Since Covid began in March of 2020 people all over the state and world have been suffering due to loss of wages and jobs. In Louisiana, we thought that we were seeing better days ahead of us, but due to the recent uptick in cases events all over the state have started canceling again. Since these festivals are being canceled the performers are once again missing out on the money that they would have received for playing these gigs.

One new krewe to the New Orleans area isn’t letting these performers miss out on the money they could have made this year if covid wasn’t an issue.

The Krewe of Red Beans initiative, Fest Fest, is helping New Orleans musicians recoup lost work due to the many festivals that have been canceled in the last few weeks. They are hiring musicians to play front porch or backyard concerts around Orleans Parish during the month of October.

While many in the state are concerned over the rising covid numbers this organization is making sure that every precaution is taken when planning these concerts. If you win a concert then it will be kept a secret to minimize the crowd that attends. The winners must also be vaccinated and masks must be worn at all times during the performance. The organizers are recommending that the winners keep the crowd to about 10 to 15 people.

So here is how Fest Fest works:

  •  Anyone can donate to the Fest Fest initiative and will be entered into a gig raffle
  • Once a certain threshold is hit, the Krewe of Red Beans will pick a raffle winner and set up a porch or backyard concert for them with one of more than 80 musicians and bands.

The Krewe of Red Beans wants to make sure people understand that the performers will be paid at festival rates and all money raised will go to musicians.

(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
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Here are some of the performers the winners can pick from:

Big Freedia, Kermit Ruffins, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, Boyfriend, Flow Tribe, The Soul Rebels, Sweet Crude, Al "Carnival Time" Johnson, Donald Harrison Jr., Cha Wa, Corey Ledet, Gal Holiday & The Honky Tonk Revue, Original Pinettes Brass Band, John Gros, Helen Gillet and more.

Performances will take place Oct. 8-17 at homes around Orleans Parish. Raffle winners outside of Orleans Parish can gift the performance to a frontline medical worker.

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