News:
Josh Turner in Concert, May 11 - Contraband Days presents Josh Turner on his Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Tour, sponsored by the Isle of Capri Casino Hotel, performing on the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum, Malibu Rum Stage at 8:30 p.m. To see a full schedule of Contraband Days events, visit www.contrabanddays.com. 

Support Southwest Louisiana's American Idol, Joshua Ledet! Catch Josh and American Idol each week Wednesdays from 7 - 9 p.m. on FOX. Afterward, make sure to vote by calling Toll-free, Texting or voting online at www.americanidol.com. Voting will open at the end of each performance show on Wednesday night at 9:01 p.m. You will have at least two hours to cast your votes. Check out www.visitlakecharles.org/teamjosh to download your own TEAM JOSH social media avatar to show your support online. 

Team Josh Viewing Party! Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. at the Westlake Multi-Purpose Complex. Come out and vote for Joshua Ledet and you might even become a local celebrity. There will be film crews filming the American Idol viewing party!

FREE Hospitality Ambassador Training Program, May 9 - Organizations participating in the Game On! program will gain a more informed and motivated team, prepared to provide excellent guest service. Sponsored by the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau, there will be two sessions offered, one at 9 a.m. or 1 p.m. at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Lake Charles. RSVP by May 2 to (337) 436-9588 or mhartman@visitlakecharles.org. Visit www.visitlakecharles.org/gameon.

Featured Events:
Contraband Days, Louisiana Pirate Festival, Now - May 13 - Back for its 55^th year, pirates of all ages are encouraged to come out during the two-week long festival with carnival rides, games, entertainment and live music on multiple stages! Contraband Days presents Josh Turner's Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Tour sponsored by Isle of Capri, other performers include Disney's Shake It Up star Adam Trent, America's Got Talent finalist Ryan Andreas, The Voice finalist Beverly McClellan and many more! Also follow them on Twitter at www.twitter.com/contrabanddays or become a fan on Facebook. Visit www.contrabanddays.com for a complete schedule.

National Tourism Week, Now - May 13 - As tourism is the seventh largest industry in Louisiana, the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau will sponsor a variety of events in the community. National Tourism Week kicks off with Children's Day, Saturday, May 5, in the Welcome Center lobby from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. with free pizza, coffee, desserts and Gumbeaux Gator will be on hand to welcome everyone.  Tuesday, May 8, Restaurant Day, showcases restaurants in the area offering visitors a chance to sample some of the best cuisine in Southwest Louisiana from 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center Exhibition Hall. Wednesday, May 9, there will be FREE hospitality training seminars at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Lake Charles Civic Center. As part of the celebration, the bureau will serve refreshments all week in the lobby of the welcome center. Every 100th visitor will receive a special gift. The center is open from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. on weekends. Call (337) 436-9588 or visit www.visitlakecharles.org/tourismweek.  

The Faces and Places of Louisiana, Reading by Poet Laureate of Louisiana, Julie Kane, May 12 - Southwest Louisiana will be immortalized in the award-winning verse of our state's Poet Laureate, Julie Kane. During a special poetry reading, Kane will present a series of poems specifically commissioned to illustrate our Southwest Louisiana identity and way of life. The reading will be held under the arms of the historic 375 year-old Sallier Oak at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum in Lake Charles. Call (337) 439-3797 or email impmuseum@bellsouth.net.

Louisiana Bicentennial Mural Reveal by Local Artist Fred Stark, May 17 - See downtown Lake Charles' newest public art mural that illustrates Southwest Louisiana's connection to the state's 200 year legacy. Held in the parking lot of Sweets & Treats in Lake Charles at 2 p.m. Call (337) 439-2787 or email projects@artsandhumanitiesswla.org.

Events:
La Noche Dulce, May 9 - Join Habitat for Humanity Calcasieu Area as they celebrate 20 years of service with chocolate and wine pairings, live music and a silent auction. Sponsored by SWLA Lawn & Landscape. Located at the Pioneer Club from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For tickets, call (337) 497-0129.

19^th Annual Human Resources Conference, May 11 - HR professionals, office managers, & Operations Supervisors are invited to this one day conference packed with enjoyable speakers delivering meaningful and useful information. Speaker topics include workplace accountability and ownership, employment law, I-9 regulations, and how to strategically manage social media in your organization! Held at L'Auberge Casino Resort from 8 a.m. - 4. P.m. Call (337) 721-3520 or email cwilson@cppj.net.

