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Sunday was the first ever "Po-Boy Fest" on Oak Street here in the Carrollton section of New Orleans.

Three blocks of Oak Street were blocked off, with music stages at both ends, food and drink tents between, along with children's games (including "FEMA Bucket Toss" and "Shopping at K&B") and arts & crafts.

It was quite a success-- more so than the organizers expected, with substantial crowds and places running out of things. They plan to do it again next year spread in a larger area.

My favorite New Orleans moment in the Festival:





The Pin Stripe Brass Band provided the music



For a second line parade up the street.



Someone from Leidenheimer's Bakery handed out loaves to the passing second liners, who started waving them in the air



Then impromptu under-the-bread limbo dancing began



Good times.

Date: 2007-11-20 06:48 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ancientscripts.livejournal.com
Hmm...I want po boys again.

Maybe I'm just crazy, but from the way some people holds them, the baguette looks like a phallic symbol.



Date: 2007-11-20 06:51 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jdquintette.livejournal.com
Looks great, but I bet we had more fun at the 9 Times Social and Pleasure Club parade down in the upper nine.

The walk back through what's left of the neighborhood was kind of depressing though.

Anything's symbolic, if you want it to be.

Date: 2007-11-20 07:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] infrogmation.livejournal.com
Hmm, I'm sure such a thought never occured to anyone else...

Oh wait, what's the first comment I got about the same pictures over at nola_photos...

(http://community.livejournal.com/nola_photos/86609.html)
()

Re: I gotcha 'po boy' right chere. Hangin low.

Date: 2007-11-20 08:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jdquintette.livejournal.com
Well, so much for my hotlinking skills.:-P~

That's supposed to be my caption for the guy in the top photo.

Re: I gotcha 'po boy' right chere. Hangin low.

Date: 2007-11-21 12:07 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ancientscripts.livejournal.com
Oh I see...

If it's poboy fest, where's the meat? All I see is bread...

Date: 2007-11-21 12:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] infrogmation.livejournal.com
At the time it was happening I was just enjoying it, but putting on my anthropologist hat, it is reminiscent of some ancient harvest time ritual with symbolism of food and sex intertwined, isn't it?

A few days ago, there was no "Po-Boy Fest". This was the first one. Some things need to be worked on-- logistics, spread out the food booths over more blocks. But this was something we clearly got right straight out of the box. Somehow we knew what to do in creating a ritual for the event, and the waving of bread in a phallic maner will be repeated as an inherent tradition of Po-Boy Fest. Perhaps some meaning will be ascribed to limboing under the loaf (someone will say it will assure that all your lunches will be fresh and tasty for the next year), and eventually the musicians will create a new number to play especially for this event and the words to the Po-Boy song will become so well known locally that the crowd will sing along as it is played.

That's one of the things I love about this city. We can create rituals like this at the drop of a bagette.

Date: 2007-11-21 12:17 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] infrogmation.livejournal.com
Quite possibly. I enjoyed having a chance for fun somewhere I can walk home from.

Re: I gotcha 'po boy' right chere. Hangin low.

Date: 2007-11-21 12:20 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] infrogmation.livejournal.com
They were selling many various types of po-boys in the white tents visible in the 3rd photo, as well as other places along the street.

Date: 2007-11-21 12:51 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ancientscripts.livejournal.com
That's what I was thinking too. It sure looks like an ancient fertility festival.

I think I need to create a festival for my hometown. The art & wine is just so cliché.

Date: 2007-11-21 01:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fofalex.livejournal.com
Put the stages on the side streets. OR the food vendors. The crowd was kind of insane, and the food lines were bizarre.

That first Pinstripe pic is great

Date: 2007-11-21 07:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] velvetrut.livejournal.com
It's like the essence of jazz -- everybody moving in different directions, yet even everybody's bodies swinging together.

Before next yr, someone should write "The Leidenheimer Limbo."

It's good that we dance in the streets about bread.

Rock On!

Date: 2007-11-22 06:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] asienieizi.livejournal.com
Winding your way down on Oak Street
Bread in your hand and lookin' for meat
Well another N'awlins day, you’ll drink the night away
And forget about everything.
No?
Okay then:
Po'boy, he’s makin’ his money workin’ dowtown on Main Street
Po'boy boy, I know it ain’t funny cleanin’ everything on two feet
Get down, get down upon your knees and brush your blues away
It won’t be long ‘til Saturday night and you’ll be dancin’ with your lady ‘til the break of day.

Date: 2008-01-14 03:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] wrayb.livejournal.com
let them eat baguette.

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