Run Like No One’s Watching at Running of the Bulls in New Orleans

It’s 6:30 a.m., and thousands of people have gathered in the streets of downtown New Orleans, drinking, eating, and preparing for an event like no other. This isn’t your ordinary Saturday morning. This is New Orleans’s version of Spain’s Encierro de Pamplona, San Fermin in Nueva Orleans!

The “bulls” are actually the Big Easy Rollergirls (plus the participants from the other roller derby leagues across the country) on skates. The runners, wearing white with red accents, attempt to run away from the girls as they chase after them with wiffle ball bats.

This eccentric festival will be taking place in New Orleans on the weekend of July 11-13, 2025. Here’s this year’s rundown.

The Encierro

The festival stretches over the weekend, but the run itself takes place on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Gallier Hall (545 St. Charles Ave.) in Downtown New Orleans.

Beginning at 6:30 a.m., join hundreds of runners wearing all white and accessorized with red scarves and handkerchiefs. Live music, beer, sangria, and food trucks on-site get things going. The participants get the party started by saying a prayer to Saint Fermin (Pamplona’s patron saint). After the Procession of San Fermin and the Invocation, the race starts at 8 a.m. sharp.

While there is no dress code, the runners are encouraged to dress in the style of Spain’s Encierro de Pamplona: white top and bottom, with something red around the waist and the neck. This being New Orleans, many runners do, and get very creative with their gear. The Derby girls wear red and black with horns and various other accessories meant to intimidate the runners.

The pre- and post-run events

The run lasts till about noon. After that, you can attend the traditional La Fiesta de Pantalones held at Espiritu Mezcaleria (520 Capdeville St.) starting at noon, or join the other revelers who stick around to make a day of it bar-crawling downtown.

On Friday, July 11, the festival opens with El Txupinazo (pronounced “el choo-pin-AHT-so”). It will be held at High Grinds Coffee (1724 St. Charles Ave.), 6-9 p.m.

Expect an auction, live music, and food from some of the top restaurants in New Orleans. This year, the food and the drinks will be provided by Atchafalaya, High Grinds, Juan’s Flying Burrito, and Sidecar Nola. (Please note that the event is 18+.)

Recover the next day after the race at Sunday’s annual event, El Pobre de Mi (“Poor Me”) at Gallier Hall, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., with burlesque, cocktails, and food.

What else to know

  • All events are ticketed — proceeds go to charity (register and get tickets online).
  • SFNO benefits Beth’s Friends Forever (named after NOLA Bulls cofounder Beth Hanning), which raises money for financially needy women fighting cancer in the Greater New Orleans area.
  • Since drinking is part of the festival, prepare to get carded.
  • There are several paid parking lots in the area, but this is a popular event, so it will most likely be crowded, with limited parking options all around.
  • No outside food and drinks are allowed inside Gallier Hall on the day of the run, and no ice chests or chairs.
  • Review the rules of the run before you take off, like no touching the bulls and placing kids under 10 on the sidewalk.

On a final note, do NOT underestimate the “bulls” as they will not hold back when it comes to whacking participants with the wiffle ball bats. In fact, some participants really get into it and even yell at the bulls to entice them to chase after them. Dangerous? You’ll have to decide for yourself!

Visiting New Orleans soon?

We’d love for you to stay with us! Take advantage of our specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous cuisine and enjoy everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

What to Do on the Fourth of July Weekend in the French Quarter and Nearby

Photo by Jeffrey Hamilton on Unsplash

The upcoming Independence Day weekend is shaping up to be spectacular, filled with special events, fireworks, and — this being New Orleans — great food and music. If you’re planning to spend yours in the French Quarter, here are some things we suggest for you and your friends and family to do.

Kick off the festivities with Go 4th on the River celebration: a free Dueling Barges fireworks show over the Mississippi River at the Riverfront. Pick up a muffuletta from Central Grocery on Decatur Street, or an “All That Jazz” po-boy from Verti Marte on Royal (we also heartily recommend the Cuban sandwich), and set up a picnic by the river at the Woldenberg Park while you wait for the fireworks.

