Jazz has been a defining element of New Orleans’ cultural landscape for over a century. Each year, the city hosts numerous festivals that celebrate this iconic genre, showcasing both established and emerging musicians. The festival atmosphere is electric, with lively performances, local food vendors, and a sense of community that draws people together.

One of the most prominent events is the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, often simply referred to as Jazz Fest. This festival typically takes place over two weekends in late April and early May. Featuring an extensive lineup of artists, ranging from legendary jazz musicians to contemporary performers, Jazz Fest highlights not only the music but also the rich cultural heritage of New Orleans. The event hosts a variety of acts across multiple stages, allowing attendees to immerse themselves in the diverse sounds that jazz encompasses.

Another notable event is the French Quarter Festival, which is known for being the largest free music festival in the Southern United States. This festival celebrates the local culture of New Orleans, featuring jazz along with other genres such as zydeco and funk. Held in April, the French Quarter Festival draws thousands of attendees who enjoy free music performances, food tastings, and the vibrant atmosphere of the historic French Quarter.

Smaller jazz festivals also take place throughout the year, such as the Satchmo SummerFest, which honors the legacy of Louis Armstrong. This festival occurs in August and includes music, food, and discussions about Armstrong’s impact on jazz and New Orleans culture. Events like these play an important role in preserving the history of jazz while introducing new audiences to the genre.

The impact of these festivals extends beyond entertainment. They contribute significantly to the local economy by attracting tourists from all over the world. Vendors, hotels, and local businesses thrive during festival season, highlighting the festivals’ importance as a community and economic booster.

As the jazz festivals in New Orleans continue to grow, it’s essential to keep an eye on upcoming events, local artist lineups, and any changes due to health guidelines. Music lovers can look forward to enjoying live performances in the heart of New Orleans, where jazz is more than just music; it’s a way of life.

What are the main jazz festivals in New Orleans?

The main jazz festivals in New Orleans include the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, French Quarter Festival, and Satchmo SummerFest, each celebrating the city’s rich musical heritage.

How do these festivals impact the local economy?

Jazz festivals significantly boost the local economy by attracting tourists, benefiting hotels, restaurants, and local businesses during the event periods.

When do these festivals typically take place?

Major festivals like Jazz Fest usually occur in late April and early May, while the French Quarter Festival is held in April. Satchmo SummerFest is celebrated in August.

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The roots of Fado trace back to the early 19th century, emerging primarily in the Alfama district of Lisbon. Initially sung in taverns by sailors and the working class, it has evolved over the years into a renowned musical tradition recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage. The genre’s narrative style often delves into themes of love, loss, and the bittersweet nature of life, known as “saudade.”

To truly experience Fado, one must seek out traditional Fado houses that offer live performances. Neighborhoods such as Alfama, Mouraria, and Bairro Alto are famous for their authentic Fado venues. These locations often provide not just music, but a complete experience involving Portuguese cuisine and local wines, making for an unforgettable evening.

Several renowned artists have shaped the contemporary Fado scene, including Amália Rodrigues, who is hailed as the “Queen of Fado.” Current stars like Mariza and Ana Moura continue to innovate within the genre while paying homage to its rich traditions. Their performances attract both local and international audiences, showcasing the ongoing relevance of Fado in modern music.

Fado is not just about the performance; it’s an interactive experience where the audience becomes part of the story being told. Many venues encourage participation, allowing guests to express their own feelings of saudade through singing or simply by enjoying the music’s nuances.

This vibrant music scene plays a crucial role in preserving and promoting Portuguese cultural heritage. However, it faces challenges in the form of commercialization and the risk of losing its authenticity. Therefore, supporting local artists and traditional venues becomes vital for maintaining the essence of Fado.

Looking ahead, Fado continues to evolve, with younger musicians experimenting with new arrangements and influences, blending Fado with genres such as jazz and pop. The Lisbon Fado Festival, held annually, showcases these innovations, highlighting both emerging talent and established icons.

Visitors should plan their Fado outings with consideration of performance times and restaurant reservations, especially during peak tourist seasons. It’s advisable to check online for recommendations or guided tours that include Fado experiences, ensuring a well-rounded cultural immersion.

What is Fado music?

Fado is a traditional genre of Portuguese music characterized by its expressive and melancholic style, often expressing themes of longing and nostalgia.

Where can I experience Fado in Lisbon?

Fado can be experienced in traditional music venues primarily located in neighborhoods such as Alfama, Mouraria, and Bairro Alto, where live performances are common.

Who are some famous Fado artists?

