Easter Parades 2014
Category Archives: French Quarter
Fringe 2014: November 29 – 23
The New Orleans Fringe announces the call for submissions for performing groups for the seventh annual Fringe Theater Festival. The Fringe welcomes virtually any type of theater performance – the wilder and the weirder, the better!
“We particularly encourage original works or innovative adaptations. Categories include: cabaret, circus arts, comedy, dance, drama, improvisational, immersive experience, interdisciplinary, live documentary, multimedia, musical theater, poetry, puppetry, storytelling, burlesque, sideshow, spoken word, variety and other creative madness.”
“UnfairBnB” from Antigravity Magazine
I disagree with the writers’ stance that airbnb is the chief cause of rentals to be unavailable to residents. As someone who believes in the informal economy, I have used it quite often in my travels. Almost all of the airbnb places where I have stayed have been people’s homes with an extra set of rooms for guests or a mother-in-law house. Many of the folks have raised kids who are now off at college and want to share their home still and so I have met some wonderful people and felt safer being in a neighborhood than staying in a large corporate hotel often found in a industrial park without access to local business or any where to walk after the work day is over. And as someone who has been a renter in this city for over 30 years, it is my contention that it ain’t airbnb that has stopped rent controls or that reduces the number of rentals for residents, but the corporate infrastructure that encourages profiteering on home flipping or corporate rentals without any management oversight, as well as the inability of the city or state to enact a post-disaster punishment for those who delay their repairs for no reason except that they own too much or refuse to pay for good repairmen to get it all done right in a reasonable time. Let me be clear-I am not identifying those folks who STILL wait for payments or are fighting bureaucracy, or have been ripped off by unsavory workers as the problem because the system is also weighted against them to work in favor of those connected and ruthless profiteers. Also, slumlords or invisible homeowners who abuse airbnb.com probably abused Craiglist, or the TeePee classifieds, or any other short or long term term rental situation that has benefited other neighborhoods or visitors who want to be good citizens and keep their property kept up and rented. Outlawing airbnb.com is not the answer; the answer is more likely direct action among citizens on rental property rules and protecting renters rights along with good homeowners rights. Too many short term rentals in one block IS wrong, but is not the stem issue, I believe.
The writers’ assertion that the bike lane along Esplanade is a white stripe of divide is so foolish that is shows that the basis of the article is far-fetched, and badly researched. The percentage of New Orleanians that do not have regular access to automobiles has always been a large number (over 25% before the federal levee breaks) and for anyone who gets around before the sun is entirely up will see more working men using those lanes than porkpie wearing hipsters. As one commenter points out, the complete streets approach to adding the lanes is based on adding the chosen and researched lanes when the streets are repaired. That St. Claude was outfitted before Esplanade and that these lanes act as a traffic calming device for regular people to cross the streets or to check for a bus are important points of which the writers seem unaware.
Honestly, the issue with short term rentals is one that should be discussed in each neighborhood but to identify neighborhood associations as the savior that the city has not been is as foolish as his bike lane bashing; My opinion is that these organizations are often protectionist home owner associations and do almost nothing for renters. I left a longer comment at the end of his article and would recommend that folks peruse some of the thoughtful comments left by others on there as well.
UnfairBnB: What Unlicensed Short-Term Rentals Mean for New Orleans – Antigravity Magazine.
An elegy for George
One of the lovely people who, when you saw him, made you feel the French Quarter was still a haven for artists and souls that could not really exist other places. Sharon Litwin gives a sweet snapshot of him in the link below.
An elegy for George | NolaVie – Life and Culture in New Orleans.
A Musical Prelude to the Celebration of Easter, Free Public Concerts…
…Concludes With
A Performance by Cynthia Cheri-Woolridge & Friends
At Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in the Vieux Carre
NEW ORLEANS, LA—On April 10, 2014 the sixth and final of Bishop Perry’s Center’s series of free, public concerts will take place at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 1116 Chartres St. at 6 p.m. Stars of this concert will be Cynthia Cheri-Woolridge and Friends, a gifted group of gospel and spiritual singers and musicians. Among friends expected to join Cynthia in the performance on Thursday is Dr. Michael White, the renowned jazz musician, jazz historian, and teacher.
Others joining Ms. Cheri-Woolridge will be Desmian Barnes and Percy Williams on trumpet; Arthur Mitchell on Saxaphone; Robino Barnes on Bass; and Jarvis McCelos on drums. Singers will include Jerrydette Joseph, Sylvia Thomas, Anicia Cheri, Gary Foster, and William Wiloughby, along with the Bishop Perry Center “Heavenly Notes.”
The series—A Musical Prelude to the Celebration of Easter—features music ranging from classical favorites of the great gothic and baroque cathedrals of the world to Broadway to New Orleans jazz, spirituals, and gospel. The concerts take place in the architecturally and historically significant Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, part of the old Ursuline Convent Complex, located in the French Quarter.
French Quarter Festival 2014
I remember the few little tents and one stage of the first years of this festival; I love how it has grown and that it is so well run. A good example of how to utilize our city center for our culture without taking the fun (or life!) out of it.
