The True Spirit of the South

[HostDave]

By Christopher Kyte, President

One can argue that every area of the United States has its own unique culture, cuisine and music. And one would certainly be right. But to my mind, there are few that compare to the South. Of course, a voyage on the American Queen itself is a step into the warmth and hospitality of the South and the region’s cuisine and music are essential components of life on board. But if you know the American Queen Steamboat Company and my philosophy, then you know that we believe anything worth doing is worth over-doing. But in a good way, of course!

On some of our voyages, we take everything the South has to offer on a regular basis and then we ramp it up. If you take a look at our website, you can see a few examples.

Our Dixie Fest sailings on March 1 and June 22, 2013 delve into the fun, frivolity and frolicking nature of the South’s past (and present.) Deep in the Heart of Dixie you discover everything that makes the South the vibrant, elegant lady that generations have adored. Hear stories of the madams of Bourbon Street and cotillions in Houmas House. Dixieland bands and jazz musicians bring this voyage alive with toe-tapping fun and laughter. Celebrate Southern cuisine and then join in some umbrella-raising, hand-clapping excitement as “The Saints go Marchin’ In!”

Among our most popular journeys are our Southern Culture & Spring Pilgrimage departures on March 8, 15, 23, 30 and April 6, 2013. Southern Culture is a deep pool and on these five voyages, guests immerse themselves in the literature, music and culture of the South, as well as its traditions, history and cooking. You can travel into the worlds of William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Tennessee Williams and Harper Lee. You can visit the towns that inspired literary and musical greatness. Along the way, guests experience the sounds of the Delta blues and sample plenty of Southern cooking. Fascinating speakers, lively entertainment and informative demonstrations enhance the understanding of our antebellum legacy

What makes these voyages truly special for me is that they not only incorporate the best of Southern culture, but they do so during one of the most revered traditions of the South. People often ask me why these trips incorporate the words “Spring Pilgrimage.” They take place in the spring, so that seems easy enough to explain. But what does a pilgrimage have to do with it?

Well, it turns out that the Pilgrimage Open House tradition began in the 1940s, when members of the garden clubs in Natchez, MS began hosting tours of their gardens in the spring. Later, they also opened their lovely homes and Pilgrimage became such a popular idea that it quickly spread throughout the Mississippi Delta.

What I really love about the Pilgrimage is that these are not museums; they are real homes of real people. And as soon as you step inside, you’re greeted as if you’re a long-lost relative. Hosts and hostesses are dressed in period costume and take delight in explaining not just the history of the homes, but that of the people who have lived in them through the decades. The Pilgrimage is more than touring gorgeous antebellum plantations and Victorian mansions, it is about engaging in the true spirit of the South. And while that spirit is on display in the family heirlooms, furniture passed down through generations, and period décor and architecture of each residence, it is even more entrenched in the smiles and eyes of the people you’ll meet.

The South is about family, friendships, loyalty and tradition. That is the spirit embodied in the American Queen and during Pilgrimage, you follow it to its source: the people of the South. While it’s called the Pilgrimage because of the desire of people to flock to the homes, I view it as a pilgrimage to the essence of the South which is not really in the mansions, gardens, period furniture or priceless works of art. For me, the essence of the South is in the firm handshake of a stranger in the process of becoming a friend, the contagious laughter that spreads across a room as someone tells a tale of the past, and in the love and reverence with which meals are prepared and served not from the stove, but from the heart.

Sometimes, you can never have too much of a good thing.