There’s plenty of grass and benches, as well as street performances along the Moonwalk, which is a walkway named for former New Orleans mayor Maurice “Moon” Landrieu. Watch the boats go by and take in the public art that liberally dots the space.

Another option is to book a steamboat cruise on the Mississippi River and watch the show from the deck while you party. Creole Queen’s Fourth of July Celebration Cruise boards starting at 7 p.m. and includes an open bar, a buffet, and lots of music (DJ, piano, and jazz band in three different rooms). The buffet’s menu is posted on the company website. Billed as “American favorites,” it includes BBQ chicken, pulled pork, corn on the cob, and apple pie.

Don’t want to commit to a cruise? Take a ferry across the river to Algiers Point for $2. A great view of the fireworks is guaranteed — en route and from the other bank.

While you are at the Riverfront, you can’t miss the French Market across the street. The best way to experience it is to walk through its open-air mall, starting with the food stands and ending at Esplanade Avenue.

As the oldest continually operating public market in the country since 1791, the French Market has the structure of a traditional European market. It covers roughly five blocks, from Cafe Du Monde on Decatur Street across from Jackson Square to the daily flea market at the end of Esplanade Avenue.

The flea market has local artists and vendors from all over the world. You’ll find souvenirs, handmade art and jewelry, t-shirts, music, and more. Sample local food and cocktails from the food stands or the nearby restaurants sprawling in every direction, or pick up pralines and a beignet mix to take home from any of the surrounding retail shops.

In the mood for more shopping and maybe a movie? The Riverwalk Outlets is an indoor outlet mall hosting more than 75 retailers and restaurants, including Nordstrom Rack and Mike Anderson’s Seafood. It is a short walk/streetcar ride along the riverfront from the French Market.

The Shops at Canal Place is a short walk away from the Riverwalk, featuring dozens of upscale retailers like Saks Fifth Avenue and Brooks Brothers, plus a small food court and a movie theater. The sleek Prytania Theatres at Canal Place is located inside the mall if you want to catch a movie.

For yet more shopping, check out the shops along N. Peters Street, including H&M and Sephora.

Need a respite from the heat but don’t feel like hanging in the mall? The sprawling Caesars New Orleans casino is within walking distance from the riverfront as well, on Canal Street. The complex features everything a large casino could offer. Foodwise, you can get a taste of amazing food at Emeril’s Brasserie, Nina’s Creole Cottage, and The Steakhouse New Orleans.

If you don’t mind venturing a bit further away from the French Quarter toward the Convention Center, the Mardi Gras World museum will give you a taste of Mardi Gras with a grand tour of all things Carnival and a free slice of King Cake.

The ESSENCE Festival of Culture is also held that weekend at the Superdome, wrapping up on Sunday, July 6, 2025. The music lineup is always stellar, and the areas in and around the Superdome will host temporary arts-and-crafts markets.

Happy eating, shopping and sightseeing, and have a wonderful time in New Orleans this Independence Day weekend!

Coming to New Orleans this summer?

We’d love for you to stay with us! Take advantage of our specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous cuisine and enjoy everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

What’s Happening in New Orleans in August?

Zulu SA&PC Grand Marshall at Satchmo Salute Parade. Photo by Cedric Ellsworth.

Don’t let the long, hot Louisiana summer get you down — there’s plenty to do in New Orleans in August. These happenings are a testament to our willingness to eat, drink, dance, mingle, strut, and even run — in the heat, humidity, and that inevitable afternoon rain. From brass bands to block parties to a parade to running in a fancy dress for a good cause, August got it going, spilling into the first week of September.

Coolinary

Friday, August 1 – Sunday, August 31, 2025

The premise of Coolinary is simple: Dozens of area restaurants offer prix fixe menus to customers at a discount. Sometimes, a significant discount — this is a New Orleans event that’s as popular with the locals as tourists, and many city residents take advantage of Coolinary to engage in a bit of gastronomic splurging.

Interested? Check out the Coolinary website and see what restaurants are participating (and for which meals; some spots, for example, only offer a Coolinary menu during lunch). You don’t have to do anything else but show up and get fed; usually, the Coolinary menu is included as a special insert or addition to the regular menu.

