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Music, dance, theatre, and performance art headline the cultural calendars in all of Night+Day’s cool cities. We combed through dozens of annual performing arts festivals worldwide, and here are the best of the best.
Best Performing Arts Festivals in....
Best Performing Arts Festivals
New Orleans
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival
Last weekend of April and first weekend of May, Mid-City nojazzfest.com
The Draw: Jazz Fest crams all the musical strains of New Orleans and Louisiana—from brass bands to zydeco, and gospel choirs to the Neville Brothers—into two weekends of sweaty fun. The Scene: Some fans park themselves in the Economy Hall Tent and soak up a solid day of traditional jazz. Others camp out before the big stages and score a good seat for the national headliners, such as Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, or the Dave Matthews Band. Experienced festers drift around the fairgrounds and discover the unexpected—perhaps a nearly unknown local jazz prodigy, a gospel group made up of a dozen trombones, or a wild, witty, and profane man from Mississippi belting out obscene ditties. Hot Tip: Don’t bother with dinner reservations; Jazz Fest vendors will fill you up with food that rivals any local restaurant.
Ponderosa Stomp
Last Tuesday and Wednesday of April, French Quarter ponderosastomp.com
The Draw: The Stomp is like watching the world’s hippest jukebox, packed with old soul, surf rock, swamp pop, and one-hit wonders, come to life on stage. The Scene: Plenty of record-collectors chase down obscure sides by brilliant musicians who have unjustly sunken into obscurity. Stomp founder Dr. Ike (aka anesthesiologist Ira Padnos) had the resources to coax these forgotten artists back on stage. Some groups are legendary, such as Elvis’ original guitarist or surf rocker Link Wray; others, such as garage band The Green Fuz, are almost unknown. The three stages run nonstop, and the crowd of freaks, hipsters, and visiting rock stars is often as interesting as the musical acts. Hot Tip: Can’t get enough of the Stomp’s alternative musical universe, or just want to prepare for the experience? Check the festival website for year-round Stomp Radio.
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
March, French Quarter tennesseewilliams.net
The Draw: Authors and playwrights, both aspiring and renowned, gather to swap stories, share techniques, and perform their works. The Scene: It’s hard to imagine New Orleans without the ghosts of Blanche, Stella, Stanley, and the long-defunct streetcar named Desire. New Orleans has always attracted writers, but none did more to shape the myth of this city than Tennessee Williams. The five-day festival honors the late playwright with poetry readings, theatrical performances, a one-act play competition, and panel discussions on subjects profound, practical, and playful. Hot Tip: Big mouths can gain fame by shouting "Stella" the loudest at the annual competition that concludes the festival.
