Our picks of where to be and who to see at the festival today.

Today at the French Quarter Festival should be rain-free and beautiful - a great day to call in sick and hang out in the Quarter. Twelve stages are in action today in Jackson Square, Woldenberg Park, the French Market, Dutch Alley, Preservation Hall, the Old U.S. Mint, House of Blues and Bourbon Street. Today also sees the start of the Film Festival at the French Quarter Festival, with music-oriented movies screening for free in the theater on the third floor of the Old U.S. Mint. Highlights include Stevenson Palfi's short The World According to Ernie K-Doe (shown as part of a series of shorts starting at 2 p.m.), and Palfi's Piano Players Rarely Play Together at 5.

Here are our picks for the day - not necessarily the best, but artists that we're into right now, ones we want to see in these settings, or people we don't often get a chance to see.

Dr. Michael White - WWL-TV Stage, 12:30 p.m.
Magnetic Ear - Capital One Bank Riverside Legacy Stage, 2 p.m.
Tribute to Sweet Emma Barrett & Billie Pierce feat. Steve Pistorius - Preservation Hall, 3:30 p.m.
Alex McMurray - Abita Beer Stage, 4 p.m.
The Music of Jelly Roll Morton, James Booker and Professor Longhair - Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta, 5 p.m.
Flow Tribe - Popeyes Esplanade in the Shade with OffBeat Magazine, 5:30 p.m.
Stooges Brass Band - Capital One Bank Riverside Legacy Stage, 7:15 p.m.

PIANO PLAYERS RARELY EVER PLAY TOGETHER (trailer) from SE Media Preservation Lab on Vimeo.