Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday – Photos!

Super Sunday is easily one of my favorite days of the years. The magnificent Mardi Gras Indians show off the plumed and embellished suits they spent the year carefully designing and crafting. Elaborately beaded panels often portray tales of fighting and loss. One family told the story of the wife’s battle with illness and her husband carrying her through the fight. One of the children in the Red Flag Hunters was adorned with sparkly images of Goofy, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and friends.

Happy Jazz Fest!

Though we have festivals all year round, the Mac Daddy is probably  the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. All the other festivals are free so the $60 a day price tag keeps many locals away but Jazz Fest draws music lovers and bands from all over the country, even the world. We got there early and ate before the line for fest favorite Crawfish Monica ($7) from Kajun Kettle Foods got ridiculously long. The Prejean’s Restaurant Pheasant, Quail and Andouille Gumbo ($6) was delicious.

Second Line 101 with Treme Sidewalk Steppers and Rebirth

If you grew up in New Orleans, a second line is second nature, a near-weekly event. The “first line” of any parade consists of a brass band and the primary paraders (in a funeral procession this would include the family). The “second line” is anyone who follows the parade along its route. The bopping strut dance that paraders employ is also called the “second line.” The parades are generally not connected to any particular event. It’s parading for parading’s sake.

Many second lines are sponsored by Social Aid and Pleasure Clubs (S & P’s). S & P’s began in the 1800’s when the end of slavery necessitated banding together to create a version of insurance.

Jazz Fest from the Beer Booth

Did you know you can attend Jazz Fest for free while helping your community? Turns out there are many ways to volunteer at Jazz Fest. When I found out that Raintree Children and Family Services would be working the Fireman’s beer booth 2 days this Fest, I was in! Raintree (founded in 1926) offers services for foster care children, children with disabilities and at-risk children. They also have a home for teenaged girls who were unable to find placement in the foster care system. The booth faced the Acura Stage, the largest stage at the Fest and host to the more popular bands, so though I couldn’t hop around, I was treated to fairly non-stop wonderful music.

Jazz Fest!

Sunday was my first trip to Jazz Fest 2011. It was a beautiful, breezy day and more out-of-town friends (Marilyn and Bob from L.A.) joined me for the festivities. Wanting to go with the flow and knowing I can see most of these bands other times, I let my friends pick the bands and ended up hopping through 9 bands in 7 hours. We also saw a short Mardi Gras Indian parade and some artwork as well as eating lots of goodies and running into a few friends.

The Funeral for Albert Joseph Jackson, the Moses of Magazine Street

Though death hurts just as much here as it does anywhere else, a funeral here can be a really good time. The funeral, repass and second line for Albert Joseph Jackson, the Moses of Magazine Street, were a really good time. The church was filled with Albert’s rather large and loving family and the some of the many people Albert affected in our community.