Celebrate Carnival anywhere as New Orleans native Johnette Downing brings the exuberance of Mardi Gras to children. Featuring her book songs “Who Got the Baby in the King Cake?” and “Chef Creole,” children sing about the culinary centerpiece of Carnival season, while songs such as “Bamboula Rhythm” and “Zulu” provide the rhythmic foundation of Mardi Gras music. This cultural immersion ends with a second line parade, but not before taking a side trip to Southwest Louisiana through Johnette’s Cajun Mardi Gras book Mumbo Jumbo, Stay Out of the Gumbo.

Theme: Mardi Gras

Lassiez les bon temps rouler with this Louisiana musical gumbo of songs about gators, skeeters, crawfish and possums. With songs like “Today is Monday in Louisiana,” “How to Dress a Po’ Boy,” and “Give Me That Zydeco,” we’ll pass a good time with this boogie on the bayou for children.

Theme: Louisiana Culture and Music

Spiders and snails and roaches, oh my! The backyard is buzzing alive with a boogie-woogie jive. Based on songs from Johnette’s Silver Parents’ Choice award winning “Boogie Woogie Bugs” recording, audiences play in the bug band and sing some creepy, crawly and catchy songs about insects.

Theme: Insects and Arachnids

Dive into fun with songs of the sea. Based on Johnette’s multi-award winning “Fins and Grins” recording, audiences learn about seahorses, penguins, stingrays, amphibians and many more marine creatures. From the bayou to the ocean, we’ll have a whale of a good time.

Theme: Marine Life

Fun is brewing as we cook up a cauldron full of bone creakin’, knee knockin’, skeleton shakin’, silly and slightly spooky songs for Halloween. The program includes classic Halloween songs such as “Five Little Pumpkins” and “Mean Old Witch,” as well as Johnette’s audience-favorite original songs such as “Shake Your Skeleton” and “Jumpin’ Jitters.” You won’t be tricked with this treat of a holiday show. 

Theme: Halloween

Called the “Cajun Raffi” and the “Pied Piper of Louisiana music traditions” by the media, Johnette Downing has over thirty years of experience as a musician, author, and early childhood music educator. This school year, join Johnette “in her living room” as she offers two types of "Boogie on the Bayou" virtual programs; 1) pre-recorded, and 2) virtual live. 

Johnette sings several of her popular songs, sings select “singable” books, and talks about her passion for sharing Louisiana culture with children in the United States and abroad. Both virtual programs are perfectly suited for distance learning for pre-kindergarten to third grade audiences, and run approximately 30 minutes.

The pre-recorded program is available on Johnette’s private viewing platform and has a one-time twenty-four hour viewing access before the passcode expires. 

The virtual live (real-time) face-to-face program is available on Zoom and is limited to 99 participants.

Theme: Louisiana culture

Called the “Musical Ambassador to Children,” the “Bonnie Raitt of Children’s Music,” and the “Pied Piper of Louisiana Music Traditions,” Johnette Downing is internationally known for her Louisiana roots music performances and catchy original songs. With Cajun, Creole, blues, jazz, Afro-Caribbean and zydeco influences, this New Orleans native serves up a gumbo of toe-tapping, two-stepping tunes, stirred with a passion for sharing her rich culture with children, and offering plenty of opportunities to sing and dance along.

When booking a concert, please indicate if you want an in-person concert or virtual concert.

Book and CD Signings
Johnette is happy to include a book and CD signing with her Concert. 

Book and CD Orders through Johnette
Schools often send order forms home with the students to pre-order books and CDs prior to the Concert date. School order forms are downloadable on the Media Kit. Please email Johnette if you wish to order books and CDs through her, and give her the complete order at least two weeks prior to the scheduled Concert. 

Book Orders through Publishers
Pre-book orders can be handled through Johnette's publishers prior to her Concert. Please contact:

Pelican Publishing Company, www.pelicanpub.com
Arcadia Publishing, www.arcadiapublishing.com