NEW ORLEANS — Whether you were dancing on Decatur or in the shade on Esplanade, you couldn't ask for a better end to this year's French Quarter Fest.
After a storm blew through on Saturday, the sun came out to end the festival's 40th year.
"The WWL-TV Esplanade Stage in the Shade -- it kind of says it all," Rob Savoy with Creole String Beans said. "People want to be here and we're happy to be a part of it."
Savoy has been playing French Quarter Fest with his band for 20 years. For most of them, he's been at WWL-TV's sponsored stage.
"It's a great time because French Quarter Fest brings so many people together and offers one of the most beautiful settings to celebrate the culture of New Orleans," he said. "We're just so honored to be a part of it."
It's been 40 years since the first French Quarter Festival and since then, it's grown to 20 stages featuring more than 600 local musicians. If you go off the beaten path, you'll find the next generation of great local talent.
As the big names pulled people to the river front, the siren song of four young women and their teacher singing "Stand By Me" turned heads outside Homer Plessy School.
Students from The Don Jamison Heritage School of Music packed in an adoring crowd Sunday.
"This is the legacy of New Orleans. Musicians that are going to be gracing stages across the world. If you look at these children, they’re already playing in places across New Orleans," Quiana Lynell, a singer and teacher at Don Jamison Heritage School of Music, said.
And as the streets erupted in applause, the moment wasn't lost on Lynell's students. They'd put in countless hours after school and on weekends, studying, practicing and performing to get to this point. On Sunday, it was all worth it.
"It's just really fun," ... said. "It's nerve wracking — it is — but when you go on stage it's just about having fun. It's just really fun to be there."
And for anyone else who wants to be up there someday, they have some advice.
"Listen to music and just be curious about anything that you like," Arianna Collins said. "If you want to ask questions, ask them, because that's the only way you can advance in life."
Savoy has some advice too.
"Follow your heart," he said. "Do what's fun and celebrate New Orleans music."
Because after 40 years of French Quarter Fest, it's young musicians that promise there will be 40 more.
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