Downtown Austin Jazz In The Park Scheduled May 19

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? Jazz lovers last month were disappointed to hear about the cancellation of a free downtown Austin concert featuring authentic jazz that was called off after heavy rain hit the area.

Shout, hallelujah, jazz aficionados: The concert is rescheduled for this weekend!

The Downtown Austin Alliance and New Orleans-based group People United for Armstrong Park are joining together for a free event on Sunday, May 19, at Republic Square featuring Cajun food and New Orleans jazz.

For the first time, the organizations will partner to bring a taste of the popular New Orleans concert series Jazz in the Park to Austin. The event, which runs from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., will unite New Orleans and Austin musicians for performances rooted in New Orleans jazz, and vendors will offer a variety of authentic Cajun foods.

“We are thrilled to work alongside the People United for Armstrong Park and the City of Austin to bring together this exciting cultural event,” Mandi Thomas, director of strategic partnerships at Downtown Austin Alliance, said. “Jazz in the Park has been going strong in New Orleans for seven years. We’re excited to merge the New Orleans and Austin cultures for this unique and fun event, and guests are welcome to come and go throughout the day or lay out a blanket and stay for the full day.”

Attendees can join a traditional New Orleans-style second line parade, which will kick off the afternoon at 1 p.m., beginning from City Hall plaza, and moving down Guadalupe Street to Republic Square. Parades of this type are an integral part of the Jazz in the Park experience and are rooted in the deep traditions of New Orleans. Leading the parade will be dancers and performers from the Sudan Social Aid and Pleasure Club, and the All For One Brass Band, which formed in 2004 and has opened concerts for world-class musicians including Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys.

Once at the main stage at Republic Square, attendees will be treated to Austin musicians, choirs and dance troupes, who will share the stage with bands from New Orleans, to provide a distinctive cultural experience that only New Orleans and the “Live Music Capital of the World” can offer. Musical acts include Austin’s-own Minor Mishap Band, a 25-piece brass band, as well as New Orleans-based, Grammy-winning trombonist Corey Henry of Corey Henry & The Treme Funktett.

Jazz in the Park will showcase the best of New Orleans cuisine, including fresh crawfish straight from Louisiana, jambalaya, gumbo, étouffée, alligator, muffulettas, andouille and beignets, as well as barbecue and Mexican cuisine from Austin chefs and restaurants. Attendees are also invited to shop for artwork and jewelry from multiple artisans.

For more information visit RepublicSqaure.org.

From April 5:

AUSTIN, TEXAS — A New Orleans-style party that had been scheduled on Sunday was rescheduled as the city was hit by heavy rain for the second day straight.

City officials had prepped the recently renovated Republic Square in downtown Austin to stage the jazz event organized by the Downtown Austin Alliance and the New Orleans-based group People United for Armstrong Park. The event was to be a day-long event featuring music and food from the Crescent City.

However, a second consecutive day of heavy rainfall followed by a flash flood warning prompted officials to cancel the event. In an email sent to Patch, officials wrote the Jazz in the Park event would be rescheduled to another date, but no time frame was provided as to when this might occur.

From April 5:

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans? If so, a musical salve will be available on Sunday in downtown Austin, where jazz bands will play a free concert for residents as nourishment for the soul and authentic cuisine will be on hand to feed the body.

Downtown Austin Alliance and New Orleans-based group People United for Armstrong Park are joining together for a free event on Sunday, April 7, at Republic Square featuring Cajun food and New Orleans jazz.

For the first time, the organizations will partner to bring a taste of the popular New Orleans concert series Jazz in the Park to Austin, organizers said. The event, scheduled from from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., will unite New Orleans and Austin musicians for performances rooted in New Orleans jazz, and vendors will offer a variety of authentic Cajun foods.

“We are thrilled to work alongside the People United for Armstrong Park and the City of Austin to bring together this exciting cultural event,” Mandi Thomas, director of strategic partnerships at Downtown Austin Alliance, said in a prepared statement. “Jazz in the Park has been going strong in New Orleans for seven years. We’re excited to merge the New Orleans and Austin cultures for this unique and fun event, and guests are welcome to come and go throughout the day or lay out a blanket and stay for the full day.”

Attendees can join a traditional New Orleans-style second line parade, which will kick off the afternoon at 1 p.m., beginning from City Hall plaza, and moving down Guadalupe Street to Republic Square — reminiscent of the musical processions in the Crescent City that delight residents and tourists alike.

Leading the parade will be dancers and performers from the Sudan Social Aid and Pleasure Club, and the All For One Brass Band, which formed in 2004 and has opened concerts for world-class musicians including Stevie Wonder and Alicia Keys, according to concert organizers.

Once at the main stage at Republic Square, attendees will be treated to Austin musicians, choirs and dance troupes, who will share the stage with bands from New Orleans, to provide a distinctive cultural experience that only New Orleans and the “Live Music Capital of the World” can offer. Musical acts include Austin’s-own Minor Mishap Band, a 25-piece brass band, as well as New Orleans-based, Grammy-winning trombonist Corey Henry of Corey Henry & The Treme Funktett.

Jazz in the Park will showcase the best of New Orleans cuisine, including fresh crawfish straight from Louisiana, jambalaya, gumbo, étouffée, alligator, muffulettas, andouille and beignets, as well as barbecue and Mexican cuisine from Austin chefs and restaurants. Attendees are also invited to shop for artwork and jewelry from multiple artisans.

For more information visit RepublicSqaure.org.

Below is a little taste of what's ahead in Austin. Witness the palpable joie de vivre sparked by People United for Armstrong Park in New Orleans:

About Downtown Austin Alliance

The Downtown Austin Alliance (Downtown Alliance) works with key downtown stakeholders—property owners, residents, business owners, community organizations and government officials—to advance our collective vision for the future of downtown Austin. The Downtown Alliance is engaged in dozens of projects and issues that contribute to the safety, cleanliness, and appeal of downtown Austin to residents, employees and visitors. As a full-time advocate for downtown, the Downtown Alliance is actively engaged in planning decisions that impact the area. We also advance downtown's vision through direct services supporting safety and cleanliness. For more information, please visit www.downtownaustin.com.

Oh, and here's that song from the musical reference in the first paragraph to get you in the mood for Sunday. Tell it, Satchmo: