French Quarter Festival Fun

New Orleans has come to be a second home for me.  My mother moved there 37 years ago so it’s a destination well traveled in this family.  With that, of course, comes the benefit of free lodging during the amazing yearly festivals the city has to offer.  16 years ago Mom started the tradition of holding a brunch the Sunday morning of French Quarter Fest and it has become a yearly tradition for me to attend. 

Growing over the years, French Quarter Festival now has 23 stages all within the Quarter which have a new act every 90 minutes for 4 full 10 hour days!  You do the math!  It is a free festival supported by sponsors and the sale of STRICTLY local spirits, beer and food.  Oooohhhhh, THE FOOD!   From traditional Cajun to the most contemporary, nearly every reputable NOLA restaurant has an offering.  Greens and jambalaya to spring rolls to bratwurst, and all of it great!

The music is equally diverse.  From with names like Irma Thomas and Aaron Neville drawing huge crowds to a middle school brass band being enjoyed by passersby, there isn’t one stage that doesn’t offer great entertainment.  Again, the entertainers are all Louisiana natives with the only exception being showcased on an international stage. 

I have to take a minute to give a shout out to New Orleans for it's festival management.  With crowds that literally consume the French Quarter, civility and order reign.  There are police, firemen, EMS and coast guard officials just about everywhere you look.  Miniature police cars - smaller than smart cars, folks - zip through the streets 24 hours a day keeping watch and there are the smallest ambulances I've ever seen at the ready. Contrary to many people's perception, the city stays amazingly clean with countless staff in motion sweeping and moving masses of trash.   I might mention here as well that almost all are wearing a smile and ready to help with whatever you need.  

A family favorite of the event is the cajun/zydeco stage where we spend hours dancing nonstop.  My amazing 81 year old mother is almost a legend for her love of the dance floor.  For a woman raised on a farm in Wisconsin, you would never guess for how solidly she fits into the local culture.  It makes even me wonder if there isn’t Cajun somewhere in our bloodline!

Add to all of this nonstop fun, we had a great time sharing Holy City brews with family, friends and festival goers.  We only have a small selection right now but all were equally enjoyed.  And I’ve found that people are more than willing to say cheese for a free beer! 

This morning, we pulled in the slide outs, disconnected and put New Orleans (and Mom 😚) in the rear view mirror as we set our sites on destinations westward.  As we now cross the border into Texas, the journey ahead starts to take shape and the sadness of goodbyes fades in the distance.