Festival double-header – No need to choose between Jazz Fest and Festival International
Choices, choices, choices. Louisiana’s music gods always leave us with a conundrum once our Baton Rouge spring music events are done, with the choice between traveling to Lafayette for Festival International de Louisiane or to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
You have two weekends for Jazz Fest, but the first overlaps with Festival International. Can you do both? Yes, you can! We’re halfway between both events here in Baton Rouge. Here’s what to do, depending on the type of festival-goer you are:
Jazz Fest is your first choice, with its laundry list of big names, big stages and seas of crowds on the dusty fairgrounds. Sure, the lineup is heavy on legendary acts your parents rave about, and the lawn-chair cities close to the main stages make it hard to crowd-surf. But the lineup also includes the likes of Band of Horses, Frank Ocean, Phoenix and the Black Keys—names that are sure to draw the hippest kids around, cramming close to the stage in hopes of showing up in a crowd shot on Pitchfork the next day.
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But don’t discount Festival International for the big festival atmosphere, either. The fact that it’s free means you are sure to end up dodging hula-hoops and hippies close to the stage. The crowds get large in the evening, and young Louisiana bands like Brass Bed, Royal Teeth and FIGHTs bring the hip factor up a notch.
Festival International has the upper hand. Surprised? Hey, Jazz Fest’s headliners leave the stage when it’s still light out, and the throngs disperse across the city to find dinner. Some end up on Frenchmen Street later to hear more music, others go to exclusive parties at the House of Blues or Republic, and then there are the tourists who seek out the “real New Orleans” via Bourbon Street.
All the stages for Festival International are scattered around Lafayette’s compact downtown, and the performances don’t quit until after 11 p.m. most nights. Afterward, the music continues at several nearby venues. At Blue Moon Saloon, the Cajun/world music mash-up truly finds its groove, with a mix of the festival’s local and international acts jamming together into the wee hours. If Blue Moon is crowded, head just a block over to Artmosphere. These shows usually have cover charges, but who cares after a full day of free music?
You may miss some great performances while skipping out the first weekend of Jazz Fest, but you won’t regret it once you’re two-stepping in downtown Lafayette. Drive in on Wednesday night (April 24) and catch the frontrunners of the new wave Cajun movement, Lost Bayou Ramblers, whose live shows are the punk rock answer to your grandfather’s fais do-do. The rest of the weekend will give you a newfound appreciation for South Louisiana’s talent and expand your international musical horizons.
The following weekend, pack up the car again and head to New Orleans for your fill of Fleetwood Mac, Daryl Hall and John Oates, Galactic, Irma Thomas, Widespread Panic, Maroon 5 and many, many more. Places like the Blues and Gospel tents also let you watch some choice acts from a comfortable seat.
New Orleans and Lafayette let their distinct culinary heritages shine during the festivals. Food booths are everywhere at Jazz Fest, and the dishes attract as big a crowd as the performances. The lines are always long for the fork-tender cochon de lait poboys and the Crawfish Monica, but if you aren’t in the mood for heavy food on a hot day, there are plenty of vendors serving lighter fare. Festival International has all the Cajun favorites, plus Indian, Greek, Spanish tapas and more. Head to the pop-up biergarten on Jefferson Street for a food truck roundup, where local favorite Viva La Waffle serves up a hefty fried chicken waffle sandwich to go with some local brews.
Both festivals are doable for families, as long as you can put up with crowds. Jazz Fest’s grounds have little shade and a lot of dirt and grass for pushing that stroller on, but the large Kids Tent and other music tents provide a cool respite. At Festival International, it’s easy to stroll the sidewalks and tree-lined streets between stages, while the open lawn of Scéne des Jeunes provides plenty of kids’ activities away from the revelry.
LINEUP SAMPLE: The Wailers, Trombone Shorty, Red Baraat, Fatoumata Diawara, Marc Broussard, Feufollet, Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole
PRICE:Did we mention it’s free?
festivalinternational.com
LINEUP SAMPLE: The Black Keys, Irma Thomas, Taj Mahal, Phoenix, Frank Ocean, Tab Benoit, Willie Nelson, Widespread Panic, Patti Smith
PRICE: Advance single-day tickets are $50. At the gates, they’re $65.
nojazzfest.com
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