The projected move of the 2021 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival from its traditional springtime weekend slot to October will force the Fair Grounds Race Track to relocate its early autumn races. The Quarter Horse Races, which usually take place in October, will head to Evangeline Downs Race Track in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, just east of Opelousas and about a two and a half hour drive from New Orleans.
The Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots announced on March 9 its renewed commitment to hosting the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell October 8 to 17, 2021.
“Our entire team at Fair Grounds is completely dedicated to hosting the fifty-first Jazz Fest,” said Fair Grounds President Doug Shipley. “Making it happen this year, given the new dates dictated by the pandemic, will require tremendous compromise, coordination and cooperation with all parties to ensure the impact on racing operations in the state is mitigated. Fair Grounds is truly honored to continue to host this beautiful celebration of culture, which not only engages the world with New Orleans but also boosts our city’s economy, a fact we cannot overlook following 2020.”
The Fair Grounds tentatively expects to welcome racing fans back on Thanksgiving, a day of traditional festivities at one of the nation’s oldest racetracks, which has been in operation since 1872. Turf racing is expected to be delayed until December or January to allow the infield to recover from thousands of Jazz Fest visitors and stage construction.
The first-ever Jazz Fest was held in 1970 at Armstrong Park and has taken place at Fair Grounds since 1972. Over the last 50 years, it has grown into a world-renowned celebration of the culture of New Orleans, featuring a wide assortment of food, craft and culture booths, and, of course, music. The 2020 Jazz Fest was officially canceled on April 16 of that year a month into nationwide lockdowns as the Covid-19 virus spread rapidly across the world. Original plans to postpone the festival until the fall of 2020 were later scuttled, along with all festivals in the US with rare exceptions.
Notably, in 2009, the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 thoroughbred racetracks in North America. Of the top ten, Evangeline Downs was ranked #6. A number of notable jockeys began their professional careers at this track, including Robby Albarado, Ronald Ardoin, Calvin Borel, Curt Bourque, Eddie Delahoussaye, Kent Desormeaux, Mark Guidry, Randy Romero, Shane Sellers and Ray Sibille.
For horse lovers in New Orleans who are perhaps not so into betting, Cascade Stables in Audubon Park offers trail rides for the less experienced and horseback riding lessons to those interested in honing their equestrian skills. For more information on Cascade, click here. For more information on Evangeline Downs, click here.
