A Big Birthday for the Big Easy

 

The Louisiana city known as the Big Easy is celebrating a big birthday this year. New Orleans turns 300 years old.

The celebration began December 31 with a huge fireworks show over the Mississippi River. Performances, parties and other events throughout 2018 will honor the tricentennial, including the city’s most famous celebration: Mardi Gras.

Kristian Sonnier is with New Orleans' Convention and Visitors Bureau. She says the city’s three centuries of history include “colonization by both France and Spain, a British invasion, devastating¹ fires, pirates, yellow fever and hurricanes, among other challenges.” But, through it all, New Orleans has held on to what Sonnier calls “authentic² traditions and a sense of place.”

Origins

The city was born in the spring of 1718. At first it was French: the French Mississippi Company, led by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, established La Nouvelle-Orléans. Forty-five years later the Spanish took control of the city. The United States gained it in 1803 as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

The Roman Catholic Church has also played a major part in New Orleans’ culture. On February 9, 1718, a church leader placed a cross on the site where the St. Louis Cathedral now stands.

Visitors can learn about the city’s Catholic history at the Old Ursuline Convent Museum. The exhibition is called “The Church in the Crescent: 300 Years of Catholicism in New Orleans.”

Objects linked to the city’s early period, including Native Americans and enslaved Africans, can be found at another show. The Historic New Orleans Collection will open “New Orleans, the Founding Era” February 27.

The New Orleans Museum of Art’s “Changing Course: Reflections on New Orleans Histories” marks the tricentennial with seven modern art projects. Museum officials say the show, which opens June 21, will center on the forgotten or less famous histories of the city.

Then, beginning October 26, the museum will feature works by painters such as Raphael, Rembrandt and others from the Duke of Orleans’ collection. It will continue through early 2019.

Other sights to see

Another important period in New Orleans’ history was the War of 1812. At the end of that conflict, Andrew Jackson commanded U.S. troops in the famous Battle of New Orleans. His victory over Great Britain made him a national hero. Later, Americans elected him president. Visitors interested in learning more about the event can visit Chalmette Battlefield, just outside New Orleans. It is part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve.

Yearly events that will mark the tricentennial include the French Quarter Festival from April 12 to 15. It features music from gospel to jazz to Cajun and zydeco.

The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Fest, arguably the city’s most famous event, takes place April 27 to May 6. More than 100 artists will take part this year, including Aretha Franklin, Trombone Shorty, Archie Shepp Quartet, Aerosmith and Buddy³ Guy.

An event already under way, Prospect⁴.4, is a citywide art exhibition. There are 16 displays around town by dozens of artists including Louis Armstrong, Yoko Ono and Kara Walker.

Other New Orleans attractions include the National World War II Museum, boat rides on the Mississippi River, the zoo and aquarium⁵ at the Audubon Nature Institute, City Park and the Garden District.

Regional attractions include bayou tours, the Tabasco hot sauce factory on Avery Island, and Laura Plantation⁶.

The former farm has been linked to the collection of famous West African traditional tales known as the Brer Rabbit stories. Tours at Laura Plantation include the history of the enslaved Africans and their descendants who lived and worked there.

I’m Caty Weaver⁷.

Words in This Story

tricentennial –? n. the three-hundredth anniversary of a significant event.?

devastating –? adj. causing great damage or harm?

challenge –? n. a difficult task or problem : something that is hard to do?

authentic –? adj. real or genuine: not copied or false?

dozen –? n. a group of 12 people or things?

attraction –? n. something interesting or enjoyable that people want to visit, see, or do?

aquarium –? n.a building people can visit to see water animals and plants?

regional –? adj. of a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way?

bayou –? n. an area of water in the southern U.S. in which the water moves very slowly and is filled with many plants

1 devastating   

adj.毁灭性的，令人震惊的，强有力的

参考例句：

• It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.这是20年来破坏性最大的风暴。
• Affairs do have a devastating effect on marriages.婚外情确实会对婚姻造成毁灭性的影响。

2 authentic   

a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的

参考例句：

• This is an authentic news report. We can depend on it. 这是篇可靠的新闻报道, 我们相信它。
• Autumn is also the authentic season of renewal. 秋天才是真正的除旧布新的季节。

3 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

4 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

5 aquarium   

n.水族馆，养鱼池，玻璃缸

参考例句：

• The first time I saw seals was in an aquarium.我第一次看见海豹是在水族馆里。
• I'm going to the aquarium with my parents this Sunday.这个星期天，我要和父母一起到水族馆去。

6 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

7 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。