WOW, no place throws a party like the French Quarter! We just happened to arrive in New Orleans on the first day of the free 4 day French Quarter Festival which included over 150 performances on 20 stages throughout the weekend. And, that doesn’t even include the street performers on every corner and music blaring from every bar on Bourbon Street.
left: The brass section of The Soul Project.
right: Street performers.
This was one of those times when dumb luck was in our favor. We had just planned to pop in on New Orleans for a couple of days to look around and then keep heading East. But, when we checked into the RV park, the man at the desk (assuming that we were there for the festival) provided parking, shuttle and festival literature for us so that we could make the most of our weekend. And, we did.
right: A little Crawfish Etouffee for lunch.
I have been to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, New Years and various other non celebratory times but never for a music festival. I now think that music festivals are the best time to be there. The infectious party’s on attitude combined with some of the best music you’ve ever heard makes for an amazingly good time and without the insanity of Mardi Gras.
right: A jammed packed Jackson Square.
The Festival has been very successful with over half a million in attendance last year. I think all of those people came back this year….. and brought friends! The entire waterfront, Jackson Square and streets in the Quarter were wall to wall people. But, it was a mellow crowd who was there for the music, not to drink, get drunk, be obnoxious, throw-up and pass out. Of course, we left Bourbon Street before sundown because some things are always the same and we didn’t want the Dudes to grow up too fast!
left: Some of the many, many, many people in attendance.
right: The paddle boats came and went all day making an interesting backdrop for the music.
left: The Big Dude peruses the local art.
Not being familiar with Jazz performers and others playing music born out of Louisiana, we didn’t recognize many names in the line-up, so we wandered about sampling a little bit of it all. Everything from school kids just starting out to the old timers who have been playing for a hundred years were represented. And, everything from Zydeco to traditional Jazz could be heard. And, it was all great.
Left: The Honey Island Swamp Band.
right: Super high energy, Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers.
left: Lena Prima, daughter of the late great Louie Prima.
right: Walter “Wolfman” Washington.
right: Lynn Drury
But, the fun didn’t stop there. We walked our legs off the first day to the point that when we were heading home, the Lil’ Dude said “Mommy, my legs feel like chocolate melting in the sun”. Mine felt the same way.
right: Mmmmm, pralines!
left: We found the perfect T-shirts for the Dudes.
right: The Lil’ Dude gets in the spirit!
left: A walk down Bourbon St.
right: Creative advertising.
right: The Lil’ Dude converses with alligator heads.
We made an obligatory stop at Cafe Du Monde ( the Lil’ Dude would not stop nagging until he had sampled a french doughnut), window shopped at the French Market, watched the ships on the Mississippi, visited the Old Mint and toured the streets and shops of the Quarter. The Dudes were captivated by it all. They even had an opportunity to earn another Ranger Badge.
right: The Dudes work on their ranger books and learn a little about Jazz in New Orleans.
I have never seen (heard) the quantity and quality of music all in one place before. We walked from one end of the quarter to the other and were never without music permeating the air. And, of course, there is no other place like it. For those interested in music, any kind of music, this is one New Orleans party not to be missed!
“New Orleans is the only place I know of where you ask a little kid what he wants to be and instead of saying “I want to be a policeman,” or “I want to be a fireman,” he says, I want to be a musician”. Alan Jaffe
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