Jazz Fest ...in the rain

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Published on: April 21st, 2015

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The rain rolls into Jazz Fest 2009
The storm rolls into Jazz Fest 2009

April in New Orleans means Jazz Fest, French Quarter Fest and, inevitably, afternoon rain and thunderstorms. With Jazz Fest at the end of the month and reaching into May, there are occasional years it escapes our April showers but seven days of Festival means that chances are better than not that someone's set will get rained on.

With that in mind, it's best to be prepared even if the day's forecast shows sunshine. Here are four tactics for coping with rain at Jazz Fest:

Embrace it

Woodstock set the precedent for embracing rain at festivals long ago, but Jazz Fest wasn't far behind. Once it rains with thousands of people in a huge field, there's no avoiding the mud (or small lake) for the rest of the day... and maybe for the rest of the festival. Rather than getting annoyed, welcome it, and your festival experience will be much better. It's easier to actually do this if you don't wear your best footwear. Rain boots are likely to be too hot, but your non-favorite sandals will be appropriate and will cause no anxiety if you step in a big puddle or are left in the middle of a huge crowd churning up the gooey brown stuff and have to walk out of it to the next performance you want to see at another stage. Just make sure whatever you've got on is something that will actually stay on your feet. Mud will suck flimsy sandals right off.

Beat It

Easily portable rain gear is your friend. Umbrellas are doubly good: for shade if it's super sunny and hot, and are key when the rain rolls in. You can buy one from someone hawking them near the festival if you don't bring one with you, but you'll be wet by the time you get it, the markup will be high, and the hawkers run out fast. Best to get a small portable one that fits in your bag before arriving-- and definitely before the rain starts. If you want good coverage from the elements, though, you can't beat the fabulous WWOZ umbrella, available in our Swamp Shop.

New Orleans rain can be torrential, and often comes at you sideways. An umbrella will not be enough if you're serious about staying at least kind of dry. Ponchos are easily foldable and take up little room in your bag but can be a lifesaver once the water's coming down. Conveniently, you can also show your commitment to Guarding the Groove in poncho form.

Avoid It ...at the festival

If it's not a big storm a-comin' (check the radar on your phone's weather app; forecasts usually aren't worth much), finding cover at the festival and keeping the spirit flowing is much better than racing back to your car or trying to hop onto a jam-packed shuttle as the skies start to drip. Not all the stages at Jazz Fest are outside. If it's simply raining and not storming, the show will go on. The Gospel tent, the Blues tent, and the Economy Hall tent all have fantastic lineups, will keep you dry, and are mostly immune to the mud-fest that develops by the bigger stages.

Avoid it ...outside the festival

If it's a big storm that's rolled in and the festival shuts down with little hope of reopening again that day, you might as well head out. Though the area around the Fairgrounds is no Frenchmen Street, there are definitely things to do, especially at festival time. Your closest option is The Seahorse Saloon, which is right outside the festival's main entrance and has live music after the festival each day. If you're from out of town and don't know where to go for a nearby good time, just ask someone who looks like they'd know-- the best times in New Orleans are usually the unplanned ones and locals all have their lists of favorite haunts that they're usually more than happy to share.

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