Get a jump on Jazz Fest on the evening of Thursday, April 23 by taking it back to the very beginning. The Louisiana State Museum will be showing seven 16mm film reels from the first Jazz Fest in 1970 at the Old U.S. Mint. The reels feature Duke Ellington, Mahalia Jackson, Pete Fountain, Danny Barker, and many more iconic artists.

Don Perry, a former WDSU cameraman and co-founder of the New Orleans Jazz Club, donated the reels to the Louisiana State Museum in 1978. The Museum digitized them in 2012 and are now showing them to the general public.

Tickets are simply the cost of a donation to the Friends of the Cabildo, a private non-profit volunteer group that provides financial and volunteer support for the Louisiana State Museum, its projects, and its properties. However, they are limited to 100 per session and reservations are required. You can reserve your spot at the link: http://www.friendsofthecabildo.org/events-calendar/.