Apr 29, 2014

Thumping beats flowed over a sea of flowered shirts and sun hats at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, with tens of thousands roaming from stage to stage, as excited about the music as the food. Photos and text courtesy of Reuters.

: Eric Lindell, left, performs with Anson Funderburgh during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Festival producer Quint Davis introduces the main act during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Flavor Flav of Public Enemy performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Caroline Shumway of New York does a cartwheel during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Winston Turner of the Brass-A-Holics performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Shamarr Allen performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Dee-1 performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Shamarr Allen and his son perform during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Jennifer Jones of New Orleans parades during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: A Mardi Gras Indian parades during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Carlos Santana performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Carlos Santana performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Flavor Flav of Public Enemy performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Flavor Flav, left, and Chuck D of Public Enemy perform during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Festival goers dance during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Festival goers eat crawfish during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: A festival goer picks at her cochon de lait po-boy during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival in New Orleans. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Fireman Mike poses with his alligator sauce piquant during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: A festival goer eats crawfish during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Wanda Walker of Love at First Bite poses with a cochon de lait po-boy during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Crawfish bisque from Lil’ Dizzy’s is seen during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: A member of the Big Nine Social Aid and Pleasure Club parades during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Festival producer Quint Davis speaks to festival goers during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Local musician Little Freddie King performs during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Members of the Big Nine Social Aid and Pleasure Club parade during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)

: Members of the Big Nine Social Aid and Pleasure Club parade during the first day of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. (REUTERS/Jonathan Bachman)