Book Sale and Membership Drive, May 11 - 12 - The Friends of the Library, Calcasieu, will have a book sale from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Central Library, 301 W. Claude Street.  To attend the membership preview sale, 5- 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, join the Friends of the Library. Annual memberships are $5 for adults and $1 for students and children. A lifetime membership can be purchased for $50. Organizations can join for $10 annually. Ask library staff at any public library for membership forms. Call (337) 721-7118.

Mother's Day Brunch, May 13 - Treat your mom to a special Mother's Day Brunch at 121 Artisan's Bistro from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. There will be 5 different food stations, desert table and non-alcoholic drinks included. Price is $35 for adults, $19 for kids 5-11 and $5 for kids 5 and under. Call (337) 310-7499 or email 121artisanbistro@gmail.com.

Starks Mayhaw Festival, May 17 - 19 - Festival goers can try their hand at jelly-making, enjoy carnival rides, live music, delicious Southern food and enough berries and jelly to go around. The festival kicks off Friday afternoon at the corners of Highways 109 and 12. Saturday morning, early birds will be able to start their day off right with hot biscuits, homemade Mayhaw jelly and freshly churned butter. And making the festival even sweeter is the free admission! The Starks Mayhaw Festival has been chosen as a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism Society for the second quarter of 2012. Call (337) 743-6297.

Downtown at Sundown Concert Series, May 18 - June 8 - This week's entertainer is Boomerang. On four consecutive Fridays from 6-9 p.m. at the 600 block of Ryan Street between Division and Mill Street, the event will feature a variety of music as well as food and beverage booths, table top galleries, and activities for kids. Beverage sales will be facilitated by B.A.A.K. of Southwest Louisiana (Benefiting Area At-risk Kids). If inclement weather prevails, the concerts will be held inside the Lake Charles Civic Center. Concert goers are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs, however, no outside beverages or pets are allowed on site. For more information, call the City of Lake Charles Arts and Culture Department at 337-491-9147 or visit www.CityOfLakeCharles.com.

Hurricane Preparedness Expo, May 19 - The tropics may be quiet as you are reading this, but hurricane season is right around the corner! The time to start preparing is NOW! Prien Lake Mall/Entergy and KPLC-TV is hosting the 4th Annual Hurricane Preparedness Event! This event will be held from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.,  with presentations in Food Court. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nikki Buxton at (337) 477-7487.

Louisiana Beer Fest, May 19 - The 2nd annual Louisiana Beer Fest is a celebration of craft and import beers from around the world. Visitors will have the opportunity to taste more than one hundred different styles of beers. Or, you can brew your own and enter the Home Brew Contest. There will also be a Brew University covering a wide range of beer related topics. You can also learn about pairing food with beer and get a chance to see chefs prepare a meal. VIP ticket holders will have access to the VIP area and to a variety of delicious food and beers not available to general admission ticket holders, including casting their vote for the People's Choice Award or the Home Brew Contest. There are a limited number of VIP tickets available. Visit www.louisianabeerfest.com.

Sulphur Heritage Days, May 25 - 26 - Bring the whole family out to celebrate the rich history at the Sulphur Heritage Days, Memorial Day weekend. While you're at the festival, enjoy arts and crafts booths, great music, food vendors, carnival rides and even the queens of the festival! Break out your chef's hat and enter the Grill-off, where all proceeds benefit the Brimstone Historical Society. Or if you're not a cook, you can just sample all of the different entries until the food runs out for a small fee. For more information on the festival, call (337) 527-4505. For cook-off information, call (337) 527-0357.

Performing Arts:
Love Makes the World Go Round, May 11 & 13 - The Louisiana Choral Foundation presents, Love Makes the World Go Round on Friday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 13 at 3 p.m. Both concerts will be performed at St. Luke Simpson United Methodist Church on Country Club Road in Lake Charles. Tickets may be purchased from Chorale members, Swicegood Music, or by calling (337) 491-9348. Tickets, adults $15 and students $5, may also be purchased at the door.