Dr. John’s first performance at French Quarter Festival since 1987
Dr. John embodies the best of New Orleans’ rich musical heritage, and in 2014, he returns to French Quarter Festival for the first time since 1987. This will be his ONLY appearance at a major spring festival in New Orleans in 2014. Dr. John and the Nite Trippers will perform on the riverfront Abita Stage Friday, April 11th at 4:30 p.m. In what promises to be an incredible musical evening, Dr. John will be followed by the Roots of Music with very special guests, and Grammy award-winning Rebirth Brass Band. Longtime Festival supporter, vendor, and friend – Tropical Isle – has generously provided the support to bring Dr. John back to French Quarter Festival. Enter to win the Dr. John VIP experience for a chance to join Tropical Isle for ring access to the show: https://apps.facebook.com/my-contests/aqesyl
Riverfront construction ends and brings the launch of a new music stage:
GE Capital/New Orleans Tech Big River Stage
Year after year, French Quarter Festival is voted ‘locals’ favorite’ while also attracting a tremendous out-of-town audience. A huge part of the appeal is that it provides a true and authentic New Orleans experience – a broad range of Louisiana artists and a diverse variety of musical styles and genres. Since 1984, French Quarter Festival has been committed to featuring New Orleans’ finest artists every day of the festival, on stages all over the French Quarter. The tradition continues in 2014, when FQFI unveils the Big River Stage with new partners GE Capital/New Orleans Tech. The stage has a diverse mix of talented artists that includes Davell Crawford, Paul Sanchez and the Minimum Rage, Glen David Andrews, Jeremy Davenport, New Birth Brass Band, Eric Lindell, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Flow Tribe, Diablo’s Horns, George Porter, Jr. and Runnin’ Pardners, Lynn Drury, Russell Batiste & Friends with The Wild Tchoupitoulas featuring Jason Neville, Egg Yolk Jubilee, Big Chief Bo Dollis & the Wild Magnolias, Casa Samba Extravaganza, The New Orleans Suspects, the Iguanas, and more. The Big River Stage will feature music daily, on April 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th.
Brass bands are moving from the Riverside Legacy Stage (formerly located on the riverfront) to the new Popeyes Brass Band Jam with OffBeat at the Old U.S. Mint. Barracks Street will be closed to traffic, adding more to the ‘pedestrian playground’ and street party feel of the Festival. The stage will feature Leroy Jones’ Original Hurricane Brass Band, Hot 8 Brass Band, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Treme Brass Band, Audacity Brass Band, Lagniappe Brass Band, Onward Brass Band, Corey Henry’s Treme Funktet, The Original Pinettes Brass Band, Andrew Hall’s Society Brass Band, Orleans Brass Band, and more. Popeyes Brass Band Jam with OffBeat will run April 11th, 12th, and 13th.
The Chevron Cajun Zydeco Showcase launched in 2013 at the Bienville Triangle (North Peters near St. Louis Street). It was such a hit with festival fans, that it will return for 2014. One of the most popular stages at Festival, the 2014 lineup includes: Big Easy Playboys, Waylon Thibodeaux Band, Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet, Corey Ledet, Brandon Moreau & his Cajungrass, Bruce Daigrepoint Cajun Band, Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band, Amada Shaw, Feufollet, Babineaux Sisters Band, Rusty Metoyer and the Zydeco Krush, Sean Ardoin-n-Zydekool, Les Freres Michot, Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots, the Lost Bayou Ramblers, and more.
New site for the Film Festival at French Quarter Festival: Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré
French Quarter Festivals, Inc. continues its partnership with Timecode:nola – a non-profit 501(c)3 organization made up of filmmakers who promote local filmmaking. Because of its incredible popularity at the 2013 French Quarter Festival, the 2014 Film Festival (free and open to the public) will move to Le Petit Théâtre, with more room for fans. Movies and shorts will focus on New Orleans music, neighborhoods and culture (click here for full schedule). Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, originally organized in 1916 as the New Orleans Chapter of the Drama League of America and one year later as the Drawing Room Players, is one of the oldest community theatres in the country. Since moving into its current home in 1922, the “Little Theatre” has entertained thousands of audience members in a wide array of dramas, comedies, and musicals.
Exciting new additions to Festival food and beverages
The World’s Largest Jazz Brunch will include a new dining area. Over 60 food vendors make up ‘The World’s Largest Jazz Brunch’ at French Quarter Festival, featuring classic New Orleans dishes as well as cuisine from the best restaurants in the region. A number of restaurants have been with the festival since its beginning in 1984, and have been great partners for 30 years: Pat O’Brien’s, Ristorante Carmelo, Trey Yuen, Tujague’s, Vaucresson Sausage, Desire Oyster Bar, and Court of Two Sisters. Other festival favorites return for 2014, including Galatoire’s, Muriel’s, Antoine’s, Praline Connection, Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House, Restaurant R’evolution, Desire Oyster Bar, Bennachin, Love at First Bite, Crescent Pie and Sausage, Boucherie, GW Fins, House of Blues, Jacques-Imo’s, K-Paul’s, Mrs. Wheat’s, Lasyone’s Meat Pies, and more. New vendors include Café Reconcile, Loretta’s Pralines, Ninja Restaurant, Rib Room, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, and Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza.
Go online and check out their website and download their free app too:
Memorial concert for beloved musician
French Quarter block by block 
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