Notable Fado artists include Amália Rodrigues, Mariza, and Ana Moura, who have significantly influenced the genre while attracting global audiences.

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The essence of the French Quarter can be traced back to its rich history, filled with tales of jazz musicians, artists, and revelers. Over the years, it has transformed into a hub of entertainment, attracting locals and tourists alike to experience its infectious energy.

As evening falls, the Quarter turns into a dazzling spectacle. Bars and jazz clubs fill with the sounds of live music, and visitors sip cocktails while enjoying performances that range from soulful blues to lively brass bands. Iconic venues such as Preservation Hall and the Maison are just a few spots where music enthusiasts can revel in the city’s authentic sound.

In addition to music, the cuisine is a vital aspect of the nightlife. Cafés and restaurants offer everything from classic Cajun dishes to contemporary culinary delights. Diners can savor beignets at Café du Monde, indulge in Creole cuisine at Muriel’s, or enjoy upscale dining experiences including fresh seafood and hand-crafted cocktails.

However, the nightlife in the French Quarter is not without its challenges. Issues such as noise regulations, safety concerns, and the impact of tourism on local residents often spark discussions among community members. Local authorities and business owners strive to maintain a balance that allows the vibrant scene to thrive while respecting the neighborhood’s historical significance and the needs of its residents.

As visitors enjoy their nights out, it is essential to remain aware of the environment and adhere to safety recommendations. While the atmosphere is typically festive and welcoming, like any popular nightlife destination, it is advised to stay in groups and keep personal belongings secure.

Looking ahead, the French Quarter continues to evolve. Festivals and special events throughout the year, such as Mardi Gras and the French Quarter Festival, draw even more crowds and contribute to the lively ambiance. As the city rebounds from challenges in recent years, the anticipation for a bustling nightlife experience persists firmly among locals and tourists alike.

What types of music are featured in the French Quarter at night?

The French Quarter showcases a variety of music styles, primarily jazz, blues, and zydeco, with many venues offering live performances nightly.

Are there dining options available in the French Quarter at night?

Yes, the French Quarter boasts numerous restaurants and cafés that cater to late-night diners, serving everything from classic Creole dishes to trendy modern fare.

How safe is it to walk around the French Quarter at night?

While the French Quarter is generally safe, it is advisable to remain aware of your surroundings and stick to well-lit areas, especially late at night.

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Trips come and go, memories fade with time and at some point, years after you return, you end up remembering only pieces of what was once the adventure of a lifetime.

Keeping a travel blog or a travel diary is a great way to preserve memories from your trips. But if you don’t have the time or energy to write your experiences down every day, we have an alternative suggestion to help you remember the awesome places you’ve been. Namely…

…the travel song!

If you think about it, there are songs from your youth that, when you hear them nowadays, still trigger vivid memories of certain people or events. Scientists haven’t yet discovered how or why this happens, but most agree that the phenomenon is real. We want you to take advantage of it when you travel.

Two ways to change your trips with a travel song

First option: start every trip with the same song. Find your travel anthem, a song that is really special to you. It could be the song you used to listen to when you traveled with your family as a child, or the tune you and your friends played on repeat during your first trip as teenagers. Teach yourself to associate the song with travel by listening to it when – and only when – you start a trip.

Second option: compile a themed travel playlist for every destination you visit. Make a list of your favorite songs of the moment, then combine them with some local music you discover on the way. These can be the songs you hear blaring on the radio as you travel, or some old school local classics – whatever you associate most with the place. Save your playlists on YouTube or Spotify, naming them after your destination. Then, every time you want to cast your mind back to Florence, for example, all you need to do is crank out your “Florence epic trip 2017” playlist and let the memories come flooding back.

Why does it work?

“The songs we love become woven into a neural tapestry entwined with the people, seasons, and locations throughout our lifespan,” an article in Psychology Today explains. It seems that a song triggers the areas of the brain connected to motor skills, emotions, and creativity. Some scientists believe music has therapeutic and medical uses, such as helping Alzheimer patients restore memories.

“What seems to happen is that a piece of familiar music serves as a soundtrack for a mental movie that starts playing in our head. It calls back memories of a particular person or place, and you might all of a sudden see that person’s face in your mind’s eye,” Petr Janata, associate professor of psychology at UC Davis’ Center for Mind and Brain, said.

So what’s your travel song? Do you take care of your mental health? Do you use the service of a psychologist or the music is enough? 

