Tourism is looking up with the 2022 return of Mardi Gras, Jazz Festivals, and popular events. and international flights. There has been an increased demand for authentic experiences, culture, and visiting small towns. "Our people are always welcoming of visitors. That's who we are.", said Jennifer. "Southern Hospitality" is difficult to convey. You have to live it."

 

Louisiana will be exhibiting in London at the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival on 16^th & 17^th July 2022

  Louisiana is a culinary hub brought to life thanks to countless styles of cooking that are sure to knock the socks off your taste buds. Not only will the delicious cuisine keep you full and desperate for more, but Louisiana reckons the feel-good food is what has the state ranked as amongst the happiest in a recent scientific study. After all, the way to everyone’s heart is food – especially loaded with sugar and spice like so many Louisianan treats are.   Treat Your Taste Buds to the Tasty Trails in Louisiana.     In Louisiana, there are eight culinary trails to feed your soul and stock up your recipe book collection, that cover the whole state. As well as being a culinary centre, Louisiana is a cultural melting pot which makes for some of the most delicious recipes around.   Creole Crescent centres around the foods that made New Orleans a culinary star and made it magnetic to chefs. Visit Tammany Tastes trail if you are looking for seafood and the freshest produce. The trail Capital Cravings, in state capital Baton Rouge, is just as delicious. Something that will both burn your mouth and blow your mind are the seasoning and seafood on Bayou Bounty. Seafood Sensation brings all the southwest has; and you can tell when you taste the seafood and the boudin. Prairie Home Cooking is not only great for scenic drives but also perfect for home-cooked meals in family style. Red River Riches will take you to the north of the state and all around the globe with its inventive meals. The northernmost trail: Delta Delights will have you heading uphill for an absolute feast of southern delights.   Food and drink are not just food and drink in Louisiana: they’re a way of life. Foods have seasons, and not the other way around. When food comes first, it’s not surprising that the only dishes cooked are the best ones and that includes everything from the bright purple, green, and gold King Cake, to the brown rice and browned veggies of a delicious Jambalaya, found at the Jambalaya Festival in star Jambalaya town, Gonzales.   Many would agree that the signature treat in New Orleans is the beignet, a fried dough covered in icing sugar. Despite its origin (believed to be in France or Ancient Rome) New Orleans, or more specifically   Café Du Monde, is heralded as the beignet capital of the world. To further this, Now Orleans hosts an annual Beignet Festival – icing sugar heaven!   A po’boy is a staple in Louisiana culture. The so-called po’boy began as a ‘poor boy’ sandwich, which originated from the Martin Brother’s Market Restaurant and Coffee Stand in New Orleans during the 1929 streetcar strike. They were served to the workers in a show of support, and taste this powerful history at Mother’s Restaurant in New Orleans.   Native to the north is the traditional meat pie, from Natchitoches which is a delicious find. Similar to empanadas, they are full of beef, pork, and the classic seasonings of Louisiana food, and for the widest variety visit the Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival.   Eat as You Experience, Louisiana Offers Food and Festivals for All.   In Louisiana, it’s no surprise that cooking schools are open to the public: teaching about the history of the food, as well as offering lessons that show visitors how to make the delicacies. In the city of New Orleans, you can visit the New Orleans School of Cooking, and via both demonstrations and hands-on classes, you can be taught the secrets of jambalaya, shrimp creole, gumbo, pralines, and even bread pudding. However, if your trip is based in the capital of the foodie-state, visit the accredited Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge where you can learn to cook some of the best Louisianan dishes.   