(CBS) Still limping after Katrina, New Orleans put its dancing shoes on again nonetheless.

The Big Easy was back in full swing for the New Orleans Jazz And Heritage Festival, which wound up Sunday night with a twinge of disappointment as Fats Domino - who lost his home to Katrina - found himself not feeling well enough to perform.

The 78-year-old jazz legend was checked out by a doctor and insisted on making an appearance at the festival, to apologize for being unable to play.

R & B great Lionel Richie performed in his place, and the event ended on a high note nonetheless, with musicians Paul Simon, Irma Thomas, Sam Moore, Bruce Springsteen, Ivan Neville, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffet, Etta James and Pete Fountain among the many who performed.

"When you've been through a lot like he [Domino]'s been through... it's just a shame," said Fountain, 75, who also lost a home in the storm and then had quadruple bypass heart surgery in March.

Fountain's home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, was wiped out, along with his gold records, memorabilia and 10 musical instruments. His New Orleans home has been repaired.

It was both a celebration of the past and a key to the future of an endangered city.

Forget all the debris and doubt, the festival seemed to say — Jazz Fest is back.

With thousands of musicians and dozens of places to grab a bite, Jazz Fest is more than a New Orleans tradition. It pumps hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy.

Quint Davis orchestrated it for all of its 37 years.

Asked whether he ever doubted that the festival would come to fruition, Davis is not quite sure.

"No," he said. "Yes. No!" He added, "Well, there was never a time when I thought it wouldn't happen, but there were times when realistically it might not."

Davis says Jazz Fest was sort of a homecoming dance. "What happened here was like a death in the family — that is how we all feel it. And so it became much more important to me that this had to happen for New Orleans and for the people of New Orleans."

There were a few big stars from outside the Big Easy. But most of the acts were homegrown — like Dr. John, and the New Orleans Jazz Vipers. Katrina inspired them to write their first original song — celebrating the city's rebirth.

Vipers bassist Robert Snow lost everything when his home in St. Bernard Parish flooded after Katrina.

But for a little while this weekend, it felt like old times.

"I saw the swing dancers dancing, and it was like 'Yeah, this is it,' " he said. "Don't get no better than this, man."

There's a lot of hope in New Orleans these days.

Vance Vaucresson's family's been cooking up sausages since the 1800s. Katrina ruined his business, too. It looked like he'd have to miss this year's Jazz Fest — until a small miracle happened. His main competitor offered to help him make his famous hot sausage in time for the festival.

"Soon as we got up and running, I felt like, you know, we're back in business, you know, we're back at it," said Vaucresson.

For many, the festival was about more than just money.

"If those people can come out here and feel some happiness and some joy and the power of our music and the power of our culture, you know... We dance at a funeral, and that's kind of what this is," says Davis.

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