An Interview with Krissie of Swamp in the City
Krissie is a jazz musician, professional gardener, and the founder of Swamp in the City — a Cajun and Creole music festival in Brooklyn. We caught up with her to discuss Cajun Mardi Gras, Louisiana musicians who perform at the festival, and gumbo.
Stephanie: I went to your festival last May and loved it. I’m so happy an event like this exists. Can you tell me and our readers a little bit about Swamp in the City in your own words? How did you get started?
Krissie: Swamp in the City is a Cajun & Creole music festival in Red Hook, Brooklyn that celebrates the vibrant musical, cultural and culinary heritage unique to Southwest Louisiana. Cajuns (descendants of the French-Canadians who relocated from Nova Scotia in the mid-1700’s) and Creoles (typically people of Spanish or African descent born in present-day Louisiana) share many of the same traditions, but there are cultural differences which are reflected in their music, cuisine and customs.
My partner (Flannery Denny) and I started Swamp in the City in 2018 because of our mutual love of Cajun/Creole music and the gap created when another Cajun/Creole festival in Brooklyn retired in 2016 (Bayou ‘n Brooklyn). Both of us really wanted to keep the music going, so we decided to start our own festival in the same vein. Sometimes you have to make your own fun!
Stephanie: What’s your connection to Cajun culture? Are you a fan of the music? New Orleans enthusiast?
Krissie: My brother-in-law and his family live in Lafayette, Louisiana, so my hubby and I would visit at least once/year since 2010 (back when we were still dating). During our first trip down there, we stumbled upon the Blackpot Festival, which is where I first learned of Cajun/Creole music and the communal food and dancing culture that often accompanies it. In 2016, I attended a Cajun & Oldtime music camp at the Ashokan Center in the Catskills, where I spent a week listening and grooving to the sweet sounds of the 4x Grammy-nominated Cajun band, The Pine Leaf Boys. I guess I caught the Cajun music bug after that! I’m also a fan of New Orleans music, although the two styles of music are quite different from one another (think fewer accordions and more horns in New Orleans music).
Krissie spoke about taking her child to experience Cajun Mardi Gras in Lafayette which is different than the New Orleans version of parades and beads. Participants try to catch live chickens and go door to door to neighbors’ houses begging for gumbo ingredients.
Stephanie: There’s something for everyone in New York City, I mean really. But Cajun & Creole music like Zydeco seems especially niche. And yet, so many people are overjoyed by what you do. Were you anticipating how well received Swamp in the City would be?
Krissie: In a city with so much going on all the time, sometimes it’s good to be niche. I can’t think of a single restaurant in NYC that has the best pizza and burgers and tacos, but I can think of several that specialize in just one of those three. I think the fact that our festival is niche also makes it more memorable to busy New Yorkers – hopefully they remember to check out the festival as well.
We weren’t fully anticipating how well Swamp in the City would be received, but it made sense, given how participatory and community-oriented the culture around Cajun & Creole music can be. The festival allows attendees to engage with one another in an easy and accessible form of social dancing. Whether attendees are familiar with the dancing style or not, the steps are simple two-steps and waltzes that practically anyone can learn on-the-spot with a helpful dance partner. We believe in the power of social dancing to foster and build community. The music is also so joyous and infectious that it makes it almost impossible for participants not to dance. It is common for most New Yorkers to equate all of Louisiana with New Orleans, but this festival can deepen and broaden participants’ understanding of another important facet of Louisiana culture.
So much of the festival is centered on music, and I learned that Krissie is a jazz musician herself.
Stephanie: Alright, time out. We need to discuss. Who are your favorite jazz musicians, who do you listen to? And who are some Louisiana artists that you recommend as far as Cajun and Creole music?
Stephanie: What were your hopes for Swamp in the City?
Krissie: When we started the festival in 2018, we were only hoping to keep the music and dancing going in NYC for this once-a-year event. Since then, our community has grown such that we are now able to host a significantly larger annual festival (which means we’re able to hire more Louisiana artists), and also host additional Cajun/Creole dances throughout the year – usually whenever a Louisiana band is coming up the Northeast on a tour. In 2022, Swamp in the City became a 501(c)3 nonprofit, so we’re hoping this will allow us to continue our mission of growing and spreading this important part of Louisiana and American culture to a wider and more diverse audience.
Stephanie: When you have an idea for something big and creative like Swamp in the City, is it scary or difficult to get started? I like planning things, but I get imposter syndrome when it’s time to actually pull something off.
Krissie: Back when Swamp in the City was just an idea, I was so excited at the prospects of being able to bring up my favorite Louisiana musicians to NYC rather than waiting to see who the former festival producer was going to hire. Of course there are always some scary moments when running a festival (usually whenever anything unforeseen happens!), but overall I always look forward to planning, organizing and running the festival from start to finish each year.
Krissie isn’t scared when it comes to hosting music festivals. She and her partner host jam sessions at one of their homes in New Jersey. Artists come from the Northeast and Louisiana to play their music. Everyone camps out in her yard and she makes a huge vat of gumbo to feed everyone — a trick she learned from the Cajuns. A big vat of gumbo keeps everyone well fed and very happy.
Stephanie: What type of people typically attend the festival and your other events?
Krissie: We get a lot of attendees from our growing Cajun and Zydeco dance community in Brooklyn and the greater NYC metro region, but also folks from all over the country who travel near and far to hear this particular kind of music. We always strive to attract the adventuresome New Yorker in their 20’s-90’s looking for something new and exciting to do with their weekend. We have observed that once a person discovers Cajun/Creole music, they are usually hooked for life!
Stephanie: I can attest to that. I think I’m one of the only people in my circle who’s like…really interested in the music and culture so I’m happy that such a community exists. Do you find that there’s a lot of Cajun/Creole culture enthusiasts in the city? Are there more of us!?
Krissie: It’s a growing group of enthusiasts for sure! Often folks will discover our festival or attend one of our dance events without any prior knowledge of Cajun/Creole culture, and then decide to get on a plane and visit one Lafayette, Louisiana one day.
Stephanie: What’s the process of setting up the event been like? You have to coordinate artists, food, beer, ticketing. That’s a lot!
Krissie: It can be daunting, for sure! Fortunately I have a decent work-load balance with my partner (who now resides in Louisiana). She usually handles all the artist booking (since she’s on-the-ground there) while I handle all festival logistics and marketing (since I live in Brooklyn near the venues). Every year the festival planning gets a little easier!
Stephanie: I’m a fan of Louisiana’s culture and food. I’m always looking for the next great Cajun and Creole restaurant in New York City. Do you have a favorite Cajun or Creole restaurant? Are there any hidden gems for Cajun and Creole culture in New York?
Krissie: I don’t really seek out much Cajun/Creole food in NYC, but I enjoy cooking a gumbo every so often during the chilly fall and winter months, especially if we’re hosting a jam at our home. I’ve heard good things about the File Gumbo Bar in the Financial District, but have yet to go. Whenever I’m in Lafayette, Louisiana, I look forward to dining at Scratch Kitchen (an amazing farm-to-table Cajun eatery), and also stopping at any establishment claiming to have the best boudin (sausage filled with pork and rice).
Swamp in the City will be holding its big, annual festival this May in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Krissie is looking forward to having you all there! Buy your tickets here!