Museum Month

Friday, August 1 – Sunday, August 31, 2025

If you’re in town this August, be sure to take advantage of the Museum Month deal. During the month of August, museum members have the opportunity to visit all participating institutions, FREE OF CHARGE, using their current membership throughout the month of August.

You must be a member of a local museum to take advantage of this deal. This is a great opportunity to explore on a budget. In the past, participating museums in (and near) the French Quarter include the Beauregard-Keyes House, Audubon Insectarium, Contemporary Arts Center, The National WWII Museum, Old Ursuline Convent Museum, New Orleans Jazz Museum, New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, and Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

Fidelity Bank White Linen Night

Saturday, August 2, 2025

Back in the days before air conditioning, New Orleanians kept cool and looked fresh in the face of August swelter by wearing light-colored linen clothing. And back in the days before White Linen Night, local art galleries felt the pinch of the August tourism slowdown.

In order to combat said slowdown and to showcase local summer fashion, White Linen Night was created. Art galleries and restaurants on the 300-600 blocks of Julia Street in the Warehouse District throw their doors open for a night of wine, art perusing, dining, and more wine — plus modeling of, naturally, the latest in white linen fashion.

Satchmo SummerFest

Saturday-Sunday, August 2-3, 2025

An initiative from the folks at French Quarter Festivals, Satchmo Summer Fest is a celebration of the city’s most famous musical son (Louis Armstrong, nicknamed “Satchmo”) and New Orleans music in general. As New Orleans festivals go, this one is pretty beloved — it’s family-friendly, kicks off within the French Quarter with a popular parade, the lineup is truly local, and it’s free. More than almost any other festival we mention, this one feels like a New Orleans street party (again, for families), and it definitely should not be missed if you’re in town.

Red Dress Run

Saturday, August 9, 2025

Probably the last thing any sane human being wants to do in the midst of a New Orleans August is run, but then again, the folks involved with the New Orleans Hash House Harriers (NOH3) have always been a little crazy. The Red Dress Run is your chance to see a bunch of locals of all genders don red frocks and go careening through the city on a madcap 2-3 mile course.

The said route is kept secret until the day of the run, but racers always pass through the Quarter. Come out, wear crimson, have a beer (many of the runners will be joining in with you), and enjoy the show.

Dirty Linen Night

Saturday, August 9, 2025

The more rebellious sibling of White Linen Night, Dirty Linen is a similar gallery evening, but in this case, the galleries are located in the Quarter along 300-1100 blocks of Royal Street, and the vibe is a little more counterculture. Peruse food trucks, galleries, and bars, help yourself to the wine the gallery owners brought along with them, and enjoy an unbridled celebration of the creativity of the city.

Southern Decadence

Friday, August 29 – Monday, September 1, 2025

New Orleans’ largest LGBTQ+  event is a citywide party that celebrates the huge impact the local gay and lesbian community has on the city at large. Almost a week’s worth of partying will kick off within the Quarter, spreading across New Orleans as more and more guests swoop into town for several days of… well, as the title says, decadence.

Coming to New Orleans this summer?

We’d love for you to stay with us! Take advantage of our specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous cuisine and enjoy everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

5 Things to Do Indoors on a Summer Rainy Day in the French Quarter

Frequent downpours are common throughout the long summer season in Louisiana. Some are thunderous daylong storms, and others are brief afternoon showers quickly replaced by sunny skies (so quickly, in fact, that it may leave you wondering if it had rained at all).

While you definitely don’t want to be out when lightning strikes or the streets flood, summer showers are easy to wait out. And, rain or shine, the French Quarter will keep you fed and entertained.

Our suggestions, below, will help you easily kill a few hours in the air-conditioned indoors. All you need is a sense of adventure, patience, and an umbrella (and maybe rain boots because you DO NOT want to step into those puddles in the French Quarter in flip-flops).

