[Dixielandjazz] The Dresden Dixieland Festival - World's Largest?

[Jim Kashishian]

Steve wrote:
>I am totally ignorant of this festival. Can list mates fill in the blanks
for me,

Canal Street attended this festival the May before the Berlin Wall came
down.  We were flown in from Madrid on a Russian airline to East Berlin &
bussed to Dresden.  We were assigned "translators" who matched our every,
single footstep while outside our hotel.  
We were given free transport, rooms, and a rather meager pay (which we had
to spend as it was no good anywhere else!).  We haven't done a festival
since!   :>

>Do you suppose they get the local schools to attend for an hour or so in
the name of music >appreciation?

No, they don't.  

>500,000 people at a Dixieland Festival. Wow!!!!!!

I suspect that might be a bit of advert hoopla.  At one point in the
festival they drive the bands through the streets in horse drawn carriages
(a bit of a drag for a band that uses piano!) and I daresay most of the town
is in the streets during the parade which may account for the large number
quote.

We did have 10,000 at a large park concert.  We wouldn't play until the
audience yelled back "buenos dias" to my welcome to them.  We got them
chanting it and then played!  Good fun, especially when someone yelled out
"Ole" after our first song, which then became a chant we heard during our
complete stay....even when walking down the street & kids passed by.  By the
way, we never, ever say that here at home in Madrid!    :>

We were bussed to a lot of quicky concerts in the street, in theaters, etc.
Fairly well attended to in general.  Our trumpet player got a stiff neck
looking up at all the tall German girls (he's about 5 ft. 2!)

Our bassist ended up marrying a Dresden girl he met on the trip!
Our sop sax guy lost his long time wife when she ran into an old boyfriend
in another band!

I think Festivals might be dangerous........

Jim