Festival season took a quick break in the hotter months of summer, but September is here the festival scene is about to really take off! The fall festival line-up has some new additions, so prepare your stomach for a lot of deep-fried celebrations. Mark your calendars with this one-stop list:
NOLA on Tap [September 23] – Sip on some of the region’s best craft beers and support the Louisiana SPCA at this fun-filled festival. NOLA on Tap is also the region’s largest beer festival, with over 400 breweries participating. There will be live music, beer judging, local artwork, and more!
Fried Chicken Festival [September 23-24] – Head to Woldenberg Park downtown and feast on renditions of this sacred Southern tradition. It’s free to enter, and attendees can chow down on fried chicken from over thirty vendors, watch cooking demos, and dance to live music. Make sure your stomach is ready!
Treme Fall Fest [September 30 – October 1] – This donation-based festival helps benefit the neighborhood’s architecture, culture, and history. Watch some of the city’s best in gospel, brass, and jazz all weekend long.
Carnaval Latino [September 30] – Celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month at the 18th annual Carnaval Latino festival. This French Quarter festival celebrates all aspects of Hispanic culture in New Orleans.
Oktober Fest [October 6-21] – Head to 1700 Moss Street near Bayou St. John in Gentilly any of the first three weekends in October and you’ll be right at the heart of this city’s Oktober Fest celebration. The new home to Oktober Fest will feature a wide variety of German beers, German brass bands, and brats! All the brats!
Beignet Festival [October 7] – The city’s most iconic dish definitely deserves its own festival! Beignet Festival will feature original takes on the powdered sugar classic from some of the city’s best chefs, as well as a great live music line-up!
New Orleans Film Festival [October 11-19] – This one is for all you film buffs in the area! New Orleans Film Festival is a multi-venue event featuring some of the nation’s best filmmakers and the city’s most innovative cinephiles. Be the first to see the best in independent filmmaking this year!
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Fest [October 13-15] – This free festival in Lafayette Square will bring the area’s best barbeque cooks and blues artists together for a weekend of saucy celebration. If you love all things BBQ, this is the festival for you!
Krewe of Boo Halloween Parade [October 21] – Although this isn’t technically a festival, it’s a fun, family-friendly event in celebration of the Halloween season! Bring your kids down the French Quarter for a spooky parade of crazy costumes and creative floats!
Mac n Cheese Festival [October 21] – This is the inaugural Mac n Cheese Festival and it’s definitely worth checking out! Cheese fans rejoice, and make your way to Louis Armstrong Park for an ooey-gooey observance of one of the world’s favorite comfort foods.
Cochon de Lait Festival [October 21] – Free entry, live music, local artists, and lots and lots of pork. The Cochon de Lait fest takes place in Palmer Park, just off Carrollton and Claiborne Avenue. Come hungry.
Oak Street Po-Boy Fest [October 22] – One of Oak Street’s main events, Po-Boy Fest takes over the main stretch of the street with tons of po-boy vendors and live music stages for your entertainment. Dig into a traditional po-boy or try some of the area’s more unique tastes on this New Orleans classic at Po-Boy Fest.
Louisiana Seafood Festival [October 27-29] – If Louisiana is known for one thing, it’s seafood! Shrimp, oysters, crawfish, and other iconic gulf catches have put Louisiana on the map as one of the best places for fresh seafood in the world! Celebrate this important part of our culture at Louisiana Seafood Festival at Woldenberg Park in downtown New Orleans.
Voodoo Music & Arts Experience [October 27-29] – Worship the music at this Halloween weekend music fest in New Orleans City Park. Voodoo Fest is one of the city’s largest music festivals, and it features some of pop and rock music’s hottest acts. Dress in your wildest Halloween costume and dance to the sounds of the Foo Fighters, Kendrick Lamar, and more!
Boudin, Bourbon & Beer [November 3] – Emeril Lagasse’s nighttime festival in Champions Square celebrates the savory sausage creations of the city’s elite chefs. Each food booth has a unique take on boudin sausage, and you can sip and snack your way toward the stage for some amazing live music.
New Orleans Book Festival [November 11] – Add some new titles to your home’s bookshelf at New Orleans Book Festival! Chat with local authors and enjoy twilight book readings with the whole family!
Treme Creole Gumbo Festival [November 18-19] – Ring in the cooler weather at Treme Creole Gumbo Fest! The Congo Square-based fest will answer all of your gumbo dreams.
Celebration in the Oaks [November 24 – January 1] – Ring in the holiday spirit with the bright lights of Celebration in the Oaks. This annual City Park event illuminates the Botanical Gardens, Storyville, and the Carousel Gardens with holiday lighting displays that will enchant and entertain everyone in your family!
Well, looks like your calendar is full for the next couple of months! Stay tuned for our winter picks!
1st Lake Properties | P. O. Box 73709 | Metairie, LA 70033 | info@1stlake.com
