The Annual Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival is Coming Up!
New Orleans is among one of the most influential areas when it comes to music. As a city that loves to celebrate its culture and heritage, it is only necessary that it have festivals to honor music's impact on the Big Easy. The Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival is one of New Orleans' annual music festivals, featuring delicious Cajun and Creole cuisine, memorable art displays, and, of course, live music. Continue reading for more information on this year's Blues & BBQ Festival.
Where the Smokes are High and the Beats are Low
The Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival will feature live blues concerts on its two stages, hosting top Louisiana and Mississippi performers, including Booker T. Jones, Samantha Fish, and Washboard Chaz. Music won't be the only thing guests can expect at this three-day festival, however. In honor of New Orleans' surge in successful barbecue vendors over the past two decades, the festival will also serve some of the city's best barbecue, honoring various regional styles with a Louisianian twist.
Along with a surplus of barbecue options and live blues and jazz performances, the event will offer a range of activities for locals and visitors alike. The festival will feature a large arts market showcasing some of the best local and regional artists, with pieces ranging from unique photography to home furnishings. Additionally, every year, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation auctions off a customized guitar by Painted Axe and signed by the festival's performers. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Foundation's music education programs.
Very Important Pork (VIP)
Held in historic Lafayette Square Park, the event will take place on October 9 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and October 10 and 11 from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. For those who cannot make it, the Jazz & Heritage community radio station WWOZ New Orleans 90.7 FM will broadcast the festival's music live from the park on the air and in video. Guests can also take their festival experience to the next level with VIP tickets available for purchase. The VIP Experience includes amenities such as up-front seating, a hospitality lounge and complimentary snacks and drinks.
Meet the Chef
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation was founded in 1970 as the nonprofit owner of the city's beloved and infamous Jazz Fest. Three decades later, as a beacon of community service and education, the Foundation hosted the first Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival, honoring the city's deep-rooted blues and R&B influences. Profits from the festivals and their various other events throughout the year majorly fund their multiple music education programs, partnership grants and their Catapult Fund, an interactive training for rising entrepreneurs.
Get it While its Hot!
Admission is free for anyone who wants to stop by for a song or two, or stay for an entire weekend of memories. The Foundation welcomes anyone interested in volunteering with a range of opportunities.
For more information, check out their website or call (504) 558-6100.
Volunteer sign ups can be found here.
