When NOLA.com compiled its list of seven things you can get at Festival International de Louisianethat you can’t get at Jazz Fest, well, they missed a few things.
We’ve taken the liberty of rounding the list out to a clean 10.
10 things you get at Festival International you won’t find at Jazz Fest:
1. Francophone immersion
Festival International spotlights Louisiana’s French heritage through music, art and other performers brought in from around the world. French and Acadian culture is present is almost everything the festival does: stages have French names, announcements are made in both French and English and there’s even a Sunday mass presented in French.
2. Downtown Lafayette
You don’t have to worry about sloshing through mud or standing in the sun for hours. The festival grounds take over almost all of downtown Lafayette, which means you can take a break at a local restaurant, stand in the shade of a nearby building and window shop between performances.
3. It’s free!
Versus Jazz Fest’s (costly) ticket prices, you can put your cash toward other things at Festival, like food, drinks, art and a pin or two. Of course, Festival now has the option for some VIP treatment if you’d like to put up the cash for one of the new passes.
You can also come and go as you please, so if you’re feeling like taking a nap between sets or need to dash back to the car to stash a rain jacket, it’s no problem.
4. Spontaneity
Much of what happens at Jazz Fest is scheduled, down to the Mardi Gras Indian parades. At Festival, you’ll find more spontaneity. You can catch buskers hosting a mini-show in doorways or stilt-walkers peeking in on your business at any time. In 2014, there was even a silly string flash mob.
5. International collaborations
One of the best parts of Festival is seeing what happens when musicians have little in common but the shared knowledge of music. (Often, interviews even have to be done with a translator because performers and journalists don’t know common languages.) You can see them in action, performing together, during the Rhythms & Roots series at the Blue Moon Saloon.
Not to mention the opportunity to see bands you’d never see otherwise.
6. No chair cities
This point is more about what you won’t find at Festival. Because the Lafayette event is a little more come-and-go than Jazz Fest, you won’t have to power through immense chair cities or navigate your way across cordoned off sections of empty chairs at main stages. In fact, Festival International rules prevent that from happening.
7. Diversity
Speaking of international collabs, diversity is a big part of Festival International, thanks to the world music, free access and focus on Francophone culture. You’ll hear different languages as you walk around and meet people from halfway across your neighborhood or halfway across the world.
Advertiser addendum:
8. Cocktails
Draft beer, craft beer, imports — Jazz Fest has beer covered. But cocktails? Festival has the festival market cornered there. Festival punch, anyone?
Not to mention the food.
9. Something for everyone
Although you can’t (and shouldn’t) bring your dog, the rest of the family is more than welcome. From bands and activities at Scene des Jeunes to shopping to the aforementioned refreshments, Festival has all the ingredients for an all-age good time.
10. US!
We’re all for freestyle dancing your way through Festival, but for those who want to brush up on their skills, The Advertiser is offering a Cajun dance lesson at our Jefferson Street tent (across from the library) Saturday night. The catch? You have to sign up.
Of course, if you just want to stop by and get your photo taken at our photo booth, that’s cool, too.