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It turns out that the humble bicycle is the perfect muse that has inspired many songwriters, composers and bike enthusiasts in all musical styles. Here’s a pick of our favorite cycling-themed songs:

Listen to the playlist:

Learn the stories:

In the 1960s and 1970s, the topic of cycling was covered by rock legends like Queen with their bike-ode Bicycle Race and Pink Floyd with their song Bike, dedicated to the then-girlfriend of the band’s founder, Syd Barrett.

In the 1980s, Tom Waits wrote the soundtrack of Francis Ford Coppola’s musical One from the Heart, which includes the jazz/blues track Broken Bicycles.

Scottish hard rock band Nazareth adds to the cycling playlist with its cover version of My White Bicycle. The song was originally released by the band Tomorrow, marking their debut in the 1960s.

German pioneers Kraftwerk expressed their interpretation of the joy of cycling in their 1983 single Tour de France, dedicated to the iconic French race.

The Pushbike Song is the bubblegum pop Australian entry in this two-wheeled playlist. The original by The Mixtures has been performed by many, but we particularly like the cover by British band Mungo Jerry.

Juan Lusi Guerra is a Dominican singer telling the story of his trip on a bike to Niagara Falls in his song El Niágara en Bicicleta.

Is your bike a muse? | Photo by Brennan Ehrhardt/Unsplash

If you like the soft jazz-pop grooves of Katie Melua, you may know her song Nine Million Bicycles. What you may not know is that the song was written after Katie’s trip to Beijing. The title was inspired by the words of her Chinese guide, who mentioned that more than nine million bicycles are used in Beijing.

Switching to dance-reggae, Culcha Candela – with members from Uganda, Poland, Colombia, Germany, and South Korea – illustrates how global the love of cycling is with their song La Bicicleta. 

The Flobots’ members have composed a special song to brag about their ability to ride without hands in Handlebars.

If the last handful of band names don’t ring a bell, don’t worry, it’s not just you. We embarked on a dedicated musical journey to find the best bicycle songs for you. To keep the balance, we present you Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Bicycle Song.

Of course, we couldn’t skip the grunge legends of Ugly Kid Joe and their Bicycle Wheels.

Ralph’s World’s confession called Banana Seat Bike reminds you of the times when this was “as close to a motorcycle as any kid is gonna get”.

And finally, two fresh and fun melodies to very much get you on your bike.

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl join the party with the classic: The Bike Song. Attention! Beware of becoming addicted to the video, melody and lyrics of this upbeat song.

We finish on a fun, pop note: Bicycle by BC Unidos. The Swedish duo’s debut will get you on your feet – or more likely on your bicycle – with its upbeat grooves.

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#1 While you were sleeping

There is always that one friend who falls asleep while traveling. Just wait for that moment, then create a fun (and absurd, but still believable) story with the friends who are still awake. When Captain Sleepyhead wakes up, start telling your ridiculous story and take turns adding details. Don’t tell the disoriented dozer the truth until you get to your destination.

#2 Fortunately/ Unfortunately

Among your friends there will always be those who see the glass half full and others who see it half empty. This game is the ultimate fight between optimists and pessimists. The rules are simple: one person starts by saying “Fortunately” and stating something fortunate, the next person continues the story by saying “Unfortunately” and adding something unfortunate. If you fail to come up with anything you get a strike. When you reach three strikes, you are out of the game. The last one standing wins, and it’s up to you to choose their prize.

#3 Sorry I was late

This is a lot like the good old ‘Guess the movie’ game. One person says “Sorry I was late”, and their excuse is actually the description of a movie. All the other passengers have to guess which movie it is: “Sorry I was late, I had to find and kill a crazy clown who was terrorizing my city.”

We all have that one friend who always falls asleep in the car. Who is yours? – Tamara Menzi/ Unsplash

#4 Fictional families

Take a good look at a car driving alongside yours. Then, along with your friends, create a back story about all the people who were in the car, how they bought the car, where are they going and why. Sometimes your imagination can create a story good enough to make a movie about.

#5 Blanks in a story

Before embarking on your journey, write or find a story, then replace some of the words with a blank line and print it. Ask other people to give you a random word to fill in the blanks, and tell them whether it needs to be a noun, a verb, a name or an adverb. Like in the previous game, this is a great way to get some unique stories that you’ll want to share later.

>>> Read more fun travel ideas for trips with friends

#6 Guess the accent

For this one you’ll have to team up with a travel partner. A person from the other team challenges you to imitate an accent and gives you a sentence to say in that accent. Your teammate has to guess what accent you’re speaking with.

#7 Name that tune

This is another guessing game that never fails to add some fun to the drive. This time you have to guess the name of the song a friend is humming. You can choose a certain genre or a specific artist. Take some ideas from the playlist below.

