25th Anniversary Newsletter

Celebrate 25 Years

of Satchmo SummerFest on August 2-3

Learn more at satchmosummerfest.org.

At French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI), we proudly announce the 25th anniversary of Satchmo SummerFest, presented by the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF). This milestone celebration of New Orleans' most beloved musical icon, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, will occur August 2–3, 2025, at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Since our first Satchmo SummerFest in 2001—created to honor the 100th anniversary of Armstrong’s birth—we’ve grown this festival into a cherished summer tradition. Every August, we welcome the community and visitors from all over to celebrate the sound, soul, and legacy of one of the greatest cultural figures of all time.

For this very special year, we’re presenting two full days of live music, conversations with Satchmo scholars, and a culinary lineup full of bold New Orleans flavor—all free and open to the public, thanks to the support of our generous sponsors and community partners, including New Orleans & Company.

“As we mark 25 years, this milestone is more than a celebration—it’s a heartfelt homage to Louis Armstrong, his musical legacy, and the traditions and community that have gathered year after year to honor him,” said Emily Madero, our President & CEO. “This year’s lineup not only pays tribute to Armstrong’s timeless influence but also celebrates the artists who carry his spirit forward.”

“Satchmo SummerFest exemplifies New Orleans’ enduring commitment to uplifting our local artists and culture bearers,” said Lisa Alexis, President of NOTCF. “We’re proud to support a festival that not only celebrates Louis Armstrong, but also reflects the heartbeat of our city—our music, our people, and our vibrant cultural traditions.”

“Satchmo SummerFest is the perfect opportunity to rediscover the magic of New Orleans this August,” added Walt Leger III, President & CEO of New Orleans & Company. “We invite attendees to enjoy a staycation or weekend getaway downtown, take part in Museum Month, and dine out for COOLinary—all while enjoying a free festival that showcases the best of who we are.”

A Quarter Century of Sound: Diverse Musical Acts Take the Stage

Celebrating 25 years of music, memories, and New Orleans culture, Satchmo SummerFest returns with a weekend lineup reflecting jazz's spirit and evolution in the city where it all began. From the genre's traditional roots to contemporary sounds, this milestone year honors Louis Armstrong's legacy with more than 25 performances across a wide range of musical styles.

Festivalgoers can expect a rich mix of traditional jazz, brass and marching bands, funk, R&B, and jazz fusion, all performed by the city's most beloved artists and rising talent. Two outdoor tented stages—the Fidelity Bank Stage and the Delta Utilities Stage—will feature a dynamic blend of fan favorites and exciting new acts.

Shamarr Allen will return to Satchmo SummerFest for the first time since 2017, and his set will feature a guest appearance by Cyril Neville. The Gallatin Street Records Piano Sessions, sponsored by the New Orleans Jazz Museum, also return by popular demand, offering intimate indoor sets that blend musical mastery with the Museum's current exhibits. This year's sessions also include Ricky Riccardi, an acclaimed Armstrong biographer and now a two-time Grammy winner. Riccardi will make a rare appearance on piano, joined by legendary trumpeter Wendell Brunious.

Whether dancing outdoors or listening indoors, attendees can expect a soundtrack as bold, joyful, and unforgettable as Satchmo himself.

AND MORE!

Honoring the Past, Inspiring the Future: Satchmo Legacy Stage in Memory of Joni Berry

Flavors that Move: Bold Bites with a Side of Boogie

We invite you to eat, dance, and repeat at this year’s Satchmo SummerFest. Our 2025 culinary lineup features longtime favorites and new additions with flavors as joyful and layered as Satchmo’s music.

Food highlights include:

• 14 Parishes’ jerk chicken and fried dough festival

• Café Dauphine’s red beans and rice bowl, plus shrimp-topped fried green tomatoes

• Nori Guys’ sushi tacos and wonton nachos

• Plum St. Snoballs’ icy treats in a rainbow of flavors

• Fried chicken and cracklin from Southerns

• Spicy meat pies from Mrs. Wheat’s Louisiana Meat Pies

We’re also offering double the shade with two Folgers Cafés and plenty of beverage options from Jack Daniel’s, Abita Brewing Company, White Claw Vodka, Caymus Vineyards, and Pepsi.

Satchmo Salute Parade: An Anniversary Second-Line Under the Oaks

Presented by New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF)

Join us on Sunday, August 3, for a joyful second-line celebration led by the Treme Brass Band, beginning at 11:15 AM outside St. Augustine Church in Treme—the same church Louis Armstrong attended as a child.

The parade will wind down Esplanade Avenue and conclude at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, where the final day of the festival kicks off. Along the way, enjoy cultural groups including ShaKa Zulu on Stilts, Zulu Steppers, Mahogany Blue Baby Dolls, and more. We encourage everyone to wear linen or seersucker to honor the season in style.

