Satchmo SummerFest 2014 will take place over the weekend of July 31-August 3, primarily on the grounds of the Old U.S. Mint, conveniently situated on the edge of the French Quarter between the French Market and Esplanade Avenue. The festival is free and open to the public.
Outdoor events at SatchmoFest feature live bands on several stages, starring some of New Orleans’ top musicians. Many of them will pay their tributes to Armstrong and his music. Samplings of New Orleans’ world-famous culinary delicacies will be offered for sale in and around the festival site, while refreshing Southern-style beverages and other soft drinks will keep you cool and hydrated.
When the City of New Orleans was planning a tribute to one of its most famous native sons, the late Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong on the centennial of his birth, they had no way of knowing how successful such an event would be at the height of the summer when most people are seeking comfort in the shade, the swimming pool, or in their air-conditioned homes.
The summer heat was not the deterrent that many skeptics thought it would be as thousands of people turned out for the first Satchmo SummerFest in 2001. In fact, it was so successful that it became an annual three-day event held on the first weekend of August every year since.
Sponsored by French Quarter Festivals, Inc., the organization that also sponsors the highly successful French Quarter Festival and Christmas New Orleans Style, “SatchmoFest,” has evolved into one of the top celebrations in a city internationally renowned for its large-scale festivities. For many people who regularly attend the festival it is the highlight of the summer season.
For more information on SatchmoFest visit: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/festivals/musicfestivals/satchmosummerfest.html
