Some major changes in store for the 2010 Brass Pass:

• No more tickets!  Instead of tickets, all Brass Passers will receive a laminated pass that can go on a lanyard with your Brass Pass key chain.  It won't get ruined in the rain and there won't be any tickets to keep track of each day.
• Entrance through any of the main pedestrian gates, including Sauvage, Gentilly and Trafalgar, and the Jazz Fest Express entrance.
• Brass Passes are now fully transferable.  A different person can use the pass each day (one person per day).  There will no longer be a separate Over Pass. 

And of course, the things you all love, from the in-and-out access to the hospitality tent, will continue to give you the best Jazz Fest experience 'OZ can offer!

Brass Passes for Jazz Fest 2010 will be available online at wwoz.org or over the phone at 877-907-6999 starting on October 1, just in time for our Fall Membership Drive.

Source: Swag's Fest Journal

The deadline is October 1, 2009 for musical groups to apply for slots at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell. The application process is simple: Just get your photo, bio, and music samples together and fill out the online form.

In keeping with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and Foundation's mission to promote, preserve, perpetuate and encourage the music, culture and heritage of communities in Louisiana, the vast majority of bands selected to perform at Jazz Fest are based in Louisiana based.

All bands that are chosen for the 2010 Jazz Fest will be contacted after October 1. Once all bands are selected and booked, the Festival will email all groups that were not selected for 2010.

Source: www.wwoz.org

this is not intended to be a full photo-album, I am demonstrating the Posterous photo album to a coworker.    as a simple example of photo galleries.

                     

Click here to download:

Misc_Jazz_Fest_photos.zip (474 KB)

Every year creative minds and their thoughts converge on New Orleans to display funky designs on thousands of tee shirts, all in in one place, Jazz Fest. I've seen some great work over the years.

We're featuring one funky design, a tribute to keyboard players in New Orleans.

fes·ti·val /'f?st?v?l/ [fes-tuh-vuhl]: a period or program of festive activities, cultural events, or entertainment: a music festival. — New Or·le·ans /'?rli?nz, ?r'linz, '?rl?nz/ [awr-lee-uhnz, awr-leenz, awr-luhnz]: A city known as the birthplace of jazz music. Check it out, wear it to a festival, maybe Jazz Fest 2009!

www.cafepress.com/jazzfest2009

WWOZ has long served as the voice of New Orleans's culture and as a source of information about the music community, expanded with WWOZ Street Talk: a cultural news service.

On the air and on the web, Street Talk addresses issues vital to New Orleans' cultural rebuilding: from the future of music education to the struggle to keep traditions like second lines alive.

Meet The Threadheads in this installation of Street Talk. They are self-described as a fun-lovin’, concert-goin’, booty shakin’, hard partyin’, sometimes silly bunch… and because of their strong attachment to the people and culture of New Orleans, this marvelous group of people support charity projects, helping to ensure the heart of their beloved New Orleans continues to beat.
http://www.wwoz.org/programs/street+talk/2008/09/threadheads

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is approximately 11 miles from the French Quarter.

There are several options to get downtown from the airport. Taxicabs, shuttle buses, and public transportation have routes that can take you there 24-hours a day.

A cab ride costs $28.00* from the airport to the Central Business District (CBD) for one or two persons and $12.00* (per passenger) for three or more passengers.  Pick-up is on the lower level, outside the baggage claim area.  There may be an additional charge for extra baggage.  $1* fuel surcharge is added to total fare.

Shuttle service is available from the airport to the hotels in the CBD for $15.00 (per person, one-way) or $30.00 (per person, round-trip). Three bags per person. Call 1-866-596-2699 or (504) 522-3500 for more details or to make a reservation. Advance reservations are required 48 hours prior to travel for all ADA accessible transfers. Call enough in advance for the specially-equipped shuttle to be reserved. For group reservations of 10 or more people please dial 1-866-596-2699. Ticket booths are located on the lower level in the baggage claim area.

Jefferson Transit's Airport-Downtown Express (E-2) picks up outside airport Entrance #7 on the upper level.  For more information on public transit in the area, visit the Jefferson Transit website, www.jeffersontransit.org, or the RTA website www.norta.com.

Amtrak's Union Station is located at 1001 Loyola Avenue.  Amtrak does not provide transportation to or from the airport.   Passengers should use limousine, public bus, or taxi service to reach the station. http://www.amtrak.com

The Greyhound Bus station is located downtown at 101 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, 70113.  For information fares and scheduling, call (504) 525-9371 or toll free 1-800-231-2222. http://www.greyhound.com

Flying to Baton Rouge? Check Reliant Transportation Group for ground transportation between Louis Armstrong International Airport and Baton Rouge, La. including Gonzales, Prairieville, Port Allen, Baker, Denham Springs and Zachary. Prices start at $90 One Way for one or two guests.  Call for group pricing at: 1-866-925-8110. 48 hour advance reservations requested.  www.relianttransportation.com

Automobile Rental: There are 7 car rental agencies with offices on the lower level of the airport.  

