New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival | Food & Crafts

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New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

The Grandstand

The air-conditioned Grandstand gives Festival-goers a chance
to cool off and take an intimate look at the vibrant culture,
cuisine and art of New Orleans and Louisiana.
This year, Special Exhibits “JAZZ FEST 1970 - 1974: From the Square to the Fair” and “ZULU: Celebrating 100 Years as a New Orleans Tradition” join demonstrations and displays of “Backstreet” crafts and traditions on the 1st Floor, West Wing.
The Grandstand also houses four intriguing stages:
Zatarain’s Food Heritage Stage (1st Floor East),
Zatarain’s Cajun Cabin (on the apron outside Food Heritage),
the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage (2nd floor East),
and the Lagniappe Stage (in the outdoor paddock).

Click a link below to visit:

Exhibits and Cultural Demonstrations Both Weekends	Weekend One (April 24 - 26)	Weekend Two (April 30 - May 3)

Exhibits: Both Weekends

JAZZ FEST 1970 – 1974: From the Square to the Fair

“A festival has to be a success in its home town before the world will realize it is something great” -George Wein

In 1969, jazz lovers, city officials and local entrepreneurs gathered together to create an outdoor music event that would highlight New Orleans’ reputation as the birthplace of jazz. Forty years later, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is not only a much-loved local tradition, but one of the world’s premier musical and cultural events.

Explore the first five years of Jazz Fest in the Grandstand during the 40th annual festival. This exhibition will trace our beginnings in Beauregard Square and the move to the New Orleans Fairgrounds. Explore the early years of the festival with a collection of photography, posters, maps, video and memorabilia from those early years.

This exhibition is curated by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive and with great appreciation and assistance of The Historic New Orleans Collection, William Ransom Hogan Jazz Archive and the Louisiana State Museum

(1st Floor West)

ZULU: Celebrating 100 Years as a New Orleans Tradition
This exhibit will showcase the 2009 parade costumes of the Centennial King and Queen Zulu, as well as that of the Soulful Warriors, the official escorts of the Royal Couple,
and a brief history of the organization.

Cultural Demonstrations:

Backstreet New Orleans
Here you can see elaborately beaded Mardi Gras Indian suits and Social Aid & Pleasure Club parade finery; observe dedicated artisans working on their crafts; watch videotapes of New Orleans’ famous Jazz Funerals & SAPC Parades; groove to the rhythms of African-inspired drums, and chat personally with leaders of the local African-American Backstreet community as they share their culture.
(1st Floor West)

Weekend 1 (April 24 - 26)

THE BACKSTREET CULTURAL MUSEUM – A POWERHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE Jazz Funeral Photography & Memorabilia, Second-Line Mementos & Attire, and Parade Videos Sylvester Francis, a.k.a. Hawk Mini Camera, Director New Orleans, LA
*Sylvester Francis* is Director of the Backstreet Cultural Museum, located in the historic Tremé neighborhood. Here he maintains a major collection of Backstreet cultural photographs and artifacts, including a number of Mardi Gras Indian and Social Aid & Pleasure Club suits. Mr. Francis is also known as “Hawk Mini-Camera” and is renowned for his tireless film and video recording of Jazz Funerals and SAPC parades. He has served as a consultant for many films and documentaries shot in the New Orleans area.

MARDI GRAS INDIAN CRAFTS & TRADITIONS Big Chief Darryl Montana Yellow Pocahontas New Orleans, LA
*Big Chief Darryl Montana* of the Yellow Pocahontas is an internationally recognized artist whose Mardi Gras Indian suits have been displayed in exhibits and museums around the world. Chief Darryl will be on hand to demonstrate the intricate beadwork used in creating the abstract designs which characteristic of the downtown Indian tribes. He carries on the tradition of his father, Big Chief Allison “Tootie” Montana, who developed the style now used by all downtown Indians Chief Darryl has also been known, when the spirit moves him, to lead Indian Practice in the Grandstand demonstration area. His 2009 suit, named “Tribute to Joyce” in honor of his mother, who is highly respected and much-loved in the Mardi Gras Indian community, will be on display for both Festival weekends.

PRINT MATERIAL FOLK ART Ashton T. Ramsey, Folk Artist & Historian New Orleans, LA
*Ashton T. Ramsey* is a folk artist and historian who works with two commonplace materials – newspaper clippings and men’s clothing – and combines them into unique pieces of wearable art. His work may be in honor of important historical figures, or a comment on current events, and more often than not it makes a definite political statement. During the year Mr. Ramsey can frequently be seen, riding his tricycle, at Jazz Funerals, parades and other celebrations. While at Jazz Fest he is always surrounded by Festival-goers, anxious to hear his commentary and to read his suits and collages.

