Yeah, you right! You've found that wild and round New Orleans sound. Calling all you night trippers, second line groovers - get up to get down on tunes guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a fire in your soul. From 7-6PM on Friday 2/13 WPKN celebrates the funk and feel of New Orleans music as mardi gras 2026 approaches. Every shift presents a party with exceptional DJ pairings. Support this gem of an independent, listener-supported, community radio station that brings you specialized programming by world class DJs, heard only here on WPKN 89.5 Bridgeport - streaming all over the world via wpkn.org and our free listening apps.

Donate via the web (here) via wpkn.org/donate, CALL 203-331-9756, or TEXT the word GUMBOYAYA to 53-555

On-Air Schedule:

7-9AM: Del LaPietro (In Transition) & Annette Szczesiul

9AM-Noon: Dave Schneider (Storied Sounds with...) & DJ B The T Jr./Brendan Toller (Shake 'n' Vibrate Radio)

Noon-3PM: Joseph Celli (Soundprint Asia, My Other Music) & Richard Epstein (Sometimes Classical)

3-6PM: Alec Cumming (Snap, Crackle POP!), Christine Ohlman (Soul Hive), Amy Wachtel aka Night Nurse (Rockers Arena)

And that same night, WPKN is a media partner in Mardi Gras Mambo with Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience at Sacred Heart University Community Theatre, on Friday, February 13th. This six-piece band will serve up its blend of Zydeco roots, reggae, soul, and New Orleans jazz brass in celebration of the Mardi Gras season. Tickets and more information are available at shucommunitytheatre.org/

Say hi to our table of volunteers who will be taking on-site donations and armed with WPKN merch.

OUR AUCTION PAGE features two gift certificates to Vinyl Street Co. in Fairfield. One of our fave rave record stores!

WPKN Mardi Gras & The R&B of New Orleans premiums

$25 Pledge: WPKN Tote Bag

Sling your records, books, groceries, overnights in this stylish cloth bag that tells the world YOU have supreme listening tastes.

$50 Pledge: WPKN Beanie

A super comfy WPKN knit beanie to keep your head snug and warm.

$75 Pledge: WPKN Oval Logo Baseball Cap

Black & White Baseball Cap w/WPKN Oval Logo. A euro look representing our global station!

$89.50 Pledge: WPKN x Karl Heine 7.25 x 4.75 notebook, made of 100% recycled material. Limited Edition of 100.

WPKN is thrilled to partner with Karl Heine on a hand-crafted WPKN 7.25 x 4.75 notebook, made of 100% recycled material - now available via the brand new WPKN Shop in a first-run limited edition of 100.

Just as WPKN is a storied, Bridgeport-made institution, this collaboration came to life just miles down the road at AmFab studios, where we happened upon Karl Heine’s design work. Karl is a Bridgeport-based designer, educator, talent consultant, and supporter of WPKN.

130 pages (65 leaf) of acid-free paper await your plans, ideas, and sketches. The silver WPKN record logo sits on marbled recycled Italian leather, with a back purple inlay in a nod to the ‘Purple Knight Network.’

Dream in style and in support of your beloved community radio station, WPKN.

Watch the behind the scenes promo video on the collaboration and process here.

$100 Pledge: LAST CHANCE - WPKN Record Logo T-shirt

Short-sleeve WPKN Record Logo (designed by Martha Willette Lewis host of The Flux Capacitor) in black, 100% ring-spun, cotton T-Shirt. The New Yorker "Greatest Radio Station in the World" quote on back.

This shirt is unisex and has short sleeves to show off those stunner guns!

True to size - order one size larger if in doubt.

WPKN's Mardi Gras & The R&B of New Orleans

Celebrating the music & soul of New Orleans...