If learning isn’t your thing, but the experience of Louisianan food is still right for you then take a peek at the innumerable food festivals hosted in the spicy southern state: New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival whilst being a music festival it also brings the scent of good food with it. The festival is well-known for bringing some of Louisiana's best dishes with it: po’boys, boudin balls, and crawfish bread. Gumbo Festivals are plenty in this state, because if there’s anything Louisiana is known for: it’s the million and three gumbo’s you can buy all over the state. Crawfish Festivals are almost as important as crawfish boils in the spring months, as temperatures and spirits rise. And if you can’t find local Crawfish Boil to gorge yourself on, the next best options are festivals. Mardi Gras in Eunice in the small Cajun prairie town experience culinary traditions from boucherie to cochon de lait, including, on Mardi Gras Day, a communal gumbo and all the traditions surrounding it.   Mardi Gras in Eunice isn’t the only Mardi Gras that’s worth a visit, the exuberant, exciting, and eclectic celebrations in party-hub New Orleans are massively attractive as well. From traditions such as the float parades, bead throwing, Bourbon Street shenanigans to the more subdued traditions held together in the delightful, flavourful, and colourful sweet bread of King Cake. The oval shape of the cake, represents the unity of all faiths. The bright colours the sugar adds to the top are also symbolic, the green representing faith, the purple representing justice, and the gold representing power. In many King Cakes you will find a baby Jesus figurine, and whoever finds it shall be gifted luck and prosperity as a result, whilst also being the monarch for the evening.   If you’re looking for spice, look no further than Avery Island, home of the iconic Louisianan hot sauce: Tabasco. The infamous sauce was first created in1868, over 150 years ago. Created by Edmund McIlhenny, it is now produced by the McIlhenny Company of Avery Island. It has transformed from their original Red Sauce of vinegar, Tabasco peppers, and salt into a collection of Siracha, Sweet & Spicy, Habanero, Chipotle, Jalapeño, Cayenne Garlic, Scorpion, and Buffalo style hot sauces. On this Island, you can see how the hot sauce is made via an in-depth factory tour, before enjoying the island’s Jungle Garden, leaving with a few Tabasco themed gifts from the Tabasco Country Store, together with the sauces if you can brave the 1,000–35,000 Scoville units.   The heart of Cajun Louisiana lies in the gentle hands of Lafayette, located in the southwest of this culinary masterpiece of a state. Due south of New Orleans, through the plantation houses and all the rich history there, it’s a gorgeous location brought to life with the spice of Cajun culture, with classic dance halls and music to enjoy alongside the food. When Lafayette was named the “South’s Tastiest Town” in 2012 by Southern Living, it introduced the area to the rest of the world, and to experience the tasty goodness, all you need to do is climb aboard a tour bus and enjoy the Cajun Food Tours. alternatively, experience the heart of Cajun via Chef-guided Culinary Tours by chef Patrick Mould, leading you on a multi-day experience that includes local gems, such as restaurants, and cooking classes.   At Houmas House Plantation Home in Darrow, Louisiana you can enjoy the Sugar Baron’s Feast, invite your friends and enjoy a special evening together. The Sugar Baron’s Feast includes a private tour of the mansion and a seven-course meal. Can’t do the feast? Dine at Latil’s Landing Restaurant on-site, your meal prepared by critically acclaimed Executive Chef Jeremy Langlois, who brings more than 20 years of experience to the table.   If Louisianan food is to your taste, but you’re still stuck in the UK, chefs Jeremy Langlois and Brian Landry are bringing the vibrancy and the best of Louisiana with them as they take the National Geographic Traveller Food Festival by storm, with demonstrations in the masterclass theatres each day.   As the Executive Chef at Houmas Latil’s Landing Restaurant, Jeremy masterfully and excellently creates and cultivates his cooking style “Nouvelle Louisiane”. At 22, he was made the youngest Executive Chef at any DiRONA (Distinguished Restaurants, of North America). Brian is the Chef/Owner of QED Hospitality, a restaurant operations management group that runs Jack Rose restaurant, the Bayou Bar, Hot Tin rooftop bar and the Silver Whistle Café within the Pontchartrain Hotel in New Orleans. At the Louisiana booth, you can enjoy tasty tidbits of Louisiana’s culinary culture and start planning your culinary adventure.   At the festival you can also get a taste of Bayou® Rum, which is distilled from locally grown sugarcane in southern Louisiana. Their molasses comes from the oldest family-owned and operated sugar mill in the United States.  Utilising traditional methods with state-of-the-art technology from fermentation through distillation, maturation and bottling, Bayou Rum has earned its title of #1 Craft Rum in America*.

 

Two Full Days of Festing

  French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI), producer of Satchmo SummerFest presented by Chevron, is proud to announce the 2022 live music, speaker series and culinary lineup for the festival’s annual return on August 6 & 7 at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint. The premier American festival dedicated to the life, legacy, and music of New Orleans' native son, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, brings two days of live entertainment, food, and fun that is certain to keep fans on their feet and dancing to the beat.   Fest attendees can once again pre-purchase tickets online beginning Wednesday, June 22, 2022. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $7 or onsite for $10 per day (children 12 and under are free). Admission also provides access to the Jazz Museum’s collection and exhibitions, plus the Satchmo Legacy Stage in Memory of Joni Berry featuring discussions and presentations by world-renowned Armstrong scholars. Fans are encouraged to register here in advance to secure their spot and avoid lines.   20 Jazz, Brass, Swing, Funk, and Fusion Acts to Perform,  Along with Satchmo Scholars   The 2022 festival lineup includes 20 musical acts ranging from traditional jazz to swing, brass and marching bands, funk, R&B, jazz fusion, and more performing on two tented stages. The lineup includes:  

• Big 6 Brass Band
• Doreen's Jazz
• Players Ella & Louie Tribute Band featuring Jewel Brown
• Germaine Bazzle
• John Boutté
• Lawrence Cotton Legendary Experience
• Nigel Hall
• Roots of Music
• The Nayo Jones Experience

  Returning Satchmo SummerFest favorites include Kermit Ruffins Tribute to Louis Armstrong, Preservation Brass, Jeremy Davenport, The Original Pinettes Brass Band and Treme Brass Band.   Satchmo Legacy Stage in Memory of Joni Berry: Two Days of Fascinating Speakers and Discussions   On the Satchmo Legacy Stage in Memory of Joni Berry, scholars and historians will present on a wide range of topics surrounding all things Louis Armstrong from 1-5pm each day. Festival favorite and GRAMMY® Award winner Ricky Riccardi, Director of Research Collections for the Louis Armstrong House Museum and Archives and the author of What a Wonderful World, will return with a host of all-star scholars. Enthusiasts and novices can dive deep into the life and legacy of Armstrong and learn of his humble beginnings and tenacity with presentations such as Peter Davis, the Music Master of the Great Louis Armstrong, with Dr. Robert S. Mikel a native New Orleanian and decorated educator with research works and interest in multiple fields of study including early New Orleans Jazz, as well as a very special interview with Jewel Brown, who was a female vocalist with Armstrong’s All-Stars from 1961-1968.    While inside the Museum, attendees can also access five exhibits: Lightning and Thunder: Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles, Exit Stage Right: Zack Smith’s Festival Portraits, From the Fat Man to Mahalia: James Michalopoulos’ Music Paintings, The Wildest! Louis Prima Comes Home, and Drumsville: Evolution of the New Orleans Beat. View the full music & speaker lineup here   A Foodie's Delight   In addition to music, the 2022 Satchmo SummerFest presented by Chevron will feature unforgettable New Orleans cuisine from some of the city’s most loved restaurants and up-and-coming chefs. Attendees can indulge a little more with gluten-free and vegetarian options from Beaucoup Eats with the Vegan Fish Po-Boy, Jerk Chicken Pasta and Red Beans & Rice (Satchmo's Favorite dish) with a side of Catfish and 14 Parishes, who returns with Jerk Chicken or Pork, Plantains and Festival (Jamaican Fried Dough!). Ditto’s Did Dat also joins the Fest with Fried Crawfish, Grilled Chicken, and Shrimp Tacos. Enjoy delicious eats from like the Cajun Seafood Rolls, Fried Green Tomatoes with Shrimp Remoulade and Fried Ribs from Café Dauphine, a fusion of flavors from Theaudric’s Real Clever Cuisine with the Shrimp Cavatappi Fatooush, Brussel Voorheese with Fig Truffle Glaze and Creme Bru’leches Breadpudding and scrumptious bites from Praline Connection including Chicken Livers, Fried Okra and more. Festers looking to cool down can look forward to Plum Street Snoballs with their traditional flavors and add-on options to personalize your sweet treat, or take a healthier approach with their sugar-free flavors.   This year’s cocktail menu includes favorites such as the Jack Daniel's Lynchburg Lemonade, El Jimador Tequila Margarita and Bubly Sea Breeze (Bubly, Cranberry, Finlandia Vodka + Lime). Fans can relax with a seat and some shade at the Sonoma-Cutrer Rosé Café and our beer lovers will find many options from Abita Beer including, for the first time at Fest, Hard Sweet Tea chilled and ready. Non-alcoholic options will also be available including Pepsi, Bubly and Gatorade to keep hydrated. Click here to see the complete menus.  

Official 2022  Satchmo SummerFest Poster

  This year’s poster art is a collaborative effort of digital artists from TILT studio .   “In celebration of Satchmo Summerfest, we wanted this year’s poster to be a blend of New Orleans icons: bright colors, unique architectural elements, beautiful flowers, and of course, the instrument most closely associated with the city’s most revered musician, Louis Armstrong," said Scott Hodgin, Owner & Creative Director of TILT   The official Festival poster can be pre-purchased now with shipping beginning mid-July. Posters will also be available at the official merchandise booth during Fest.  

