When the four Landis girls – Baty, Beth, Anne Teague and Dabney – got together to figure out how to celebrate their parent’s 50th anniversary, Beth had the idea to celebrate Jazz Fest, Elizabeth’s favorite festival that had been canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The guest list had to be small, but the party was over the top! The girls had celebrated their parents’ 40th anniversary at their fabulous home on Palmer Avenue with a large guest list, but Jim and Elizabeth had just moved to Mid-City on the bayou, so the Pitot House was the perfect choice.
John Rankin played as guests arrived. Guests were treated to Jim’s favorite fried chicken and jambalaya from Lil’ Dizzy’s. The grandchildren worked with Marisa Gierlich to make mango freezes. And they served their mom’s favorite crawfish bread from the family that makes it for Jazz Fest!
The décor was automatic: the beautiful garden of the Pitot House, a Landis Jazz and Heritage Festival Poster created by Quentin Gilmore (an alumnus of YAYA); printed festival chairs with “50 Festive Years” printed on the back, which served as party favors for the guests; and decorated white umbrellas with artwork by the grandchildren signed by all the guests.
After John Rankin played, Dr. Michael White and his band played while the Landis family and their guests danced to their favorite songs. The pièce de résistance was the surprise guest, Irma Thomas, who wowed the guests with Elizabeth’s and Jim’s favorite tunes!
After wedding cake and champagne, served inside the Pitot House, the children and grandchildren ushered the couple out in their own decorated pedicab. The pedicab toured Elizabeth and Jim up and down Bayou St. John and then to their new home on the bayou!
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