1. Visit a museum

The Historic New Orleans Collection (THNOC) is spread over several historic buildings in the French Quarter. Though you may not want to tour the buildings in the rain, the Royal Street location (520 Royal St.) houses the main museum with a permanent exhibit on state history, plus rotating exhibits on history and art. Free admission.

The New Orleans Pharmacy Museum is a bargain at $10 and features a permanent collection of 19th-century surgical instruments, books, patent medicines, and locally excavated bottles. The museum occupies a two-story historic building, the site of the apothecary shop of Louis Joseph Dufilho, Jr., who was America’s first licensed pharmacist. The museum’s second floor features a sick room and a physician’s study, and there’s a small yet lovely courtyard.

Consider heading to Jackson Square for two museums and a historic cathedral. Catch a mass or free concert (or just admire the interior during the quiet hours) at the St. Louis Cathedral. It’s flanked by The Cabildo and The Presbytère, which are run by the Louisiana State Museum and house a number of excellent exhibits. You’ll find many precious pieces of Louisiana history at the Cabildo, like a rare Napoleon death mask and a painting of Marie Laveau by Frank Schneider.

There are two excellent permanent exhibits at the Presbytère. You could get lost for hours in the “Mardi Gras: It’s Carnival Time in Louisiana” exhibit, which details the history of Carnival traditions in Louisiana, including Cajun Courir de Mardi Gras, Zulu coconut throws, Rex floats, and spectacular costumes throughout the centuries. The “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina and Beyond” exhibit documents the natural disaster and ongoing recovery.

These two aren’t technically museums but they’re so spectacular we’ll recommend them anyway. The Audubon Aquarium, a sprawling compound on the riverfront, will keep you and your family enthralled with its walk-through tunnel, otters, penguins, sea turtles, a stingray touch pool, and an expansive replica of an offshore oil rig submerged in 400,000 gallons of water. Next door, the Audubon Insectarium is packed with bug-centric interactive exhibits and features a spectacular butterfly garden. One ticket gains access to both attractions.

2. Head to the mall

The Outlet Collection at Riverwalk and The Shops at Canal Place are a short walk away from each other. Both are self-contained, multi-storied indoor malls that could keep you shopping and eating for as long as your stamina holds up. The Riverwalk mall is an outlet with more than 75 retailers and restaurants, including Nordstrom Rack and Cafe du Monde. The Shops at Canal Place is home to Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany and Co., Anthropologie, and dozens of other upscale retailers. There’s a small food court upstairs.

3. See a movie

Prytania Theatres at Canal Place is located inside The Shops at Canal Place mall. It’s the second location of The Prytania Theatre, which is over 100 years old and is the longest continually operated theater in the South.

4. Take in a show

With the reopened Saenger and Joy theaters, Canal Street shines once again as a performing arts destination. See a Broadway show at the palatial Saenger, built in 1927 and restored in 2013 after staying vacant post-Katrina. Or catch a live music show or a national standup comedy act at the Joy Theater. This 1946 landmark started off as a movie theater and was gorgeously restored to its Art Deco glory.

Just off Jackson Square, Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carré has called its St. Peter Street location home since 1922. Check out what’s playing this season at the famed playhouse during your visit.

5. Eat and drink!

There’s nothing more delicious than holing up with a cocktail and a snack on a rainy day, and there’s obviously no shortage of options in the French Quarter. Some of the best bars and restaurants in the city offer great happy hour deals you won’t want to miss. The Bombay Club inside the Prince Conti Hotel specializes in martinis and has more than 50 specialty cocktails on the menu. The daily happy hour (5-7 p.m. daily) features $3 beer and $4 cocktails, and $5 wine.

Visiting New Orleans soon?

We’d love for you to stay with us! Take advantage of our specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous cuisine and enjoy everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

Year at a Glance in New Orleans

In New Orleans, we honor just about every local food there is (and some drinks) with a festival, not to mention the packed party schedule that never lets up, from the Carnival to Super Sunday to the Saints football season. In other words, the Crescent City’s dance card is pretty much always full, even when the heat and humidity descend on the city in late spring and till mid-fall. Here are just a few highlights of all that’s going on in New Orleans year-round.