Driving into New Orleans:  I-10 takes you directly into Orleans Parish, and exits for New Orleans.

*any prices given are in 2008 dollars, and may change. Check with carrier for current prices.

Books about the Jazz Fest

http://astore.amazon.com/louisiana20-20/

including...

Jazz Fest Memories by Michael P. Smith

New Orleans Jazz Fest: A Pictorial History by Michael P. Smith

The Incomplete, Year-by-Year Selectively Quirky, Prime Facts Edition of the History of The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by Jan Clifford

The food offerings at Jazz Fest are delicious! There is even an official food policy of the Festival, "no carnival food."

Here are a few popular offerings, which are not available every year:

CRAWFISH MONICA
Sort of a crawfish alfredo. A delicious blend of Louisiana crawfish and pasta The sauce is a secret recipe. This is a crowd favorite!

BOILED CRAWFISH
Find a nice patch of grass, spread out and enjoy a few pounds of red hot crawfish.

COCHON DE LAIT PO-BOY
A roasted pork poboy. Slow roasted pork served on crusty French bread.

CREOLE'S STUFFED BREADS
The best and most underrated offering at Jazzfest, served by Mrs. Merlene Herbert of Creole's Lunch House in Lafayette. A baked bun stuffed with meat, sausage, cheese and pepper.

PHEASANT, QUAIL & ANDOUILLE GUMBO
from Prejean's Restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana.

ICED TEA and STRAWBERRY LEMONADE
In addition to plenty of water, these two great beverages will help you make it through the day. The caffeine from the tea and sugar in the lemonade keep you boogying.

MUFFULETTA
It is like a mixed Italian sub with olive salad but Muffulettas are made on large round loaves of Italian bread and can easily feed two.

SOFT-SHELL CRAWFISH PO-BOY
Just as it states

MANGO FREEZE
Mango sorbet will cool you down on a hot day.

PRALINES
A sweet candy available in several flavors including pecan, coconut, chocolate and rum.

SNO-BALLS
A sure sign summer is near. This is New Orleans version of snow cones but made with finely shaved ice instead of crushed ice.

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, aka Jazz Fest, is a 10-day cultural feast.

The music encompasses every style associated with the city, the state and region. It also invites international touring bands to perform on the larger stages. So the music encompasses every style associated with the city and the state: blues, R&B, gospel music, Cajun music, zydeco, Afro-Caribbean, folk music, Latin, rock, rap music, country music, bluegrass and everything in between. And of course there jazz, both contemporary and traditional. Some would say not enough jazz for a jazz festival.

Jazz Fest typically occurs the last weekend of April (Friday, Saturday and Sunday) and first weekend of May (Thursday through Sunday). Thursday is considered "Locals Day" by many because the hoards of visitors haven't yet descended upon New Orleans for the 2nd weekend.

The festival is held at the Fair Grounds Race Course, 1751 Gentilly Boulevard, about a 10 minutes drive from the French Quarter. Hours of the Heritage Fair are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Jazz Fest Express shuttle, city bus or taxi cabs are the best options for transportation. If you decide to drive, parking at and around the Fair Grounds is very limited. Be sure to know what is a legal parking spot, towing is strictly enforced. Do not leave valuables in your vehicle.

There is also a lot of music between weekends as music promoters and local music clubs book great acts throughout the week. In addition, there is free music, check the local schedules and Offbeat Magazine. You can find free "in store" performances at record stores such as the Louisiana Music Factory and Lafayette Square which hosts "Wednesday at the Square", a free summer concert series that includes the Wednesday between Fest weekends.

A friend of Jazz Fest passed away recently. He wrote an email to some, which reads, in part:

there once was a man name of wing,

who decided one last final thing,

it's now time to leave

take rest all bereaved

i'm off to my greatest final fling!

to all my friends, by this email know that wing/ dancerboy no longer exists in the form you knew him as. i have chosen to end my life ...

my cancer returned in symptomatic form 10 months ago. after a biopsy and series of scans i elected not to receive treatment .¤.¤.

i chose not to share the information for the following reasons:

why upset everybody?

don't have to justify my reasoning to anyone

don't have to listen to everyone's aunt marthe's famous cancer cure

now i imagine some of you might have wondered what was up, since there was no jazz fest or travel to the islands for winter dancing and fun. now you know."

Chris Rose wrote about and included a portion of Wing's letter in his column: Jazzfest fixture's e-mail arrives after he succumbs to cancer
Posted by Chris Rose, Columnist, The Times-Picayune June 25, 2008 4:15AM
http://blog.nola.com/chrisrose/2008/06/chris_rose_jazzfest_fixtures_e.html

We'll miss you Wing, keep on dancing :)