Help Haiti and Have Fun in New Orleans

Help Haiti and have fun:

Here’s a few parties and benefit concerts happening this weekend that support Haitian earthquake relief:

Tonight:

Irvin Mayfield & the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra and Christ Church Episcopal Cathedral sponsor the New Orleans to Haiti Relief Concert to benefit the Episcopal Relief and Development Fund for Haiti. The concert is at Christ Church (2919 St. Charles Ave.) Suggested donations start at $25. 7 p.m.

The George and Leah McKenna Museum of African American Art (2003 Carondelet St.) hosts the Party With a Purpose, which benefits the Ecole Nationale des Arts and Peniel Guerrier, artistic director of the Ballet Folklorique Tamboula d’Haiti. The Soul Rebels Brass Band, Chuck Perkins & Voices of the Big Easy, the Newcomb and Tulane University Faculty Departments of Theatre and Dance and some DJs are slated to perform. There’s also a Haitian dance class and silent auction before the benefit at 6:30 p.m. Suggestion donations start at $10. 8 p.

Saturday:

Local hip-hop artists perform for Konbit Pou Edikasyon’s I AM AYITI benefit concert at Howlin’ Wolf (907 S. Peters St.). The lineup includes Truth Universal, Suave, The Sekond Element, Tygah Woods, Lyrikill, A LEVY and Dain. Suggestion donations start at $10. 8 p.m.

The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society presents Cocktails for a Cause at Cure (4905 Freret St.) to benefit the Red Cross. The event features two cocktails: Oloffson’s Punch, made with a Haitian rum, and the Sazerac, which has Haitian roots because of the Peychaud’s Bitters, created when the Peychaud family was living in Saint Domingue. 5 p.m.

Sweet Lorraine’s Jazz Club (1931 Saint Claude Ave.) hosts the There, But For The Grace benefit concert. Funds raised will ship medical supplies and equipment to Haiti and will support the Hope for Haitian Children Foundation. The lineup includes Kermit Ruffins, Michael Ward, Bob French & the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, Clarence Johnson and others. Suggested donations start at $25. 7 p.m.

Later in the week:

Friday, Jan. 29: The First Presbyterian Church (5401 S. Claiborne Ave.) hosts a benefit concert to benefit Doctors Without Borders and the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance. Musicians Amanda Wadsworth, Peter Cho’s Piano Trio, Dickie Thomas and other musicians are scheduled to perform. Suggested donations start at $10. 6 p.m.