Masked Marvels & Wondertales, May 12 - Part of the McNeese Banners Series, Michael Cooper makes breathtaking handcrafted masks and he uses them to tell original stories of courage and wonder. He combines these stories with outlandish stilt dancing and a physical repertoire that ranges from the madcap to the sublime. A mask workshop will precede the show at 11 a.m. in the lobby. The performance beings at 7:30 p.m. in Sherman Fine arts Building, McNeese State University. Call (337) 475-5123 or visit www.banners.org or www.themaskedmarvel.com.

Lake Charles Civic Ballet Spring Performance, May 20 - Held in the Rosa Hart Theatre at the Lake Charles Civic Center at 3 p.m. The ballet company will present four works, including Stars and Stripes and Sheer Whimsy, both classics from the LCCB Repertoire and new works from Elizabeth Gates and Andrew Anderson, as well as pieces featuring students of Lady Leah Lafargue School of the Dance. Admission is free! For more information like Lake Charles Civic Ballet on facebook, follow @LC_CivicBallet on Twitter, or visit www.lakecharlescivicballet.com.

Sports:
LHSAA/State Farm Baseball Championships, May 11 - 12 - The Louisiana High School Athletic Association will host Classes 4A, 3A, B & C Baseball Championships at McMurry Park in Sulphur. Visit www.lhsaa.org. 

Big Lake Trout-A-Thon, May 12 - Bolton Ford has partnered with Lake Charles Tackle to host the 1st annual Big Lake Trout-a-Thon at Calcasieu Point Landing in Lake Charles. Registration may be completed at either business location, with an entry fee of $100 per team, maximum of two people per team. Sponsored by O'Charley's, the event is a family-friendly and open to all ages. Music, food and drinks will be provided. For more information, please contact Jillian Thompson at (337) 474.0070 or jthompson@boltonford.com.

Mac Burns/WCCH Foundation Golf Tournament, May 12 - The tournament will be held at Frasch Golf Course in Sulphur.  The tournament will follow a 4-man scramble format with a double shotgun start at 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. This year's entry fee is $320 per team and covers food, drinks, shirts, range balls and mulligans. Call (337) 527-2515.

Swashbucklers Indoor Football
Southwest Louisiana's premier professional sports team. Games are held at the Lake Charles Civic Center Coliseum. Visit www.labucs.com or call (337) 310-PASS. 
May 19 - Knoxville Knighthawks, 7 p.m.

McNeese State University Baseball, Cowboy Diamond
UT-Arlington, May 11, 6:30 p.m. • UT-Arlington, May 12, 3 p.m. • UT-Arlington, May 13, 1 p.m.

Exhibits:
1911 Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center
1001 Ryan Street/Lake Charles, (337) 491-9147, www.cityoflakecharles.com

Monumental Detail: The Drawings of Gerry Wubben, Now - June 9 - His work focuses several themes all created with an attention to detail and psychological insight executed in charcoal, pencil or ink. 

Reflections on Water in American Painting, Now - June 16 - The 50 paintings in Reflections on Water trace more than a century of America's maritime and seaside history. The works also illustrate varying artistic currents that shaped American art.

Henning Cultural Center
923 Ruth Street/Sulphur, (337) 527-0357, www.brimstonemuseum.org   

Coffee: The World in Your Cup Exhibit, May 10 - June 14 - The exhibit explores how coffee affects cultures, economies and environments around the world.

Casino Headliner Entertainment:
DELTA DOWNS: Bonnie Raitt, May 4, 9 p.m. www.deltadowns.com
L'AUBERGE: LIQUID SOCIETY: Bret Michaels, May 24, 8:30 p.m. www.ldlcasino.com
L'AUBERGE: Kenny Loggins, May 25, 8:30 p.m. www.ldlcasino.com

Casino Lounge Entertainment:
DELTA DOWNS: May 11-12: BB & Company • May 18-19: Greg Martinez & The Delta Kings
ISLE OF CAPRI: CARIBBEAN COVE LOUNGE: May 9: Kris Harper Band • May 10: Phillip Glyn and Daze • May 11: Soul Vacation • May 12: Brad Brinkley Duo & Bryan Fontenot and Outlaw Inc. • May 16: JAG • May 17: Derryl Perry • May 18: Bernie Allen Band • May 19: Sean Vidrine
L'AUBERGE: JACK AFTER DARK: May 10-11: DJ San-D • May 12: Triggerproof • May 24: DJ CaGe