As I write, two weeks before the beginning of 2010 Jazz Fest, I’m watching crowds of people heading towards the French Quarter to enjoy French Quarter Fest. And in two weeks, I’ll be heading to the New Orleans Fair Grounds to get me some Jazz Fest.

I often wonder about the appeal of Jazz Fest. This festival not only has set the standard for music festivals in New Orleans; it’s influenced the creation of so many more festivals throughout the country. A lot of those other festivals have tried to recreate the Jazz Fest experience, but I don’t think it can be done because Jazz Fest is also a celebration of our unique culture.

The food and craftspeople, the Mardi Gras Indians, the social aid and pleasure clubs, and the way these traditions are passed down through families make our culture special. There’s a feeling of family when you experience Jazz Fest. These people are your kin, here for the love of New Orleans. That’s the real draw of the Jazz Fest.

People who live in New Orleans love it passionately, and that shared love gives us strength and the power of community. I can’t imagine living in a place where I couldn’t have crawfish every day (when they’re in season), or beignets (when I feel like it), or go to Frenchmen Street to listen to all kinds of great music. I can’t imagine living in a place where I don’t see Uncle Lionel dressed to the nines strolling outside my window every day, or Coco Robicheaux hanging out at Mona’s across the street. I can’t think about experiencing Mardi Gras without hanging out with my neighbor Ann or my next-door neighbor Miss Virginia, who struggled for four years to get back to her little cottage post-Katrina. I’d never be able to experience the unbridled joy of the Wild Magnolias and the other Mardi Gras Indian tribes who gather on Second and Dryades. I wouldn’t be able to chat with our new mayor, Mitch Landrieu, or Benny Jones, who’s the snare drummer who leads the Treme Brass Band. Or Earl Perry, who’s an attorney by day and a passionate photographer of the local scene by night. Or master guitarist and professor John Rankin and his talented jewelry designer wife, Lettice.

People in New Orleans have an underlying connection with each other that transcends social class, race, neighborhood, profession, gender, religion. This isn’t a particularly socially stratified city. Yeah, we have our debutantes and Mardi Gras krewes and private clubs, but you’re just as likely to see those people at a second line parade. We’re a New Orleans family, and that’s what I think the Jazz Fest demonstrates best.

So welcome to our family y’all. Even if you’re from out of town, you’re a part of the fold while you’re here. If you decide to make New Orleans your home, come on in, chill a bit, and get down with your folks.

A sincere thanks to OffBeat staff and contributors for the extra hard work they’ve put in this year in getting our new Web site and iPhone app up and running, along with their dedication to publishing OffBeat every single month. I love you guys, and I don’t tell you that enough.