Satchmo SummerFest is July 30-Aug. 2

The 15th Anniversary Satchmo SummerFest presented by Chevron will be held July 30 to Aug. 2 in New Orleans.
Produced by French Quarter Festivals, Satchmo SummerFest is a celebration of the life, legacy and music of New Orleans’ native son Louis Armstrong. What began in 2001 as a way to commemorate the musician’s 100th birthday, Satchmo SummerFest has grown into a three-day event filled with entertainment, education and fare from some of New Orleans most notable restaurants.
This year’s festival will implement a $5 daily admission fee with children 12 and under admitted free. Satchmo SummerFest will take place on the grounds of the Louisiana State Museum’s Old U.S. Mint.
“As we celebrate Satchmo SummerFest’s 15th anniversary and Louis Armstrong’s 115th birthday, we are thrilled to see his influence grow stronger,” said Marci Schramm, French Quarter Festivals executive director. “He’s beloved by new generations of musicians and fans, and those who worship at the altar of Armstrong can’t get enough. Our incredible speakers, traditional jazz musicians and special events make this event a true, pure and heartfelt celebration of Satchmo.”
On July 30, Satchmo SummerFest will kick-off with a fundraiser to benefit French Quarter Festivals. A special screening of the 1956 classic, “High Society,” will take place at Le Petit Theater du Vieux Carré, one of the oldest community theatres in the country. Starring Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly, the film — the last Grace Kelly made before marrying Prince Rainier of Monaco — follows the story of a musician vying for his ex-wife’s affections. A limited number of tickets are available for $50 at fqfi.org. Admission will include refreshments.
Satchmo SummerFest presented by Chevron will feature the music of more than 100 artists representing New Orleans’ traditional and contemporary jazz musicians and brass bands. Regular performers include Deacon John and the Ivories, Ellis Marsalis, PresHall Brass, Kermit Ruffins, Lars Edegran, New Birth Brass Band, PresHall Brass, Rebirth Brass Band, Robin Barnes, and Yoshio Toyama and the Dixie Saints. “Satchmo in the Shade” — tented areas where festival-goers can enjoy music and food away from the summer heat — will be located at each stage.
The 15th anniversary of Satchmo SummerFest also brings the inaugural “Spirit of Satch” Awards. Winners will be champions of jazz in the areas of music, media, philanthropy and education, and will be announced at the festival on July 31.
August 2015 marks the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and in commemoration, Satchmo SummerFest will remember and honor those who worked tirelessly to help rebuild the infrastructure that supports New Orleans music. A panel of representatives of these “musical first-responders” will discuss what has been learned in the decade since the flood, with interviews and footage featuring “the people who fought to save the music following Hurricane Katrina.” The discussion will take place inside the Old U.S. Mint.
While inside the museum, attendees also can visit the new, never-before-seen exhibit, Louis Armstrong — A Boy from New Orleans. A collaboration between French Quarter Festivals and the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Queens, New York, the exhibit includes rare artifacts such as Armstrong’s first cornet from the New Orleans Colored Waif’s Home side-by-side with the last Selmer trumpet he brought to his final visit to New Orleans in 1968.
“By highlighting historic artifacts from so many historic collections, this exhibit will tell the story of Louis Armstrong’s relationship with New Orleans like it has never been told before,” said Ricky Riccardi, Louis Armstrong House and Museum archivist.
Seminars about Armstrong and the history and influence of jazz in New Orleans will also take place inside the museum. Curated by Fred Kasten and Dr. Connie Atkinson, the lecture series will include Riccardi, Louis Armstrong House Museum Executive Director Michael Cogswell, famous jazz writer Dan Morgenstern, record producers Scott Wenzel and Scott Billington, singers Jewel Brown and Daryl Sherman, trombonist David Sager, author Mick Carlon, WWOZ host and music historian David Kunian, historian Dr. Bruce Boyd Raeburn, music writer John Swenson, and clarinetist Evan Christopher.
Aug. 1-2, children and parents can relax on the second floor of the museum and enjoy “Pop’s Playhouse,” a dedicated children’s area with an array of educational, entertaining family activities, movies and exhibits.
A full schedule and information on all French Quarter Festivals festivals and events visit the website www.fqfi.org or call 504-522-5730.