintains its appeal as a fine opportunity to take a stroll through the Quarter in some of the nicest weather of the year and hear the local music that goes with such a setting.

This week French Quarter Fest kicked off, and NoDef's own Paul M. was on hand to cover the excitement. Amongst our favorites were Ingrid Lucia, Shamarr Allen & the Underdawgs, Glen David Andrews, and the Lost Bayou Ramblers. (We love LBR's collection of Cajun & Creole drinking songs!)

We threw together a playlist of some of their best songs to accompany our exclusive photos. It's all after the break!