CONGO SQUARE - LOUIS ARMSTRONG PARK

Located on the block formed by St. Philip, North Rampart, St. Peter/Basin, and North Villere Streets, what was once known as Congo Square was the place where slaves gathered and danced to the beat of drums. Every Sunday, some 2,000 people would gather after mass until the cannon shot signaled curfew. Voodoo ceremonies sometimes took place, which scared the Creoles. Shaded, it is an invitation to take a rest.

Now a symbol of the Treme district, this park is a memorial to the musicians who have left their mark on the musical rhythms of New Orleans: Louis Armstrong has his statue in front of the small pond, Sidney Bechet has his bust near the main entrance on the left. The park is home to the Mahalia Jackson Theatre for the Performing Arts (an activist gospel singer who performed for Kennedy in his 1961 election) where operas, ballet and Broadway shows are held, as well as, until a few years ago, the offices of the radio station WWOZ (now located next to the French Market on North Peters Street). A large cobblestone square is the center of many festivals, concerts and private parties. These include the annual Congo Square Rhythms Festival and the Treme Creole Gumbo Festival, which are among the city's must-see events. It is also the meeting point for the dog parade during Mardi Gras.