Additional Festival Highlights

Roots of Music Satchmo Soundoff | Saturday at 11:30 AM
Enjoy a high-energy kick-off performance from the young talents of The Roots of Music, presented by Fidelity Bank.

Chill at the Fest | Saturday & Sunday
Thanks to Entergy New Orleans, we’re helping everyone stay cool with free neck chillers and misting fans all weekend long.

Satchmo SummerFest Jazz Mass | Sunday at 10 AM
Celebrate Armstrong’s spiritual legacy at St. Augustine Church in Treme, accompanied by the Treme Brass Band. The Mass will be held in the Parish Hall and livestreamed at facebook.com/saintaugchurch.

Geauxing Green: Setting the Standard for Sustainable Festivals

Now in its fifth year, Geauxing Green is FQFI’s commitment to reducing our impact and protecting Louisiana’s environment. At Satchmo SummerFest 2024, we kept a record-breaking 61% of all the festival’s waste out of polluting landfills—playing a critical part in state-wide efforts to prevent harmful marine debris from clogging up our waterways.

And it’s all thanks to the cooperation of festival attendees and vendors!

You can help by leaving your outside food and drinks at home, and sorting your waste on site with our handy color-coded bins:

• GREEN = Compost. After treating yourself to our local culinary delights, toss your bowl or spoon right into the compost. That’s right, all of your festival food will come in COMPOSTABLE serveware! Shout-out to our food vendors for making this important switch. Composting is for all food scraps and serveware received from festival vendors.

• BLUE = Recycle. Find refreshment with an ice-cold Abita Beer or Pepsi, then find a blue bin to put those bottles back to work and away from the landfill. Recycling is for all #1 and #2 plastics, paper, cans, and cardboard.

• BLACK = Landfill. For everything else.

Our Green Team will be there to help you make the right choice.

Special thanks to the RosaMary Foundation and the Gulf of America Alliance, in partnership with the NOAA Office for Coastal Management, for supporting this important program.

Volunteer With Us!

Do you love our New Orleans cultural celebrations and want to find additional ways to support them? - Satchmo SummerFest is in need of volunteers in a variety of roles, including at information booths, our Green Team, the 25th Anniversary Secondline Parade, and more! Volunteer registration is now open for individuals and groups - learn more and sign up at satchmosummerfest.org/volunteer.

Volunteers receive:

• A commemorative 25th-anniversary t-shirt

• Beverage and merchandise credits

• Raffle entries and more

Our shifts are open to ages 16+ (21+ to serve alcohol). Sign yourself or your group up today!

Thank You to Our

Sponsors and Community Partners

For over 40 years, French Quarter Festivals, Inc. has been proud to provide high-quality community events that are accessible to all. The organization relies heavily on the contributions of sponsors and partners and beverage and merchandise sales to support the festival. Sponsors for this year’s festival include:

New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF), New Orleans & Company, Fidelity Bank, Delta Utilities, Friend of Fest, Joseph K. & Inez Eichenbaum Foundation, Omni Royal Orleans, WWL-Louisiana, Entergy New Orleans, The Folgers Coffee Company, The Eugenie and Joseph Jones Family Foundation, LCMC Health, Brown-Forman, Jack Daniels, el Jimador Tequila, Korbel California Champagne, Abita Brewing Company, Pepsi, French Market Corporation, New Orleans Jazz Museum, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, JAX Brewery Parking Lots and The Berger Company, Music Performance Trust Fund and American Federation of Musicians Local 174-496, The Helis Foundation, T-Mobile, Rhodes Funeral Home, Danny & Alana Wolfe, Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, Caymus Vineyards, Emmolo, Sea Sun Wines, White Claw Vodka, Renaissance Publishing, Nola.com, Clarion Herald, WBOK, WGSO

Calling All NOLA Festival Lovers

You can be an integral part of this event and have an extra ~cool~ festival experience! Join POPS’ CIRCLE to show your support for local musicians, and get treated like the VIP that you are.

Happy Birthday, Satchmo!

Satchmo SummerFest is scheduled annually to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4. The first festival took place on what would have been his 100th birthday, the same year the New Orleans airport was renamed Louis Armstrong International Airport.

The artist often stated in public interviews that he was born on July 4, 1900 (Independence Day), a date noted in many biographies. Armstrong died in 1971, and his true birthdate, August 4, 1901, was not discovered until the mid-1980s. Louis Armstrong was raised in a poor section of New Orleans known as “Jane Alley.”

Throughout his career, he entertained millions, from heads of state and royalty to the neighborhood kids on his stoop in Corona, New York. Despite his fame, he lived a simple life in a working-class neighborhood. The man known worldwide as “Satchmo,” short for Satchelmouth, was widely recognized as a founding father of jazz – a unique American art form. In 1932, Melody Maker magazine editor Percy Brooks greeted Armstrong in London with Hello, Satchmo! and the nickname stuck. His influence as an artist and cultural icon is universal, unmatched, and alive today.