New Orleans Events

Of all American cities, New Orleans knows best how to party. Its hip-swinging insouciance, greasy-chinned hedonism and cosmopolitan embrace of different cultures and artforms combine to lift it above (or deliciously below) the Calvinist mindset that still haunts the rest of the US. This skill will come in handy as the city recovers in 2006 and beyond.

Booze, beads and bare-breasted revellers, right? Traditionally, perhaps, but future Mardi Gras celebrations may be more reserved and reverent, like a citywide jazz funeral of celebration, closure and thanks. French for 'Fat Tuesday', Mardi Gras is a Roman Catholic celebration ushering in the 40-day Lenten season before Easter. It takes place the day before Ash Wednesday, which can be any Tuesday from 3 February to 9 March, depending on the date of Easter.

New Orleans' ribald version of Mardi Gras usually includes several weeks' worth of fun and fabulousness leading up to Fat Tuesday, but that's been scaled back to eight days for now. Though the big masquerade balls were often private affairs, public parades and gatherings are all-inclusive events. Don't even think of showing up without a costume of some sort - even a simple mask will transform you into a worthy party peer.

In homage to New Orleans' jazz traditions, on the 250th anniversary of the city's founding (1968), an all-star lineup of jazz-scene giants came together for the first ever New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. 'Jazz Fest' has since expanded to include two weekends in late April and early May and features music to suit just about anybody's tastes, with thousands of performers on more than 10 stages displaying styles ranging from big band to zydeco. The 2006 event was a cathartic celebration, as the music community eagerly helped the city that birthed jazz and the blues. The 'Heritage' portion of the title refers to the army of Louisianan arts, crafts and food purveyors gathered downtown at the fairgrounds. Do yourself a favour and arrive hungry - the food on offer is a festival unto itself. If you're new to the region, this is an excellent place to get your culinary bearings.

Other somewhat less boisterous celebrations include the Black Heritage Festival on the second weekend in March, the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival on the last weekend in March, the French Quarter Festival on the second weekend in April, the Greek Festival on Memorial Day weekend in May and the raucous riverfront Carnaval Latino on the last weekend in June. Independence Day (Fourth of July) features food and entertainment along the riverfront and star-studded musical performances at the Superdome, followed of course by a barrage of fireworks.