Spring

March 1 – May 31

Lovely weather and endless festivals continue this time of year with Wednesday at the Square; the Congo Square Rhythms Festival; the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival (don’t miss the “Stella!” shouting contest); the Mid-City’s own Bayou Boogaloo, held on the picturesque banks of Bayou St. John; the Freret Street Festival that’s getting bigger every year; and, of course, the two heavy hitters and the reason so many visitors come to New Orleans in the spring — the French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest.

St. Patrick’s Day and Easter are subject to more celebration, with multiple parades and parties. Finally, the Mardi Gras Indians Super Sunday is a treasured tradition dating back to the 19th century and held on the Sunday closest to St. Joseph’s Day (March 19), which gets its own unique celebration across the Catholic churches and even private homes in the city with the beautifully appointed altars (the Italian-Sicilian contribution to New Orleans’ rich cultural tapestry).

Summer

June 1 – August 31

Want to cross an iconic New Orleans restaurant off your bucket list? There’s no time like Restaurant Week New Orleans, during which dozens of participating restaurants, from the James Beard luminaries to the new hotspots to the Creole grand dames, offer set-course menus at a deep discount. Also in June is another culinary fest, the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience, and the popular Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival, held at Louis Armstrong Park.

Summers here can be pretty hot and humid, but still, the best restaurants and bars in town celebrate Tales of the Cocktail in July, and COOLinary New Orleans with prix fixe menus in August. You can also browse the galleries on the White Linen Night (or its cheeky cousin, the Dirty Linen Night).

The city comes to life for the Satchmo SummerFest and a slew of events over the Fourth of July and the Labor Day weekends, like Go 4th on the River, and the ESSENCE Festival of Culture at the Superdome.

The French Market Creole Tomato Festival is one of the smaller fests to enjoy, and Running of the Bulls brings Encierro to New Orleans, except the bulls are the Big Easy Rollergirls. Finally, the Red Dress Run is a two-mile dash — that’s right — in a red dress for a charity.

Fall

September 1 – November 30

Cooler temps and the seemingly endless slew of food, drink and music festivals are on tap in the fall in New Orleans, starting over the Labor Day weekend with the massive and fabulous Southern Decadence, a popular festival that celebrates LGBTQ+ with block parties, shows, and a parade.

October begins with the ever-expanding National Fried Chicken Festival at the Lakefront. Also, New Orleans throws its version of Oktoberfest over the three weekends at Deutsches Haus in Mid-City, to celebrate the city’s rich German history, followed by one of the best-attended art events in the city, Art for Art’s Sake.

Don’t miss the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival, the Tremé Fall Festival, and the New Orleans Film Festival, which is one of the largest film festivals in the South and is the longest-running festival of its kind in the state.

New Orleans does Halloween like no other city, so if you’re lucky to be visiting around that time, consider any of the balls, costume parties, parade, haunted tours, and a huge block party on Frenchmen Street! The kid-friendly parade called Krewe of Boo rolls through the French Quarter, courtesy of Kern Studios, and there are many more Halloween activities around the city happening in the couple weeks leading up to Halloween.

November brings more food festivals — the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival and the Beignet Festival at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds, plus the annual LUNA Fête that brings large-scale light and sound installations to Gallier Hall.

Thanksgiving at the Fair Grounds Race Course is a long-standing New Orleans tradition of turning out at the track on Thanksgiving Day to watch the opening-day races while sporting cocktails and fabulous hats. Next, there’s Bayou Classic, a fan fest, a parade, the battle of the bands, and, of course, the big game at the Superdome between Southern University and Grambling State University.

The beloved Celebration in the Oaks kicks off the holiday season with a dazzling holiday lights festival scattered throughout the 25 acres of City Park, including the Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park.

Winter

December 1 – February 28

There’s a whole slew of events that accompany Christmastime in the Crescent City, from bonfires on the Algiers levees to concerts at St. Louis Cathedral to the family-friendly NOLA Christmasfest to Reveillon menus at some of the city’s classic Creole restaurants. The streetcars are decked with wreaths, and the city is alight with the holiday sparkle.