There’s Even More to Enjoy at Our Fest

  The 22nd annual event returns with its favorite traditions and added fun for the whole family:  

• Satchmo Soundoff: Music fans of all ages can attend a special performance by some of the city's youngest and most talented musicians. The Roots of Music presented by Fidelity Bank will kick off this year’s festival Saturday at 11:30am on Esplanade Ave., right outside of the Museum gates.
• Satchmo SummerFest Jazz Mass : The Jazz Mass at Augustine Church will begin at 10am where attendees can also enjoy a spirited performance by Treme Brass Band. Due to ongoing renovations at St. Augustine Church, mass will be held in the Parish Hall. Please note that space and seating is limited. The mass will be livestreamed on Facebook.com/saintaugchurch.
• Satchmo SummerFest Second-Line Parade: The Treme Brass Band will lead attendees out of Sunday mass at St. Augustine Church at 11:15am in the Treme neighborhood and through the French Quarter for a Second-Line parade to the New Orleans Jazz Museum

 

A New Tradition, With Major Impact

  Festival organizers continue their partnership with the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program (BTNEP) for the second year at Satchmo SummerFest after a successful first year at French Quarter Fest with the Geauxing Green Initiative. The program will focus on marine debris prevention by allowing only reusable, recyclable, and compostable food and drink products at the festival. In addition, attendees will be greeted by Green Team staff, who will be on hand throughout the festival grounds to guide the public in the use of recycling and composting stations. Accompanying marketing materials focused on marine debris prevention will be available on site. The partnership supports FQFI’s goal of being a leader in sustainable festival production in the Gulf South.  

Thank you Sponsors and Community Partners:

  French Quarter Festivals, Inc. is proud of its 39-year history of providing high-quality community events that are accessible to all. The organization relies heavily on the contributions of sponsors and partners as well as beverage and merchandise sales to support the festival. Festival organizers welcome the return of Chevron as Presenting Sponsor of Satchmo SummerFest. “Satchmo SummerFest is a celebration of the music, life and legacy of Louis Armstrong and is part of Chevron’s commitment to the local community,” said Leah Brown, Public Affairs Manager for Chevron's Gulf of Mexico Business Unit. “His determination, talent, charisma, and charity broke down barriers in the Crescent City, across the country, and around the world. This event honors New Orleans’ favorite son, while also stimulating economic growth and fueling the social vitality of southeast Louisiana. Chevron is proud to be a part of it.”  

Happy Birthday, Satchmo!

  Satchmo SummerFest is scheduled annually to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4th; the first festival took place on what would have been his 100th birthday, the same year the New Orleans airport was renamed Louis Armstrong International Airport. The artist often stated in public interviews that he was born on July 4, 1900 (Independence Day), a date that has been noted in many biographies. Armstrong died in 1971 and his true birthdate, August 4, 1901, was not discovered until the mid-1980s. Louis Armstrong was raised in a poor section of New Orleans known as “Jane Alley.” Throughout his career, he entertained millions – from heads of state and royalty to the neighborhood kids on his stoop in Corona, New York. Despite his fame, he lived a simple life in a working-class neighborhood. The man known around the world as “Satchmo,” short for Satchelmouth, was widely recognized as a founding father of jazz – a unique American art form. In 1932, Melody Maker magazine editor Percy Brooks greeted Armstrong in London with "Hello, Satchmo!” and the nickname stuck. His influence as an artist and cultural icon is universal, unmatched and very much alive today.

  What better location to wrap up a movie about magic than at a magical-looking carousel? The Carousel at New Orleans City Park is the setting for the reveal at the end of Now You See Me, starring Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, and Morgan Freeman. The young and young-at-heart can enjoy a ride on one of the fifty-six hand-carved animals – horses, a lion, giraffe, or camel. The Carousel dates back to 1906, but some of the animal figures date back to 1885; the whole structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. And after a ride (or two, maybe), you can check out the rest of the magic in City Park – beautiful gardens, coffee and beignets, or even a gondola ride on the lakes.    

  Based on historical events, Free State of Jones is a dramatization of a group of Mississippi residents who broke from the Confederacy during the Civil War. Filmed primarily in Louisiana, the Matthew McConaughey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw-led project included 3 actual direct descendants of Newton Knight as extras in the movie. While some of the more remote areas of Chicot State Park were used for the scenes where the group hid out in swamps, visitors can check out downtown Clinton – a couple of hours’ drive from the park – for town scenes from the movie. The East Feliciana Courthouse is the oldest continuously-used courthouse in the state, and has been featured in many films due to its striking architecture. Chicot State Park admission: $3/person, free for seniors 62 and older and for children 3 and younger    

Cool off with juicy watermelon at the Beauregard Watermelon Festival.   Louisiana Sugar Cane Festival Parade.