Finally, the weather has turned in belle NOLA and it is Fall and the festival season is full upon us. Thank God for both!
Of course, fall weather is relative. When we New Orleanians say that, we mean the high temperature only goes up to maybe 80 degrees (only!), and it cools down at night to the low 60s (high 50s across the Lake). Don't even write in to tell me -- we already know that it would not be considered fall anywhere else, but for us it's a sweet relief. You get to lower your air conditioning usage or even turn it off altogether. You get to walk around without sweltering. You get to break out of storage your long-sleeved clothing. (Although the young person in line in front of me this morning at Village Coffee on Freret Street (recommended!) made quite a contrast to me, with their long-sleeved sweater-hoddie pulled up over their head -- and me in a sleeveless dress! C'mon, it's not cold yet! (I do have a light shawl on hand for tonight's Harvest the Music concert with Soul Queen Irma Thomas at Lafayette Square. It's reasonable to expect a slight chill after the sun goes down, but a hoodie?? That young person must have been born in equatorial realms to find this morning cold.)
Just as the barometer and thermometer turned to Fall, so did the festival calendar. We have entered the crazy season of competing festivals. Towards the end of September, folks had to choose between the Downtown Music Festival at Lafayette Square, the Alligator Festival (in Luling, under the bridge -- see the post from 2008 and just *double it*), the Magnolia Mound Cajun Festival (in Baton Rouge), the Swamp Pop Festival in Covington, the annual St. Augustine High School Fair, and various church fairs with fabulous food and entertainment. Big Man and I made the decision to go to the Gator Fest, 'cause we love it and adore the food (and they've done a great job upgrading the festival grounds and simplifying the parking); we tried to squeeze in the Gospel Soul Children at the Downtown Fest the same day but didn't have the energy (the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak). And may the Force of the Universe please forgive me for eating the absolutely fabulous and sinful chicken-fried bacon sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with spicy home-made pear chutney. OMG.
As October came upon us, there was Art for Art's Sake up and down Magazine Street (with free shuttles!), and several festivals worth driving to in small Cajun towns. This upcoming weekend is another jam-up. Every fall Wednesday is Harvest the Music at Lafayette Square to benefit Second Harvest for local hungry and homeless people. (And if you're thinking that Lafayette Square is becoming free music central, you'd be right!) Then starting on Friday, there's the Gretna Heritage Festival, this year with actual ethnic categories for music (in a good way, y'all!), the Bridge City Gumbo Festival (OMG), Voice of the Wetlands in Houma, Japan Fest at the Museum (they didn't have much food last year, hope that changes), Carnaval Latino at Mardi Gras World, and Gentilly Fest. Plus, the new Oktoberfest in the Deutshes Haus temporary location starts up. I'm exhausted just looking at the list.
Nothing to be done about it, except get enough sleep, eat lightly when you're not festing, and get out there and pass yourself a good time, yeah!
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