MARDI GRAS INDIAN CRAFTS & TRADITIONS Big Queen Rita Johnson Mohawk Hunters Terrytown, LA
*Rita Johnson* is Big Queen of the Mohawk Hunters, a tribe based in Algiers. 2009 marks the first year that West Bank Mardi Gras Indian Tribes are being represented at Jazz Fest. Queen Rita has been masking Indian for many years, and while in the Grandstand will be demonstrating the beading skills she has acquired since the age of 15. She will also be discussing the role of the Big Queen, Mardi Gras Indian traditions, and how these traditions have evolved. Queen Rita plans to wear some of her suits while demonstrating, another first for the Grandstand.

CARNIVAL CRAFTS & TRADITIONS 2nd Chief Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes North Side Skull New Orleans, LA
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes is 2nd Chief of the North Side Skull and Bone Gang. With origins in cultural celebrations of Haiti, from which many slaves came to New Orleans, these Skeleton Maskers continue a century long tradition of invading the Tremé community before dawn on Mardi Gras morning, with shouts of warning: “YOU NEXT!” While in the Grandstand, Mr. Barnes and other members of the Bone Gang will demonstrate how they create their fearsome skeleton heads from paper maché. They will also be bringing their drums, and as Mr. Barnes is a noted New Orleans musician, a festive atmosphere is sure to be found.

Weekend 2 (April 30 - May 3)

THE BACKSTREET CULTURAL MUSEUM – A POWERHOUSE OF KNOWLEDGE Jazz Funeral Photography & Memorabilia, Second-Line Mementos & Attire, and Parade Videos Sylvester Francis, a.k.a. Hawk Mini Camera, Director New Orleans, LA
*Sylvester Francis* is Director of the Backstreet Cultural Museum, located in the historic Tremé neighborhood. Here he maintains a major collection of Backstreet cultural photographs and artifacts, including a number of Mardi Gras Indian and Social Aid & Pleasure Club suits. Mr. Francis is also known as “Hawk Mini-Camera” and is renowned for his tireless film and video recording of Jazz Funerals and SAPC parades. He has served as a consultant for many films and documentaries shot in the New Orleans area.

MARDI GRAS INDIAN CRAFTS & TRADITIONS Big Chief Walter Cook Creole Wild West New Orleans, LA
*Walter Cook* is Big Chief of the Creole Wild West, the oldest active Indian Tribe, which has been in existence since the 1880’s. Big Chief Walter has been masking Indian since 1963, and in 1974 became Chief of this historic tribe. His suits in recent years have been very distinctive – Chief Walter is descended from Choctaw Indians, and he wanted his suits to have a decidedly Native American look. He works with less plumage and smaller beaded patches, while incorporating more animal hide and fur, including suede, cowhide, rabbit and deer. These suits are fierce and original.

SOCIAL AID & PLEASURE CLUB CRAFTS & TRADITIONS Joe Black, Founder & Overseer Revolution Social Aid & Pleasure Club New Orleans, LA
*Joe Black* is Founder and Overseer of the Revolution Social Aid & Pleasure Club, which has been parading since 1995. In the Grandstand, he and members of the club will be demonstrating how they make their brightly-colored orange (they have a different color scheme every year) SAPC parade accessories - including sashes, fans, and umbrellas. Festival goers will be amazed by the hand-operated bow-making machine used to create the thousands of small ribbon bows that adorn nearly every aspect of traditional Social Aid and Pleasure Club finery.

MARDI GRAS INDIAN CRAFTS & TRADITIONS Big Chief Victor Harris Spirit of Fi Yi Yi Mandingo Warriors New Orleans, LA
*Big Chief Victor Harris, Spirit of Fi Yi Yi,* *and the Mandingo Warriors* are noted for the style of their Chief’s Mardi Gras Indian suits - which are based on African, rather than Native American, designs. Past suits worn by Chief Victor have recently been on exhibit at the New Orleans Museum of Art, and can now be seen at the Backstreet Cultural Museum. While members of the tribe will demonstrate their distinctive beading techniques during the second weekend, this year’s scarlet Chief’s suit will be on display in the Grandstand for both Festival weekends. The Chief and his Warriors are known as inspired drummers, and often engage Festival goers in impromptu - and lively - drumming sessions.

MARDI GRAS INDIAN CRAFTS & TRADITIONS Big Chief Tyrone Casby Mohawk Hunters New Orleans, LA
*Tyrone Casby* is Big Chief of the Mohawk Hunters, a tribe based in Algiers. 2009 marks the first year that West Bank Mardi Gras Indian Tribes are being represented at Jazz Fest. A New Orleans high school principal in daily life, Mr. Casby has been masking Indian for over 40 years. Chief Tyrone is also an organizer of “West Fest,” the West Bank’s Super Sunday Indian gathering.

HONORING THE ZULU SOCIAL AID & PLEASURE CLUB ON 100 YEARS OF SERVICE & CELEBRATION

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