Laissez les bon temps rouler avec nous on the REAL Fat Tuesday, Tuesday, February 17. We love New Orleans, and Mardi Gras, perhaps the most widely known celebration of its culture ought to be a national holiday. Well, we’re going to make it one in the Steel Valley anyway.

New Orleans is so much more than bourbon street. Its culture is inextricably wound with its music, its food, its cocktails, its beer, and, ultimately, its people and the buoyant celebration of life, death, and our tour around this sun and universe.

We’re blowing this one out. Let’s start with the tunes. Kicking us off for an early open are our pals from Check Your Bucket, who play the tightest renditions of classic NOLA funk songs and southern soul around. They’re playing from Noon to 3 p.m. Then, we’ll have John Gresh Gris Gris from 3:30-6:30, followed by Paul Cosentino and the Boilermaker Jazz Band from 7-10, who will play us out in style like they always do, to a marching rendition of the Saints Go Marching In.

J. Malls,will be spinning two vintage NOLA vinyl from his collection in between all sets and selling some NOLA gems from his deep collection.

We’ll also have NOLA cocktails — think Sazeracs and Hurricanes — to buttress our draft list, including the first tastes of our lenten beers.

We’ll also have NOLA food galore, with Gumbo, Po’Boys, Muffuletta sandwiches, fried okra and cajun spices galore!

So leave work early and let’s do this right to pay our favorite city the homage it deserves.

Prost!