Jazz Fest Fun

sailn1 / Flickr (CC BY 2.0 Deed)

This week, Louisiana Eats takes you to the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, where there's always an abundance of music, food, and art. We've got you covered on all fronts.

We begin with longtime vendor Greg Arcenaux, whose artisan woodworking is a perennial favorite in Jazz Fest's Louisiana Marketplace. Greg gives us a crash course in what sets his work apart from the rest.

Then, we take you on a mule-drawn ride with the Roman Candy man. On many an afternoon in New Orleans, you'll find Ronnie Kottemann on his 109-year-old cart on the streets of Uptown New Orleans. You can also visit Ronnie and his wagon every Jazz Fest, parked inside the fairgrounds near the Gentilly gate – the same spot he's occupied since the 1970s.

We also have a visit with our own house band, Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, who perform at the festival each year. Members of the ensemble share some of their Jazz Fest gig memories with us, along with the meals they enjoy off and on the stage.

Finally, Steve Armbruster joins us in the studio to tell the tale of how the first Food Heritage Stage came to be and the key role his vintage Volkswagen played in those early years.