Tagged: events

Civil War-era children's games, a hike to learn which wild plants are edible and animal tracking for kids are among activities planned at Louisiana state parks and historic sites for the second National Kids to Parks Day.

Fourteen state parks and historic sites around Louisiana plan kids' activities on May 19.

It's promoted as a nationwide day of outdoor play, encouraging families to explore the outdoors and their nearby parks.

The National Park Service and the National Park Trust started the event last year.

The World War II Museum, which opened June 6, 2000, expects its three millionth visitor to arrive sometime Tuesday.

The museum has been experiencing record-setting attendance. Last month, it had a total of 44,807 visitors — the most ever in a one-month period — and over 1,000 more than its previous record month in March 2010.

Based on current visitor total and visitation trends, the museum will expect the three millionth visitor around midmorning.

A presentation ceremony will begin at 11:30 a.m. CDT.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The "American Idol Live!" tour will stop in the home states of gospel singer Joshua Ledet and country rocker Skylar Laine. Ledet, Laine and the other Top 10 singers will be at the Louisiana Cajundome in Lafayette on July 30, and in the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson on July 31.

In conjunction with Jazzfest, the 5th annual free entertainment industry conference called Sync-Up kicks off today.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Comedian and actor Kevin Hart has been added to the main stage lineup for the 2012 Essence Music Festival.

Organizers say Hart, hot on the heels of his starring role in this week's No. 1 film, "Think Like a Man," will debut his comedic talents during the festival scheduled for July 6-8 at the Superdome. Hart joins a lineup that includes Aretha Franklin, Mary J. Blige, Charlie Wilson, Ledisi, Fantasia, and Eve.

The festival drew more than 422,000 attendees last year.

THIBODAUX, La. (AP) — Louisiana's Democratic U.S. senator, Mary Landrieu, will be an honorary co-chair of an upcoming small business conference in Baton Rouge, along with Wendy Vitter, wife of Republican Sen. David Vitter.

The two-day event, set for May 3-4, in Baton Rouge will be the Louisiana Women's Leaders Conference on Small Business Entrepreneurship. It's sponsored by the Louisiana Center for Women and Government, headquartered at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

The conference will be held at the Renaissance Hotel in Baton Rouge. Keynote speakers will include former "Good Morning America" host Joan Lunden.

Other speakers include Moira Forbes, publisher of Forbes Woman; and Professor Sam Bacharach of Cornell University.