In November 1926, Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five went into a Chicago studio and cut a run of sides that changed how jazz was played. One hundred years later, on Saturday, November 14, the Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona is putting those records back on the turntable, in their original 78 rpm pressings, for the third part of its Hot Five Centennial Celebration.

The same Saturday starts earlier in the day with the museum's fall Youth Trumpet Parade, and the whole visit can end at the museum's newest exhibition, Armstrong in Ghana, which is on view through September 2027.

The listening session

The Hot Five Centennial Celebration, Part 3 runs from 2:30 to 4 p.m. at Jerry's Place, inside the Louis Armstrong Center across the street from the house. It is led by Ricky Riccardi, the museum's Director of Research Collections, with Matthew Rivera.

The session marks the centennial of the November 1926 recordings and revisits three sides from that period: Big Butter and Egg Man, Skid-Dat-De-Dat and Jazz Lips. The plan is to play the original 78s and tell the stories behind each recording, including how this music helped reshape jazz and, through it, American popular music. It is the third installment in the series, so anyone who missed the first two can still come in here.

Tickets are sold through the museum's online box office, linked from the event page.

The Youth Trumpet Parade

Earlier that afternoon, from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m., the museum holds its Youth Trumpet Parade for fall 2026, also based at Jerry's Place. The parade is the museum's community celebration of Armstrong's influence on the trumpet and on the generations of players who came after him, and it brings young musicians out to play in his old neighborhood. Registration details are on the museum's event page.

Put the two together and a family can hear the trumpet played live by kids at lunchtime and then hear Armstrong himself, on shellac, an hour later.

Armstrong in Ghana

The exhibition now on view at the museum tells the story of Armstrong's 1956 trip to Ghana. It looks at the connections between jazz and the histories of the African diaspora, and at the cultural exchange that came out of that visit. The museum is running fall programming around the exhibition, with more events to be announced.

About the house

Louis and Lucille Armstrong moved to their house on 107th Street in Corona in 1943 and stayed for the rest of his life. Lucille went on living there after he died in 1971 and worked to make it a permanent landmark. Today the house is a New York City historic landmark and the heart of a three-building campus. The Louis Armstrong Center, which opened across the street in 2023, holds the permanent Here to Stay exhibition, the museum store and a 75-seat performance space, Jerry's Place, where both November 14 events take place.

The museum also has its holiday store open online through December 16, with collections that include Armstrong in Ghana merchandise, children's items and stationery.

How to go

The Louis Armstrong House Museum is at 34-56 107th Street in Corona, Queens. The 7 train to 103 St-Corona Plaza is the closest subway stop, a walk of a few blocks. The museum's phone number is 718-478-8274.

Saturday, November 14: Youth Trumpet Parade, 12:30 to 1:15 p.m.; Hot Five Centennial Celebration, Part 3, 2:30 to 4 p.m. Both at Jerry's Place in the Louis Armstrong Center. Check the museum's events page for tickets and registration.

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