Hosted at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, ​Satchmo SummerFest is one of the only festivals in the world dedicated to honoring American musical icon, Louis Armstrong. The free, two-day celebration  features music, a delicious culinary lineup of Louisiana restaurants, and a lecture series where renowned experts to educate guests on Armstrong’s history and enduring impact.

Satchmo SummerFest is held in early August to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday. Although Armstrong often claimed July 4, 1900, as his birthdate in interviews and biographies, his true birthdate—August 4, 1901—was discovered after his death. The inaugural Satchmo SummerFest took place in 2001, on  what would have been his 100th birthday, the same year the New Orleans airport was renamed in his honor. 

Louis Armstrong, born and raised in New Orleans, entertained millions throughout his career—from heads of state to the neighborhood kids on his stoop in Corona, New York, where he eventually settled. Despite his fame, he lived a simple life in a working-class neighborhood. The man known around the world as “Satchmo,” short for Satchelmouth, is widely recognized as a founding father of jazz – a unique American art form.His influence as an artist and cultural icon is universal, unmatched, and very much alive today.