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What is Jazz Fest?
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is many things. Lots of events, lots of music, lots of food. We usually call this event just "Jazz Fest." It's sort of the last fling the city puts on before the summer heats us up to the point we don't want to do anything until football season. There are four main components to Jazz Fest: the concerts at the Fair Grounds, the Heritage Fair at the Fair Grounds, the evening concert series, and the educational series of events. All of these events usually take place during the last week of April and the first week of May.
The Fair Grounds Concerts
This is what most folks think of when they think Jazz Fest. On the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May, tens of thousands of folks gather in Gentilly at the New Orleans Fair Grounds racetrack to hear musicians from all over the world. The Fair Grounds is open on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of the first weekend, and Thursday through Sunday on the second weekend. The gates open up around 11:00am with the last act taking the stage around 5:30pm. Acts play on several stages and in several tents simultaneously. Here's a brief overview of the venues:
Main Stages
There are four stages, with the two located on either side of the Fair Grounds infield being the largest. Everything else is located in-between these stages. The big-name acts play these stages. On the second Sunday, the Radiators usually play one stage and the Neville Brothers are on the other side. The stages are referred to on maps and schedules by their sponsors. At the 1995 Fest, WNOL-TV, Fox 38, sponsored one stage, while WWL-TV, Channel 4 (CBS) and Ray-Ban sunglasses sponsored the other side. There were two smaller stages in-between, one sponsored by BellSouth Mobility, and the other by House of Blues. If you're coming to the Fest to see a well-known act, most likely you'll find them on one of the two end stages.
Jazz Tent
Just as the name says. My favorite act for the last two years at this tent was Delefayo Marsalis.
Economy Hall
This is where you'll find Dixieland, 40s-style swing, and other "oldies" styles of music. If you're looking for the type of jazz you hear at Preservation Hall, this is where you want to go. Several of the second-line parades start at Economy Hall.
Congo Square
World music here. Lots of African, Caribbean, and South American artists featured at Congo Square.
Lagniappe Tent
This is a real mixed bag. You'll find jazz bands from local high schools and colleges, along with not-so-well-known acts. Like the name implies, it's something extra. Oftentimes, that lagniappe can be something special as well.
Music Heritage Stage
This stage features interviews with many of the performers playing that day. These question-and-answer sessions can be quite fascinating.
Gospel Tent
Lots of "joyful noise" made here! This is one of my favorites. You'll find anything from local church choirs to name Gospel acts to Aaron Neville sitting in with the Zion Harmonizers on the last Sunday. There is a lot of positive energy always coming from the Gospel Tent.
The Heritage Fair
While the music is the main focus at the Fair Grounds, there's also lots of other activities happening. The Heritage Fair consists of lots of wonderful booths where artisans and vendors sell various hand-crafted items, such as clothing, hats, jewelry, and art works. This is more than just Jazz Fest posters and souveniers-this is class stuff!
Evening Concerts
The evening concert series is a great way to get a double-dose of many of the performers. A number of the "big-name" acts are booked to play not only their sets at the Fair Grounds, but at full-blown concerts at the UNO Lakefront Arena as well. Additionally, several other nightclubs will feature jazz players in various performances and jam sessions. These evening concerts all take place during the week in-between the two weekends at the Fair Grounds.
Enjoy!
We know you'll enjoy Jazz Fest. It's one of those events where locals and tourists alike have a great time. If you have any questions about Jazz Fest, we can probably assist you. Just e-mail us and we'll give it a shot. |
