It’s just about that time of year again.  For those of you headed down to the festival, here’s a sampling of some of my “hit picks” that you don’t want to miss!

First Weekend

Friday–Sting, Steel Pulse, Ron Carter Trio

Saturday–Aretha Franklin, Jack Johnson, Fabulous Thunderbirds

Sunday–David Byrne, George Benson, Jon Batiste w/ the Dap Kings

Second Weekend

Thursday (aka “locals day”)–Toots & The Maytals, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Jeremy Davenport (fyi–for those who have never attended on Thursday, it’s a lower volume crowd and as such, super easy to cruise around and enjoy the festival–I highly recommend it, regardless of who’s headlining)

Friday–Beck, LL Cool J featuring DJ Z-trip, Marcus Miller

Saturday–IMHO, you can skip this day and sample the rest of what New Orleans has to offer

Sunday–Trombone Shorty, Galactic, Anders Osbourne

Pro-tips:

-Make sure to buy a lawn chair asap, they usually run out pretty quickly.

-Buy a pair of rain boots & a poncho! Sometimes it’s sunny and beautiful; sometimes you’re in a hurricane.  If there is an abundance of moisture on either weekend, the fairgrounds will turn into a mud bog–you’ve been warned!

-Learn how to use the St. Charles trolley.  Cab lines can be super long if you’re leaving towards the latter end of the festival day.  If the weather is nice, consider a ricksha–it’s about the same price as a cab and it’s cool ride back into the french quarter.  Also, if you’re in a bigger group, there are always some crafty entrepreneurs that are offering independent shuttles back into town.

-Be safe after dark!  New Orleans is a super cool city; however, after the sun sets there can be some creepy crawlers around that don’t have the best intentions.  Stay on the main drags, mind your own business (but stay situationally aware) and travel in larger groups if possible.  There is a lot of drinking, drugs and sloppiness abound during the late night hours.  There are also some folks simply looking for trouble, or waiting to take advantage of the unsuspecting.  Pay attention and stay safe to make it down next year!