This year, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is presenting two of its most popular festivals on one weekend-Treme Creole Gumbo Festival and Congo Square Rhythms Festival.
The festivals will take place Saturday, November 16th, and Sunday, November 17th in Congo Square and Louis Armstrong Park. Admission is still free and open to the public.
There will be two stages of music celebrating New Orleans traditions that spring from the African diaspora: jazz, funk, contemporary and traditional brass band, gospel and rhythm & blues. Performers include Rebirth Brass Band, Soul Rebels, and many more.
Though the festivals are combined this year, the fan favorite events are still taking place. African drumming and dance will be a continued highlight at Congo Square Rhythms Festival, as well as the annual Mardi Gras Indian "battle" with tribes from various neighborhoods.
There will be two food courts with tons of vendors, each offering a mix of classic New Orleans dishes and food including different varieties of gumbo, red beans and rice, crabmeat beignets, deep fried bell peppers, jambalaya, poboys, fresh produce, seafood, and more.
Finally, there will be two art markets. The Congo Square Market will feature arts and crafts, jewelry, locally produced bath and beauty products and imported products from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America, while the Treme Market will feature original local art, crafts, jewelry, and unique handmade items.
These festivals are the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation's way of paying tribute to ancestors and our cultural traditions- through food, music, drumming, and dance. By bringing these two festivals together, they hope to make an even greater impact on the city.
