Men's Journal

Finish April with a bang by mountain bike racing in California, toasting cold beers in Oregon, or jamming at a massive music festival in New Orleans.

By Nate Storey

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, April 24-26 & April 30-May 3
New Orleans, Louisiana

An expected crowd of 400,000 will file into the Fair Grounds Race Course outside the French Quarter this weekend to pay homage to the bayou’s indigenous music history. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival features 12 music stages, locally inspired art, and loads of authentic Creole food (make sure and sample a bowl of crawfish bisque or chow on some shrimp and okra gumbo). When you get full, browse the original paintings and handmade crafts in the Louisiana Marketplace or find your way to the Louisiana Folk Life Village to watch musicians meticulously handcraft accordions and guitars. Congo Square is where headliner Wynton Marsalis will play at 4:40 p.m. On Saturday, test your lungs on a didgeridoo or gawk at the intricate hand-cast glass objects that will litter the fair ground. Depending on your mood, go witness James Taylor rev up the crowd on his guitar at the Acura Stage or listen to Grammy Award winner Erykah Badu bellow her soul music in Congo Square. Finish the weekend Sunday evening with a live performance by the Dave Matthews Band.

Travel and Accommodation
New Orleans serves all major airlines. The Best Western Landmark Hotel was showing the least expensive rate at $109 per night. For a full list of hotels with Jazz Fest deals click here.

 

 

 

 

US Cup Mountain Bike Racing Series — Santa Ynez Valley Classic, April 24-26
Los Olivos, California

For cross-country, downhill, super D, and dual slalom mountain bike racing, head to the rolling hills of central California for the Santa Ynez Valley Classic, one of the stops on the newly minted US Cup Mountain Bike Racing Series. Pros and Amateurs alike will flock to Charlotte’s Meadow on Friday at 3 p.m. for registration (register here). On Saturday, the downhill gets started early with a practice session before the race at 11:30 a.m. (enter the race for as little as $35). In the afternoon, pick your poison as both the dual slalom ($40) and Super D ($25) get underway on their respective tracks. The cross-country (from $35) runs at 10 a.m. on Sunday, or if you’re still licking your wounds from the previous day’s rides, eschew the track for a leisurely tour through wine country ($120).

Travel and Accommodation
Los Angeles is the closest major airport and a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Los Olivos. Rooms at the Quality Inn Santa Ynez Valley are $109 per night during the weekend, or you can camp on-site for $10 per night.

 

Oregon Garden Brewfest, April 24-25
Silverton, Oregon

Beer drinkers will flock to the northwest this weekend for the Oregon Garden Brewfest. Amid acres of foliage and ponds at Oregon Garden, beer aficionados will pack the Grand Hall for a mix of lagers, ales, and porters. The taps start flowing on Friday at 4 p.m. ($15 gets you a commemorative mug and six tasting tickets). Once you’ve had time to guzzle a few, watch Rhoades & the Party Kings get bluesy with their harmonica-inspired jams at 5 p.m. With about 30 different beers to try, it’s a good thing Saturday is an all-day event. At 1 p.m. the winner of the Oregon Garden 5th Annual Homebrewers Classic will be crowned. From there grab an award-winning brat from Mt. Angel Sausage Company and enjoy the live music until you can no longer stand upright.

Travel and Accommodation
Silverton is a 45-minute drive south from Portland. The Oregon Garden Resort has rooms starting at $199.