This is a guest post and was originally published on Nola Chic’s blog. It has been reprinted with permission. You can see the original, as well as additional photos here.

I had a full evening in the French Quarter’s last weekend, and I will blog about my experience in a separate blog. In searching for a photo, I was surprised to find that I have 60K+ images since 2011 of all things New Orleans as well as my many vacations, not saying I’m going to go through all those photos, but I can not blog about them all. I was delighted to announce that I have been able to document so many great moments. In saying that I hope you do not mind me just posting photos without blogging from time to time. I’m not sure if I can not write a little something lol, but thank you in advance just in case I don’t write anything.

As you can see these pics and video are taken of our New Orleans Street Performers on Bourbon St. The will work for for the crowd primarily on the weekends or when there’s a big event going on in the city. If you are a native of New Orleans, you will remember these guys from the Jackson Square Steps where the crowd would sit on the steps as if they were in the stands and the pavement was their stage. It’s lovely to see that they all are doing well and survived Katrina.

I recently swayed my views when seeing my little Nola babies drumming their hearts out on buckets for chump change. I would be in tears walking off worrying about someone taking off with their money, concerned about their home life and how safe are they out amongst all the drunkards on Bourbon St… I had the opportunity to talk to one of the little boys, and he told me that he loved to do it, it was a hobby that he could make money from that could afford him to buy things his family could not afford. He did report that some kids have it harder than him and that he wished people would stop looking at them, listen to their sound and just walk off. He broke it down, sounding like little businessmen. They are in essence entrepreneurs. I still worry but I pray about them, and a little voice told me there has never been an incident involving the child street Performers on Bourbon St. and that helped a lot.

Please tip our street Performers, especially if you stop, listen, and take pictures or record them. If by chance your photo wins some prize or you get paid from it, do your best to give them their half. You would not have that great shot without your subject. Your eye sees the shot, and the subject makes it.

The average tip is $2-$5 per performer, be mindful when tipping a group or band. How would a band of 6 splits that $1 you dropped in their bucket? Idk, but be fair, you are being entertained by New Orleans natives who are continuing the tradition, keeping the culture alive, which happens to be the very reason why you come here. They would benefit greatly from your generosity.