This year's Jazz Fest happens April 26-May 5 at the Fair Grounds Race Course, but the weekend shows are only part of the picture; longtime Fest goers freely admit the food is a primary reason for going. Still, it's the music that attracts most people and the sounds of the South are everywhere. Besides the mixed bag of festival stars this year such as Ellis Marsalis, Cowboy Mouth, Beau Jocque, Better Than Ezra, Irma Thomas, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, Mighty Clouds of Joy, and Joan Osborne, many other offsite events add to the fun. There are musical workshops and special evening concerts that will feature acts like the Fabulous Thunderbirds, B.B. King, and Joan Baez, plus the highly recommended "Dew Drop Inn Revisited" show that features Lloyd Price, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Jean Knight, and others.
Tickets to the fairgrounds are cheap, $10 advance through Ticketmaster or $15 at the gate but be forewarned that if you do not already have accommodations booked, you will likely end up sleeping in Baton Rouge, which isn't all that bad -- it's only an hour to Lafayette from there, and....
For Jazz Fest ticket information, call 504/522-5555 or 800/488-5252. -- M.M.