The Annual French Quarter Fest is begins this evening and will continue throughout the weekend. The Festival kicks off with a  live performance by the Rebirth Brass Band, who recently earned themselves a Grammy Award. Now, Rebirth isn’t the only musical sensation hitting the streets. Over the next few days performers such as, Cyril Neville and the Royal Southern Brotherhood, Amanda Shaw and Troy “Trombone Shorty”, Deacon John, Jeremy Davenport, and Irvin Mayfield and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra will be hosting live concerts throughout the historic quarter.

This festival is free of charge and features affordable sample-sized portions of food from the area’s restaurants. Attendees of the fest are most excited for the NOLA restaurant’s stuffed chicken wings, Royal House’s charbroiled oysters, and also Antoine’s famed baked Alaska with chocolate sauce! It all sounds good to this Southern Celebrity Gossiper, and it sounds like a great opportunity for some celeb sightings! With named actors such as Tom Cruise, Leo DiCaprio, and now Denzel Washington all in town for filming- hopefully, we’ll catch a glimpse of some of them sampling those oysters!

From everyone at Southern Celebrity Gossip, we’re wishing you a fun and safe weekend- and we hope you enjoy the fest!

Check out the line-up!

_ When this Southern Celebrity Gossiper hears the name “Lenny Kravitz,” she thinks one thing: eclectic. This artist has been rediscovering himself, redefining his genre, and redecorating his real-estate since he first rocketed into the public spotlight. This diverse background has certainly not gone unnoticed- nor unrewarded. Currently, the singer/songwriter/composer/designer owns several homes, and spreads his time between Miami, New York, and New Orleans. This French Quarter home has been featured in countless magazines showing off the unique historic charms of the building, and also the owner’s flair for decorating.

 Kravitz attributes a lot of his success to his ability to stay “in between”. Throughout his life, because off his parents, his up-brining, his talents, and even his real-estate, he has always been straddling different identities- which are what make him so accessible to the public. He says that he is part black and part white, mostly Christian but also Jewish, a musician and a designer, a New Yorker and a New Orleanian. Most recently, French Culture Minister Frederic Mitterrand paid tribute to this evolved sense of identity. Lenny Kravitz was awarded the Legion of Honor because he “freed [him]self of the barriers between black and white sound." Over the years, Kravitz has been able to transcend typical stereotypes and create art that relates to everyone. We’re happy that he decided to mix a little Cajun in there for the rest of the world to share!

 For more on the ceremony in Paris, visit luxist.com

 AND

 For pics of Kravitz’s French Quarter pad click here!