There’s a little something for everyone this hump day, with David Sedaris at Tulane, free music in Lafayette Square, and even a live talk show on St. Claude. On this day in our state’s history, Buddy Roemer III beat three-term Governor Edwin Edwards in the 1987 Gubernatorial Election.

Tonight, catch weekly music gigs all over the city, or see Gotye on the New Orleans stop of his big tour. Head to Tulane for a dramatic revisiting of an old southern tabloid, or see some free shows and help feed New Orleans at Harvest the Music. Today in Louisiana history, Cindy K. Bell became the first woman Louisiana State Trooper (1974). Happy Birthday to Cyril Neville, born October 10, 1948! Now, more on today's events. 

Today in the Big Easy, dance in Lafayette Square after work, hear local gigs all over the city, or bounce into the late night hours at the Big Top. For those looking for something a little off the beaten path, “Esoterotica,” is at the Allways with original erotic readings from local writers. Happy Birthday to the trumpet player and UNO Alum Nicholas Payton, who makes 39 today. The son of late bassist Walter Payton won a Grammy Award in 1997 for his song “Stardust.” Now, more on what’s happening today in New Orleans.

by April Siese

Harvest the Music, the concert series benefitting Second Harvest Food Bank returns tomorrow to Lafayette Square. Running every Wednesday from September 19 - October 24, Harvest the Music acts as the benevolent fall incarnate of Wednesdays at the Square, a springtime tradition also in Lafayette Square. In addition to bountiful music offerings, the series supports the work of Second Harvest Food Bank. As the run starts this year, need in the community from the aftermath of Hurricane Isaac, as well as at Second Harvest itself.

With the local spring festival season often crowded and the ever-expanding national summer festival season pulling in more and more acts, New Orleans citizens know all too well the feeling of viewing their favorite bands’ tour schedules and seeing their city leapfrogged and left out.  But we have finally come to fall, and event calendars around town are filling up quickly with out of town acts as well as unique local alternatives and new combinations of old favorites.

With Labor Day past us, fall lineups are coming in fast and furious. Today, the annual autumnal concert series in Lafayette Square known as Harvest the Music announced its lineup. Just like the spring's Wednesday at the Square, the happy hour concerts run from 5 - 8 p.m. In the fall, they benefit Second Harvest food bank, but admission is free. This year's series, which kicks off Sept. 19, is absurdly packed with all-star lineups, and includes Dr. John, Anders Osborne, a Mississippi blues blowout and much more. Click through to view the schedule:

Today, Harvest the Music gives a taste of Bama sans Roll Tide chants, John Waters' Desperate Living plays at Antenna Gallery, and The Cool Kids hit up Howlin' Wolf. But on this day in the books, The First Continental Congress adjourned in Philadelphia (1774), The Erie Canal opened (1825), Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty (1994), the U.S. passed the Patriot Act (2001), Mahalia Jackson was born (1911), and Elizabeth Cady Stanton died (1902). Now read more about today:

Today, Harvest the Music continues its run in Lafayette Square, Irene Moon gets weird on Oretha Castle Haley, and Teenage Tupelo screens at Antenna Gallery. Before this debauchery, Chief Justice John Jay was sworn in as the first Chief Justice of the United States (1789), when Germany withdrew from the League of Nations (1933), when the U.S. imposed an embargo on exports to Cuba (1960), when Evander Holyfield (1962) and Chris Kattan (1970) were born, and when Edna St. Vincent Millay died (1950).

Today, Harvest the Music yields Trombone Shorty and the Stooges, The Weir closes at Deutches House, and Dr. Caligari screens at Antenna Gallery. In related news, October 12 has seen America’s first insane asylum open for ‘Person of Insane and Disordered Minds’ in Virginia (1773), Columbus Day first celebrated in NY (1792), the first Oktoberfest held, in Munich, Germany (1810), Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy published (1979),  Robert E. Lee’s death (1870), and National Free Thought Day. Think whatcha wanna with these:

Today, Irma Thomas will harvest the music, Mr. Okra will get his 12 minutes of film fame and Ann McCutchan will talk Atchafalaya on Maple Street. But way back when, the World Series was broadcast on the radio for the first time (1921), PBS was founded (1970), McDonalds entrepreneur Ray A. Kroc was born (1902), and Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis died (1941); On World Teachers’ Day, New Orleans offers the following: