What can we expect from this "Wednesdays at the Square" season?

0:00Spring is here, and the shopping list is long. Time to make a lows run. Buy three bags, get three free. If stay green, one cubic foot garden soil. Plus, right now, members can earn four times the points on an eligible purchase. Start spring off strong with these deals and more. Our best lineup is here at Loves. Valet the 325, while supplies last. Soil offer excludes a last-gen Hawaii. loyalty program subject to terms and conditions. See Loes.com slash terms for details. Subject to change. Point booster subject to exclusions and more terms apply. One-time only offer. It's Charles Barkley here with Wayfair. Let me tell you, game day is serious business at my house. If I'm grilling, chilling, and watching hoops, my outdoor setup, that'll be ready to play. That's where Wayfair wins. From patio seating and umbrella to grills and grill accessories, Wayfair's got it all and it shows up fast. I'm talking fast and easy delivery. So level up your grill game and your outdoor chill game. And head to Wayfair.com to get your outdoor space ready for the season. Wayfair every style, every home.

1:00What's going on? I'm Archmaning, Viori athlete and college quarterback. Whether I'm running, training, traveling, or just unlining at home, I love doing it in my core shorts from Viori. With a breathable box of brief liner, a quick to dry, super versatile, and stand-up to even my most intense training sessions. Plus, they come in three inceems and a ton of colors. Ready to try pair? Go to Viori.com slash arch and get 20% off at checkout. I think you're going to love them as much as I do. That's v-u-r-i.com slash ARCH. Get 20% off your first order, exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions. Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but enjoy free shipping on any US orders over $75 and free returns. Have a great day. Well, folks, Wednesday at the square is back. And it starts tonight, if you can believe that already. Big Sam's funky nation and Zaria Sims collective. They have two bands lined up every Wednesday between now and May the 6th. And here to talk about it with us

2:01is Allison Hotar, executive director of the Young Leadership Council. And I love me some Allison, because she actually toasted Michael Heck at a Delgado roast a couple of years ago. It was phenomenal. He didn't know what to say. First time I've ever seen him speechless. Allison, welcome to the show. Well, thank you so much for having me. How are you? I know you recall that event. Oh, that is going to be on my team's dome. She roasted Michael Heck. You toasted him, baby. You toasted him. Yes. Well, let me say congratulations for the work you guys are doing at Young Leadership Council. And you all got one hell of a line up this year for Wednesday at the square. We do. We're really excited. As you mentioned, tonight starts off with Big Sam as our headliner. Then next week, we have John Cleary, an absolute monster

3:02gentleman, and opening up for them is electric ramble. I like to say this schedule this year is very funky. We have a lot of funk. We have a lot of brass. It's going to be a lot of liveliness at the square. Yeah, on March 25th, Bonbon, Vivant, and Bonorama as they have the liner there. And then on April 1st, Ash and Heinz and the Big Easy Brawlers of the opening act for Jelly Joseph. I'm Michael Eichel Hall. Featuring Nigel Hall. Thank you. I'll go ahead and I'll read it off for you. Yes, go ahead. Then April 8th is Zida with Flow Tribe featuring Alan Alfred Banks. Then April 15th, we have Rivered Eckhard and Corey Henry and the Trumpet Funket. Oh, Funket. Funket.

4:04April 22nd, we have Kings and Brass, and Duane Dupsey and the Zydeco Hellraiser. Then April 29th, we have the train and Kermit Ruffins. And then May 6th is Justin Gardner and Brassahale. So we have a great lineup. Five to eight, admission is free. If you've not been, you want to go. There's food trucks all around the square. In fact, I'm trying to decide, Alison, what Wednesday I can come out, Y'all have invited me to introduce one of the bands. I look forward to doing it. I'll let you know about that soon. Big Sam is what I couldn't do tonight, but Big Sam is, I was just going to say, I would have done tonight, but Big Sam's one of my favorite bands, Loving was with him Monday night, great concert that he put on for the 25th anniversary of a restaurant in the French quarter.

5:07And it was just absolutely phenomenal GW fans of the restaurant. And we had a great time. He gets always puts on a great show. And I can't think of a better guy to start it off of you guys. I agree. He does an amazing, amazing job of pumping up the crowd. I also want to thank WWL Radio, you guys are a sponsor this year, along with WWLTV. So we're so grateful for all the support that you've given Wednesdays at the square. Spring is here, and the shopping list is long. Time to make a lows run. Buy three bags, get three free. Stay green, one cubic foot garden soil. Plus, right now, members can earn four times the points on an eligible purchase. Start spring off strong with these deals and more. Our best lineup is here at Loves. Balance the 3.25, while supplies last. Soil offer excludes a last and a why. LoLTV program subject to terms and conditions. See Loves.com slash terms for details. Subject to change, point booster subject to exclusions,

6:09and more terms apply. It's Charles Barkley with Wayfair. Let me tell you, game day is serious business at my house. If I'm grilling, chilling, and watching hoops, my outdoor setup, better be ready to play. That's where Wayfair wins. From patio seating and umbrella to grill and grill accessories, Wayfair's got it all, and it shows up fast. I'm talking fast and easy delivery. So level up your grill game, and your outdoor chill game. And head to Wayfair.com to get your outdoor space ready for the season. Wayfair every style, every home. What's going on? I'm Archmaning, Viori athlete and college quarterback. Whether I'm running, training, traveling, or just unlining at home, I love doing it in my core shorts from Viori. With a breathable box or brief liner, a quick to dry, super versatile, and stand up to even my most intense training sessions. Plus, they come in three inceems and a ton of colors. Ready to try a pair? Go to Viori.com slash arch, and get 20% off at checkout. I think you're going to love them as much as I do. That's v-u-r-i.com slash arch, and get 20% off your first order.

7:13Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions. Not only will you receive 20% off your first purchase, but enjoy free shipping on any U.S. orders over $75 and free returns. Have a great day. Yeah, it's, um, so let's talk about all that you guys do. Young leadership council, y'all have been around. How long now? 40 years now. That's this year, though. That's your 40th anniversary of this year, right? Congratulations to that. Congratulations to that. Yeah. 755 current members. Y'all are growing and y'all are welcoming 202 members. And, um, you guys draw 1,164 total attendees across the events that y'all have. So tell us a little bit about what it is that y'all do on a daily basis. Other than being concert promoters, other than concert promoters.

8:13Right, right. Well, we're not hosting concerts. We are working on leadership development, and we do that through projects, and we do that through leadership classes. Um, and so our young professionals are learning through hands-on experience and then owning a project, making sure they have the budget for the project, getting the volunteers for the project, uh, making sure that the project actually happens, and then we also have a leadership development series. Where young professionals can come to YLC, listen to leaders like yourself in the community, and talk about your experience, um, being here in New Orleans and what it's like to actually be a leader in the city. Absolutely, and, um, you know, this Wednesday at the square has been so successful. I mean, averaging 5,750 attendees per week

9:14with a peak crowd of 8,300, which I think was last year, right? For soul rebels. Was that last year? Yes. For soul rebels. Yes. Um, for that Wednesday before jazz fest, we get a crowd that comes in. And so people who are coming into town can extend their day to Wednesday and come start their jazz fest early, because we'll be here in the square every Wednesday before jazz fest, too, and French Quarter Fest. I cannot forget them. So if anyone's coming from out of town, tell them to tack on that Wednesday, and we'll be at the square. So you guys have been great corporate partners to the city, too, because you all have taken on, you know, on certain initiatives. And I think one of them, correct me if I'm wrong, was lighting up the bridge. Correct. The very first time, not the current installation. Yeah, the first time. The very first time a bridge was lit up.

