Ok - so we’re all scheduled for Destination Tulane on April 17. My DD just informed me that Crawfest is on the 18th - and we had planned to stay in NOLA to tour around on that day before renting a car and driving to Tuscaloosa to see Bama and visit her brother on Sunday/Monday. Any advice on how to see some of the city and experience the fun that will be Crawfest (without Mom’s head exploding?) I know the festival is scheduled from 11 - 7. Is there a better/worse time to go? (I’ve never eaten a crawfish - just shrimp - is it a similar concept to peel and eat?)
Kind of, but instead you pinch the tail and pull the meat away form the shell… and suck the head. And there is not as much meat on a crawfish. What a fun time to be visiting! Depending on where you are staying, I’d suggest going to breakfast in the Quarter and do some sightseeing, then head up to Crawfest and experience some of that later in the afternoon. Can’t wait to hear about your visit!
If the weather holds, you will have a blast. I agree, hit Crawfest starting about 1-2 PM. Basically make that your lunch. Check with Admissions to see if you need wristbands or something.
Good idea about doing breakfast in the Quarter - or maybe going down there in the evening after Destination Tulane on Friday. We’re staying at a VRBO walking distance from Tulane (near Oak Street, I think). Website for Crawfest said it’s $10 for general public. Maybe they’ll give the kids wristbands on Friday. If not, sounds like it’s well worth the $10. My DD has already been Skyping with future friends (and she hasn’t even committed yet) - some of whom may be there the same days we are. With good weather, sounds like quite a party! Glad we’ll also be on campus on Friday to see it when it’s more “normal”.
If you go to Crawfest, be sure to check out one of their bands, The Big Excuse. My S, who is a jazz studies major at Tulane, is one of the musicians.
Definitely looking forward to the music. We’ll put The Big Excuse on the list! So cool.
610 Stompers will be performing too, you don’t want to miss them!
How many bands do they have this year? Usually it has been 8 I think.
Looks like 8 bands. Here is the lineup: Join us for these amazing live acts:
THE WAILERS, EARPHUNK, TWIDDLE, KHRIS ROYAL & DARK MATTER, THE HOT 8 BRASS BAND, THE TONTONS, 101 RUNNERS and THE BIG EXCUSE
I was concerned that DD and I would have a hard time finding music where she could get in at 17 - but I have no concerns anymore. This should give us a mega-music-fix!
So - the forecast for Friday and Saturday is not looking so good. Lots of rain and thunderstorms. Do they still hold Crawfest? Should I pack my rainboots? (Definitely taking umbrella and raincoat).
from all the advertising going on about this on my facebook timeline I would say they are still planning on holding it. NOLA forecasts can be quirky. It could be pouring in the FQ and sunny uptown. Festing in the rain is something very common in NOLA, it seems to always rain for one weekend of Jazzfest! Take your rain boots and a jacket, umbrellas in a crowd aren’t safe
@VAmomof4 How did your visit go?
We had a grand time, thanks. Got back late last night after visiting Tulane and Bama. Glad we took our rain boots for Crawfest! The Quad was quite a mud pit. Could take a bit for it to recover. DD enjoyed her Destination Tulane experience and managed to connect with several kids that she had “met” on Facebook. I think that made her feel like she already had a home. We explored campus and Audubon park and the zoo, went to the French Quarter, had dinner at Camellia Grill, rode the streetcar, experienced the crazy NOLA traffic from a cab, met some very nice students, got rained on, got sunburned, bought too much stuff at the bookstore…After that, we drove to Tuscaloosa (her other option). Her brother is finishing his freshman year there. Had a nice visit - but her heart wasn’t really there. Now we just have to make sure that we don’t go broke covering our portion of Tulane. A bit more financial discussions before she commits - just so she understands. Still haven’t heard from the Altman Program - but at this point, she’s not even sure she wants to do that - after hearing about all of the other options at Tulane.
Now that’s interesting!
Glad you had a good time despite the unfortunate weather. One of the wettest Crawfests yet, for sure. But it sounds like it went off well anyway.
Glad you had a great, but rainy time and got to see some of the city. NOLA parties rain or shine, even FQF the weekend before kept going (for the most part). Let us know what she decides!
I will! FC - she loves the idea of being flexible and trying classes in other areas. In looking at the Altman “schedule”, she realizes that it’s pretty fixed. They ask that the kids commit to their 2 majors right away so that they can do the extras and graduate in 4 years. I think she’s feeling that despite the attraction of the program - and its sense of community etc., she may have to give up the ability to try some out-of-the box classes. Bottom line is, Altman is not a “make or break” for her - which is a healthy perspective. We’ll see what happens if she gets an invite. Best of all, she has stopped stressing about it (so I have too).