I recently had dinner with friends I’ve known since I was in grammar school, two people who became a couple in grammar school, got married and are still together. Pretty amazing to have known friends that long who still have a relationship that lasted. Phil and Cathy love the Jazz Fest and were thrilled to get OffBeat’s recommendations for what they should check out last year in their six days of festing (still after all these years, my kind of people!). They told me they really love Trombone Shorty, and I told them about how the Andrews family—like many of New Orleans musical families—has enriched and continues to contribute so much to New Orleans musical culture—generations of musicians, generations of cooks, generations of craftsmen and artists. It’s a feature of this region that’s makes one love life in New Orleans and Louisiana—so soulful and deep.

We talked about how necessary it is to have passion for something in your life: it could be a hobby, or work, and of course should include friends and family. Lucky for me, and everyone who lives in New Orleans, that we have a culture that is so gloriously rooted in music, and we’re so fortunate to be able to celebrate our music, food and culture every year at the Jazz Fest. It’s a passion that never fades.

One of the things that makes Jazz Fest so joyous is that we can renew relationships and reconnect with friends who share our common passion for music and culture in ways that have become their own unique traditions (see this month’s feature on “Mapping Jazz Fest” and on the crews who convene in the city every year for traditions they’ve created that are an integral part of their Jazz Fest experience). It’s really fascinating how Jazz Fest has created a subculture of its own, in many ways like our other oldest citywide celebration, Mardi Gras.

The fact is that Jazz Fest is not simply a music festival; it’s a cultural beacon that shines its light around the world to bring people to experience our city in unique and wonderful ways. But it’s also a bridge that allows us to reconnect with like-minded friends with the same passion for living, music food and this city. And it’s also the path for us to develop new connections with others who can now be anointed part of the “Church of New Orleans.” I am very grateful that my profession has allowed me to experience the wonderful people of the artistic community here, and has given me and the OffBeat family the ability to preach the gospel of our “church.” I’ve never been a religious proselytizer, but for this denomination, I’ll make an exception. Have a fabulous time at Jazz Fest; hope you enjoy the “Bible,” and subscribe to get a taste of New Orleans all year. Thank you!