The annual star-studded Home for the Holidays Fundraiser at House of Blues returns on Wednesday, December 21. The talent lineup will include Irma Thomas, John Boutté, Rebirth Brass Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Kermit Ruffins, and more. The benefit concert is now a regular event during the holiday season in New Orleans.

Daniel Price

The proceeds from the event provide ongoing support to students who need help paying for art supplies and necessary training equipment. It also supports a substantial scholarship to a graduating senior in NOCCA’s Visual Arts department.

The fundraiser was started by Doctor Steve F. Price, Jr. after the murder of his son Daniel. In 2003 New Orleans-born artist Daniel Price was shot and killed in San Francisco trying to protect his wife from an attacker. Daniel—who’d attended New Orleans Center for Creative Arts—was a promising young artist. A year after is son’s death, Steve Price set up Home for the Holidays—which included all of Daniel’s favorite musicians—and the Daniel Price Memorial Fund for NOCCA.

In 2013, Dr. Price received OffBeat‘s Best of The Beat HeartBeat Award for his efforts in supporting the community through music. In the year following the tragedy of Daniel’s death, Price recalled, “I tried to set something up to remember him by, and we set up a scholarship at NOCCA for musicians and artists in his name. Daniel used to frequent Vaughan’s a lot, and he got to know Kermit. I’ll always remember that at the memorial they had at NOCCA following his death, the Treme Brass Band with Kermit and Uncle Lionel showed up without being asked and they played at the memorial service, which was very touching.” In an interview with Nola.com Steve Price said of his son: “He got his inspiration from the people of New Orleans and the music of New Orleans. That’s what really made him happy. He was trying to paint New Orleans so that he could come back and do some good here.”

Tickets for Home For The Holidays 2022 are available here.