To many, the French Quarter Festival heralds the official beginning of Louisiana's fun, but formidable, spring festival season. It's time to dust off the portable chairs, break out the around-the-neck beer koozies, and get used to eating food from New Orleans' top restaurants while standing up.
Founded in 1984 as an intended one-off event — meant to draw locals back to the French Quarter after months of major riverfront construction and sidewalk repair in preparation for the World's Fair that year — the festival is now in its 29th year.
The free event now spans four days on 21 music stages; the event's website states that works out, mathematically, to 275 hours of entertainment and more than 150 musical performers.
In 2011, total attendance broke the half-million mark, organizers say.
The throngs are drawn by the festival's slow but steady expansion, which has been stepping up exponentially each year with new stages, bigger local names and a diverse array of events pegged for fans of dance, theater, food, visual art and music history.
The "Locals' Lagniappe Day," Thursday, has been extended into a full day of music, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on five stages, after debuting as a half-day last year, and a new cabaret music stage has been added inside the Hotel Monteleone, bringing the number of stages to 21.
The festivities officially kick off Wednesday night, with the annual "TGIF – Thank Goodness It's Festival" — party and fundraiser from 6 to 9 p.m. at the House of Blues.
FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL 2012
- What: The 29th annual free festival, with 21 stages of music, a children's area and food from more than 65 New Orleans restaurants in Jackson Square and throughout the quarter, kicks off Wednesday with the "TGIF — Thank Goodness It's Festival" — party, with Jon Cleary and the Philthy Phew and Robin Barnes, followed on an expanded "Locals Lagniappe Day" on Thursday.
- When: TGIF party is Wednesday, from 6 to 9 p.m. Festival hours are: Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with music on just five stages; April 13 and 14, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and April 15 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Where: The TGIF party is at House of Blues, 225 Decatur St., 504.310.4999. The festival itself runs from Iberville to Esplanade and from the Mississippi River to Burgundy.
- Tickets: TGIF tickets are $65 and include dinner, three drinks and a silent auction, 504.310.4999.
- Information: No shuttle service on Thursday. Shuttle service starts on April 13. No outside drinks (drink sales from festival booths help pay for the event), no coolers or pets are allowed on the festival grounds. Visit fqfi.org, for more information.
R&B pianist Jon Cleary, whose new solo album "Occapella" revisits Allen Toussaint's back catalog, will perform in the main music hall with his group Philthy Phew; jazz vocalist Robin Barnes, whom fans may recognize from regular gigs at the Monteleone's Carousel Bar and the House of Blues' Foundation Room, will hold court in the patio Voodoo Garden.
The $65 ticket price includes dinner and three drinks. The fundraiser also includes a silent auction of "New Orleans-themed treasures and adventures."
Here's a look at a few of the new or returning features at the this year's festival:
Tune into musician sponsorships
In the past, local musicians have been less than thrilled with the festival's sponsorship-based booking policy, which required most acts to seek out their own sponsors — perhaps their label or a local nightclub — to cover the cost of their performance in exchange for the publicity and other benefits. This year, festival organizers amended the system to invite local businesses to commit sponsorships — ranging from $500 (the "Shorty" level) to $20,000 (the "Pops" level) on the front end, taking the burden off artists. The new system helped draw in some big local guns to play for the first time: The Royal Southern Brotherhood featuring Cyril Neville, Deacon John, George Porter Jr. and the Runnin' Pardners and The Iguanas, just to name a few, will all make their French Quarter Festival debuts in this year.
Talk about music
Do people like to learn a little something at festivals — or do they just like chairs and air conditioning? Either way, more of both are offered this year with the new discussion series, "Let Them Talk," hosted at the new Old U.S. Mint Performance Hall and sponsored by the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, Tulane's Hogan Jazz Archive, UNO's Midlo Center for American Studies and the Louisiana State Museum. Historians and authors will conduct live interviews with musicians, such as Lionel Ferbos, Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes and Johnny Vidacovich on April 14 and 15.
Kids have more to do
The courtyard gardens of the Hermann-Grima House at 820 St. Louis St. will host educational kids' activities from noon to 6 p.m. April 14 and 15, directed by the education departments of local museums, such as Longue Vue House and Gardens and the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. The festival's traditional Children's Headquarters on the riverfront near the Audubon Aquarium also will offer, as always, kid-friendly food, music and activities.
Fireworks return
The festival's fireworks display over the Mississippi river was last seen in 2005, so this marks its first time back since Hurricane Katrina. The show in the sky, sponsored by Tropical Isle, is scheduled for April 14 at 9 p.m.
Dance lessons are back
Free dance lessons will be offered throughout the day at the French Market Traditional Jazz Stage, the Cajun-Zydeco Riverfront Stage and the Children's Headquarters near the Audubon Aquarium. Between acts, festival-goers can learn the two-step, swing, jitterbug and even second-line dance from professional instructors.
Come to the cabaret stage
The Hotel Monteleone's newly renovated Carousel Bar will be home to a cabaret stage this year. Developed in partnership with local cabaret impresarios, such as Barbara Motley and Ricky Graham, the stage will present the sophisticated sounds of Debbie Davis, Lisa Lynn, Helen Gillet and others April 14 and 15.
More shuttles, apps and security
This year, the festival is attempting to make it easier (and safer) to get there and get around. Here are a few ways the festival is doing that:
- On April 14 and 15, vehicular traffic will be restricted in the French Quarter. Specific details were not available at press time.
- A sixth bus will be added to the free Capital One Second Line Shuttle fleet, to transport fans from parking areas (parking is $10/day) along O'Keefe Street in the CBD to the center of the action. (The shuttle runs April 13-15).
- Once there, festival-goers can use the free Android (www.appbrain.com is just one that offers it) or iPhone (itunes.apple.com) apps to plan their attacks on the festival's expanded stages and hours.
- Finally, the Guardian Angels Bike Team will patrol the Quarter and the riverfront, working with NOPD to provide security and EMS support.
Alison Fensterstock can be reached at fensterstock@gmail.com. Read more music news at nola.com/music. Follow her at twitter.com/AlisonF_NOLA.
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