Permission granted from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
New Orleans, Louisiana
April 25 - May 4
Feel a little Jazz Fest funk!
For your pleasure:
48 sec./2M Quicktime
New Orleans not only knows how to throw a good party -- it knows how to throw THE party.
"I don't think anywhere compares very well to New Orleans and its ability to put on an event like this," says Louis Edwards, an associate producer of The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. "It's the biggest music festival in the world."
There's no need to be humble, when you're hosting the granddaddy of Southern music festivals, 28 years strong and well-stocked with homegrown legends such as Rosie Ledet, Dr. John, Boozoo Chavis, Billy Young, Fats Domino, funky Meters and the prodigiously-talented Neville family.
Toss in Al Jarreau, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Earth, Wind & Fire, Taj Mahal, James Taylor, Bruce Hornsby and Alex Chilton -- a fraction of the lineup -- and things get complicated.
"It can be a dilemma," says Edwards, "when you've got Winton Marsalis on one stage, and a half-mile away, Santana is playing on another stage. You find yourself saying, 'Where do I go?'"
The Fair Grounds Race Course, a short hop from downtown, is ground-zero for the sprawling festival. Over the course of two weekends, 12 stages serve up everything from blues, ragtime, gospel, zydeco and, of course, jazz -- to Latin, rap, rock and country for more than 400,000 people.
Evening concerts are held throughout the city every night of the 10-day festival except Sundays. This year's highlights include James Brown, Herbie Hancock, Santana, Al Jarreau, George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Getting Down, South
MerleFest
Back to Overview But it's not just about music. New Orleans takes its food seriously, too.
"It's been called the best fast-food in America," says Edwards, reciting a mouth-watering list of reasonably-priced delicacies offered at the Fair Grounds. "You can get crawfish in I don't know how many kinds of presentation ... and etoufee, jambalaya, po' boys, pralines. ... Don't eat breakfast. Definitely don't eat breakfast."
Visitors able to tear themselves away from the music and food can explore the many booths in the Contemporary Crafts area, Congo Square (for African crafts and culture), and the International Pavilion (this year's country is Mali). Or find a precious patch of shade and rest your legs for the trek to the next show.
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