Big Sur, California, one of the most scenic roads in the world, and a perfect place for roadtripping – adrian/Unsplash

#8 20 questions

This is a game for the impatient people among us. One person thinks of a certain thing – it can be literally anything – then the others can ask up to 20 ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions to guess what that person is thinking of. If you want to make the game harder, you can reduce the number of questions.

Read more: 21 inspiring and funny quotes on road trips with friends

#9 Rhyming game

With this game, you can discover your hidden talent as a poet or rapper. The rules couldn’t be simpler: one person starts with a phrase, and the next player has to say something that rhymes with it. If you want to make the game harder for your friends, don’t say words that end with ‘-ation’. Try ‘husband’ or ‘orange’ instead.

#10 Karaoke

Remember That ’70s Show and how the characters were jamming to the music in the car and having the time of their lives? That theme song – which hits the perfect note between inspiring and nostalgic – is the first in our playlist, followed by another 19 songs. The playlist ranges from rock to R’n’B, and includes past hits and present-day sensations that most people know and can sing along to.

>>> Discover more travel playlists!

Pin the post and let the fun on the road begin:

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The legendary Glastonbury festival, held at the end of June, features one of the world’s best live music line-ups, as well as a host of comedy, theater, cabaret and other performances.

Location

The festival is located in the southwest of England near a small village called Pilton, six miles east of Glastonbury town. There’s not much to see in Pilton, but the town of Glastonbury itself offers plenty of landmarks worth checking out if you need a break from the madness and mud of the festival. The church of St. John the Baptist, the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey, the George Hotel and the Pilgrim’s Inn are among the iconic town’s must-see spots.

Glastonbury town center.

Line-up

Every year, the festival features a mind-bending line-up of some of the world’s biggest pop, rock, dance and hip hop artists. Over the past five years these grounds have been host to Muse, U2, Pharrell Williams, The Rolling Stones, Kanye West, Skrillex, Lana Del Rey and many, many more. The star line-up draws a lot of attention, with the number of visitors each year ranging from 120,000 to 140,000 people.

Sunday evening at Glastonbury.

Accessibility

The fastest way to get to the festival is by air, with Bristol International Airport the closest major hub in the region. A bus link from the airport takes you to Bristol Temple Meads railway and bus station. From there, you can catch regular buses and trains to the special station by the festival ground. If you’re considering going by car, be advised that a car pass for the festival costs £45.

A view over the Glastonbury skyline.

Costs

This year, the ticket price for the festival is £238 plus a small booking fee of £5. That covers the whole festival, as you can’t buy tickets for separate days. Every festival ticket includes a camping pass, with caravans also welcome at campsites. If you prefer to stay indoors, the city of Glastonbury offers plenty of accommodation during festival time, with hotel prices ranging from £50 to £150.

Because of its huge popularity, the 2017 edition is already sold out. Featuring acts such as Radiohead, Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran and Major Lazer, Glastonbury is sure to be a memorable start to the summer for those lucky enough to go. However, you can get your foot in the door for next year’s festival if you’re prepared to plan early. Don’t worry, we’re sure the 2018 line-up will be just as spectacular! More information here.

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Sziget festival in Hungary has existed since 1993. Literally, the name of the festival means ‘Island’, so that might give you a hint about what kind of scenery to expect. Here are the most important things to know if you want to join in the action.

Location – The festival takes place on a small island in the Danube River. How cool is that?! Plus, if you need to take a break from the party, you have Budapest right at the tip of your fingers. Budapest is one of the most versatile European capitals, with plenty of beautiful architecture to admire and a hectic nightlife scene all year round.

A colorful crowd at Sziget feistval.

Line-up – The event actually started off as a festival for student bands and included only Hungarian artists. Over the next five years Sziget gained international popularity for the artists that came to perform: Iggy Pop, Slash, The Prodigy, David Bowie and Rammstein, among others. Nowadays there is a bit of everything, from soft rock to hard techno.

Accessibility – Budapest has excellent flight connections to destinations across Europe, so you’ll have no problems finding tickets. The festival takes place right in the middle of the Danube in the center of this well-planned city – you can’t miss it!

The festival stage lights up the night.

Cost – Tickets for this festival vary in price, from one-day tickets for 65-75 euros to seven-day passes that range between 275 and 325 euros (depending on how early you buy the tickets). Accommodation in Budapest is easy to find, and if you’re looking for something on a budget you can choose from a range of guesthouses and hostels costing around 15-20 euros per night.

More information here.

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