10:14It was by members of YLC. That is correct. And you all have been, you know, you guys have been difference makers for our community like a lot of other not-for-profit organizations. And it's all through volunteer folks, you know, are volunteering their time, their effort, their money, to make a difference. Yes. The organization is 100% volunteer driven. So Wednesdays at the square that you see is volunteer driven. We have amazing co-chairs that make sure everything happens. We have volunteers that work the day of and throughout the series to help us with like our social media, our emails, everything that you see is volunteer driven. And we are truly grateful. Now, anything special about, I mean, I know that you're 40th anniversary. Is there something that y'all are going to take on this year? What do we have? What can we expect from YLC for the remainder of 2026?

11:18Absolutely. So for the remainder of 2026, we are looking at a head at what we can do for the community. And we are going to continue focusing on the leaders that have come through our organization and promoting those leaders and having them come speak to young professionals to give the young professionals energy about what their future looks like and helping them understand that the people that they meet today will be instrumental in their lives going forward. And then in addition to that, we at Wednesdays at the square we will have signs. We were the original organization that produced the proud to call it home campaign. So we will have signs at Wednesdays in the square where people can write on them to tell us why they're proud to call New Orleans home. We want people to feel connected to the city so that we can continue to have people engage and connected and stay in the city of New Orleans.

12:23Yeah, we really appreciate all that you guys do. Now let me ask you a personal question because as I recall, you got a little stand-up comedy thing that you do just as on the side. How's that going? It's going well. I actually have some big book in the April. I'll be out in Mississippi. I'm going, I'm going regional now state, you know, state to state. And it's something that has been flowed in my life for a while. And so I'm very happy that it's part of my life and it helps me with interviews like this. It helps me be able to be on the spot when I have to be on television or on the stage. It's been completely instrument on my life in different ways. It has really taught me how to be a good leader in terms of public speaking. Well, all I could tell you, it definitely helped you just toast the heck out of Michael Heck,

13:25which was like, I mean, you toasted him. I mean, now he was going to be on roasted. That was easy target, huh? Yeah, easy target. I went, I aspired to be like our friend Eric and be the host of that one day. Absolutely. Eric Paulson, he did God rest his soul. He was, he was, he was unbelievable. He was mom. But he said things that only he could say and get away. Absolutely. Absolutely. Everyone else could get away with what he got away with for sure. No. Well, Allison, thank you so much for joining us. Best of luck to young leadership council. And, you know, we thank all you and all of your volunteers and the folks that participate with YLC. And thank you all again for putting on Wednesday at the square.

14:26It's what makes our city the place we call home unique. If I was to ride on that board, it would be, you know, Wednesday at the square is an important part of everything. And folks in the listening audience, if you haven't been out there, you're really missing something incredible. Especially through the months of March and April in the beginning of May. I mean, the weather, when it cooperates and it's not raining, it's absolutely phenomenal. It's comfortable. Bring your lawn chair. Just sit out there and have a great time. A lot of food options, a lot of drink options out there. You won't regret it going out and seeing some of the greatest talent in the world that started right here in the city of New Orleans. Allison Hotar, thank you so much. Thank you so much for having me. All right, folks. We will be right back 504-260-1-870 on the open art jewelers talk and text lines. Stay with us. Spring is here and the shopping list is long.

15:28Time to make a lows run. Buy three bags, get three free. Stay green, one cubic foot garden soil. Plus, right now, members can earn four times the points on an eligible purchase. Start spring off strong with these deals and more. Our best lineup is here at Loves. Valent the 325, while supplies last. Soil offer excludes a last-gen Hawaii loyalty program subject to terms and conditions. Sealows.com slash terms for details. Subject to change. Point booster subject to exclusions and more terms apply. One time we'll only offer. What's going on? I'm Archmaning, Viori athlete and college quarterback. Whether I'm running, training, traveling, or just unlining at home, I love doing it in my core shorts from Viori. With a breathable box or brief liner, a quick to dry, super versatile, and stand up to even my most intense training sessions. Plus, they come in three in seems and a ton of colors. Ready to try a pair? Go to Viori.com slash Arch and get 20% off at checkout. I think you're going to love them as much as I do. That's v-u-r-i.com slash ARCH and get 20% off your first order. Exclusions apply. Visit the website for full terms and conditions.

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