The New Year’s Eve celebrations in New Orleans include the Dick Clark Rockin’ New Year’s Eve at the historic JAX Brewery in the French Quarter, with a fleur-de-lis drop at midnight to the countdown on Jackson Square, quite a few balcony parties on and around Bourbon Street, and the fireworks over the Mississippi River.

The first day of the carnival season, known as Twelfth Night, or the Epiphany, kicks off every year with three parades — Phunny Phorty Phellows ride the streetcar from Uptown to Canal Street and back, plus the walking Krewe of Joan of Arc in the French Quarter, and the Société Des Champs Elysée.

Mardi Gras season culminates every year on Fat Tuesday anytime between February 3 and March 9 (February 17 in 2026). There’s not enough room to describe one of the great spectacles in the world, but keep up with the parade schedule to at least get started on how to do Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

February closes with an enormous public Tet celebration in New Orleans East to celebrate the Lunar New Year (did you know that New Orleans is home to one of the largest Vietnamese diaspora communities in the country?), and Valentine’s Day – which isn’t unique to New Orleans but is nevertheless good to celebrate in one of the most romantic cities in the world.

As you can see, we have a lot going on all year round! No matter when you visit, take advantage of French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

New Orleans Summer Festivals, the Perfect Time to Party With Friends

White Linen Night in the Warehouse District

People come from all over to experience New Orleans’s eccentric culture, flavorful food, and unique customs and traditions. Get your firsthand New Orleans experience at one of the many interesting festivals happening this summer!

Kick off the summer fest season with the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE), held on Wednesday through Sunday, June 11-15, 2025. In its 33rd year in 2025, NOWFE is a smorgasbord of food and wine tastings, tours, master classes, and the annual champagne-soaked burlesque brunch. Each year, hundreds of wineries and restaurants participate, offering menus featuring local flavors and innovative new creations inspired by diverse cuisines.

Top chefs from around the city create unique culinary experiences, so much so that the event regularly makes a few national “best of” festival lists. The organization behind this popular event is a nonprofit that donates 100% of its proceeds to beneficiaries ranging from food banks to culinary schools. You can see all the events and get tickets online.

Launched in 2011, New Orleans Pride (Friday-Sunday, June 13-15, 2025) is a celebration taking place in the French Quarter to celebrate and honor LGBTQ+ communities and their allies in New Orleans and surrounding areas. It is the only official Pride Festival in New Orleans, the largest in Louisiana, and one of the fastest-growing Pride celebrations in the nation.

Special events include the Pride Gala, the PrideFest block party at the Phoenix bar, and the annual parade. The parade is held on Saturday, June 14, 2025, starting at 5 p.m. in the Marigny and rolling through the French Quarter.

Up next is the French Market Creole Tomato Festival, which honors the arrival of the beloved Creole tomato. Celebrating its 39th anniversary in 2025, the free festival will again feature live music stages, cooking demos, kids’ activities, farm stands, food vendors, and more. The 2025 dates are Saturday-Sunday, June 7-8.

Restaurant Week New Orleans, held on Monday through Sunday, June 16-22, 2025, features multi-course, special menus and dining deals in numerous participating restaurants, from upscale Creole eateries to neighborhood bistros. Keep up with this year’s list of participating restaurants and their menus, and don’t miss a chance to try a new spot or revisit your favorite.

The last of June festivals, the New Orleans Juneteenth Festival, is happening on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Come to Congo Square in Armstrong Park to commemorate this remarkable date with this free festival, held from noon to 7 p.m.

The annual Independence Day weekend is shaping up to be spectacular as usual, filled with special events, fireworks, and — this being New Orleans — great food and music. Kick off the festivities with Go 4th on the River celebration, a free Dueling Barges fireworks show over the Mississippi River at the Riverfront.

Gear up for the best in R&B, hip-hop, jazz, and blues with the ESSENCE Festival of Culture (Thursday-Sunday, July 3-6, 2025), held at the Caesars Superdome and the Convention Center. Beyond the concerts held each night of the fest at the Superdome, the free daytime activities at the Convention Center include motivational seminars, beauty and style presentations, celebrity interviews, cooking demos, and lots more.

