NEW ORLEANS — The first weekend of Jazz Fest at times felt like one long funeral. And by its host city's rich standards, that means it was actually a great party.
Music lovers from across the country converged at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in return-to-normal numbers Friday through Sunday after two calamitous years off. Seeing the packed and partying crowds there signaled the safe arrival of a full slate of music festivals this summer — and the reopening of the Crescent City itself, which suffered doubly during the pandemic thanks to Hurricane Ida.
There was a lot of holy ground to cover.
