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Two weeks after the Twin Cities Jazz Festival brought crowds to St. Paul, the city is reloading this weekend with two more downtown music festivals, the latest evidence of resurgent cultural scene.

 
The St. Paul jazz club formerly known as the Artists' Quarter is reopening as Vieux Carre. It's now under the same management as the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant in Minneapolis. Its name translates to "Old Quarter," a subtle nod to the space's former name.

 
Co-owner Lowell Pickett says Vieux Carre will focus on presenting local musicians, mainly jazz but not exclusively, and will serve light southern fare such as gumbo and po-boys.

 
The opening celebration on Saturday is being billed as an early Bastille Day party with musical performances, a crepe stand and fun activities for kids. From here on, Vieux Carre will open Tuesday through Saturday, presenting live music five nights a week.
 

 
The second annual For the Love hip-hop festival also happens Saturday in St. Paul's Lowertown neighborhood. It's billed as a family-friendly event featuring hours of live music in front of the Union Depot, as well as DJ's spinning music across the street at Bedlam Theater. It starts at 2 p.m.

 
The Black Dog Cafe will host a "shorty stage" for kids, featuring hour-long demo classes on the four elements of Hip Hop: emceeing, dancing, beatboxing and graffiti.

 
Lowertown's renewal has helped reignite St. Paul's scene. That includes the renovation and opening of Union Depot, which has become not only a transit hub but a host site for numerous events such as Northern Spark, dance concerts and Saturday's hip hop festival. The launch last year of the Green Line light rail service made getting into and out of downtown St. Paul much easier, and encouraged a number of businesses to relocate downtown.

 
The city also offered financing deals to organizations like Bedlam Theatre to convince them to move downtown, bringing with them their fans and social events. The new St. Paul Saints stadium brought a whole new level of energy.


 
It might seem like a small thing, but it's a pretty big deal that downtown St. Paul now has its first full-service, independent bookstore in more than 20 years.

 last month from its former home on Cathedral Hill. Considering how St. Paul is always ranking way up there on lists of literary cities, it seems only fitting that you should be able to buy a book in the heart of the city, just a few blocks from the Fitzgerald Theater.

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St. Paul's resurgent music and cultural scene will be on full display this weekend.

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