AD-2009: Satchmo Summerfest and White Linen Night

Click on any picture to expand. Все фото кликабельны.

The first weekend in August in New Orleans traditionally comes with lots of jazz, funk, food and people. It is hot and humid despite or even thanks to occasional showers, but crowds are taking their sweat and smiles outside of air-conditioned houses into the streets where two probably most notable summer social events take place – Satchmo Summerfest and White Linen Night.

A shower stopped me from going there at midday yesterday. So I was kind of late. Besides, right next to the Old U.S. Mint there was a truck with free medical screening. I decided to take the opportunity and check my cholesterol level, blood pressure and risks of diabetes. Everything turned out well below any risk or bad zones even after some spicy chicken from Popeyes.

Satchmo Summerfest takes place at the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint building in the French Quarter near the historic French Market. I was there in 2005 and enjoyed listening to music on several stages around the building. Last night only one stage was working at around closing time when I came. But lots of people still sat around on the grass, chairs, mobile chairs, and steps. It was still an evening of relaxation and food, if less so of music. People were eating food that could be bought from numerous stall right there. I only had a snowball to cool me a little.

It was time to go to another event – a one-night only (unlike a two-day Satchmo Summerfest) White Linen Night that takes place on Julia Street in the Warehouse District next to the Central Business District. I surely didn’t miss an opportunity to take pictures of the Quarter on the way there.

Crowds had already started gathering at the uptown base of Bourbon, but the downtown end of the Quarter was quiet and residential, with very few people passing buy, the setting sun enhancing the paint on houses, even few sounds around. The lake side of the CBD was also quiet. Very few cars and people passed Baronne Street. There was a wedding, though, at the Church of Immaculate Conception across the street from the Roosevelt.

White Linen Night goes on from 6 to 9 pm on Julia Street (blocks 300-800). Almost everybody comes here in white shirts, skirts, dresses, even some hats and jackets… also white. There’s plenty of drink and some food too. Everything can be purchased for tickets ($1 value each) bought here as well. People usually buy tickets for $10-20 at a time. Drinks can be bought for 2-5 tickets on average. Everybody goes around with cups and glasses of beer, wine and cocktails. Everybody has a free paper fan. Fans, candles, pens and peppermint candies are for free.

All galleries are open. And in some blocks every door is a gallery entrance. It is amazing how crowded the street was. There were lines everywhere: to a snowball stand, for tickets, for drinks and food. And on top of that there were two lines at each gallery – in and out. People there were moving slowly in a procession – inside and outside to the next door.

There were also three stages where a funk’n rock band, a latino music band and a rockin’ blues band played. Plus, you could take part in a pillow fight with lots of feathers flying around. Women mostly, but some men too, looked very happy in that white feathery exercise.

There was one photo exhibition that I went to see. Zack Smith’s portraits were amazing. I met with Courtney Talbot, a local artist and interior designer. We chatted a lot about New Orleans, Katrina, art and life.

A mix of blues, latina and funk sent me back home on a crowded streetcar into a warm New Orleans night. People were a bit drunk, a bit tired, some still agitated, some relaxing on the streetcar benches. Everybody looked happy.

У нас в Самаре имелась попытка организации что-то сходственного в мае – “Артполис”. Грызть ещё, куда развиваться. На фото видно, что некие галереи – бывшие склады с нагими кирпичными стенками. В Самаре найдётся много площадей, тот или другой могли бы посоревноваться в артистичности декаданса. Осталось лишь творить традиции организованных, цивилизованных, чистосердечных, многогранных и весёлых праздничков, подобныз White Linen Night либо Satchmo Summerfest. Этаких праздничков, где над массой не будут стоять слои милиции, куда будут прибывать и приезжать люди со в итоге городка и из вторых городов и государств.