Going into July, Running of the Bulls brings Encierro to New Orleans on Friday-Sunday, July 11-13, 2025, except that the bulls are the Big Easy Rollergirls. San Fermin in Nueva Orleans pays annual homage to the world-famous Encierro of Pamplona, Spain, running through the streets of New Orleans starting at Gallier Hall on Saturday, July 12, starting at 6:30 a.m. The annual opening and closing parties happening that weekend are also great fun (check out the schedule on the event’s website).

If cocktails are your thing, you may want to check out Tales of the Cocktail (Sunday-Friday, July 20-25, 2025), a six-day festival packed with tastings, seminars, and special events that are all centered around exchanging ideas and techniques in the cocktail world. This lively festival is perfect for passionate mixologists, professionals, and enthusiasts alike. The festival’s signature annual blowout is the “best of” Spirited Awards, followed by the always-popular after-party.

Another festival of note is Satchmo SummerFest (Saturday and Sunday, August 2-3, 2025), which started as a tribute to Louis Armstrong over a decade ago, on his 100th birthday. The two-day festival is held at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint at the foot of Esplanade Avenue, and will have music all weekend on its outdoor, tented stages. Other events will include a Sunday morning Jazz Mass at the historic St. Augustine Church in Tremé, seminars and film screenings, kids’ activities, and a second-line parade.

The fun doesn’t stop there. The White Linen Night (Saturday, August 2, 2025) is a free multi-block party and an open house for galleries on the 300-600 blocks of Julia Street in the Warehouse District, with several stages for live music and dozens of food and drink stands. Participants are invited to wear white (hence the name). About 20 galleries on and around Julia St. will be open to the public.

White Linen’s “cousin,” the Dirty Linen Night (Saturday, August 9, 2025), is similar in format, though looser in structure and spanning more territory. It actually wasn’t created to compete with the Warehouse District event, but to promote the many galleries and shops on Royal Street. The multi-block party takes over the 300-1100 blocks of Royal Street and some cross streets and adjoining areas in the French Quarter, including Jackson Square and Dutch Alley.

You and your friends may also have to buy a silly (or glamorous) red dress for this next New Orleans summer festival. The Red Dress Run (Saturday, August 9, 2025) also doubles as a fundraiser, donating to a number of local charities. Both women and men are required to wear red dresses while partaking in a pub crawl-like run. The run traditionally starts at Crescent Park, though the route will not be publicized until the day of the run.

The always fabulous Southern Decadence festival (Friday-Monday, August 29 – September 1, 2025) is traditionally held on Labor Day weekend. This massive four-day festival celebrates LGBTQ+ culture and attracts participants from all over the world. Just like every year, most activities will be centered in and around the French Quarter, with lots of block parties and dance parties at bars and clubs on Bourbon Street, plus two parades.

Although we’re not sure if this event falls under the festival category, there is no better time to try out an award-winning restaurant or revisit an old favorite than August, thanks to the annual COOLinary program. COOLinary was conceived as a promotion to lure diners to local restaurants in the slower summer months, during which restaurants all over the city offer discounted dining deals.

The deals follow the same format every year: a prix fixe three-course dinner and brunch menus, and two- to three-course lunch menus that don’t exceed a certain price. Over a hundred restaurants typically participate.

Coming to New Orleans This Summer?

We’d love for you to stay with us! Take advantage of our specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous cuisine and enjoy everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

Also, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans. And, for easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

Happy summer!

Spring Festivals in New Orleans

New Orleans Food and Wine Experience. Photo by Tyler Kaufman

Every new season in New Orleans brings something special, and every spring we’re looking forward to festival fun. With the city’s festival season in full bloom, there’s something going on pretty much every week/end during spring’s official rein. Here is a rundown of the annual events happening in New Orleans between March and June.

March

Unwind with a cold beverage on any given Wednesday at the Square, a free concert music series held in the spring in Lafayette Park (located one block off of Poydras Street, between St. Charles Avenue and Camp Street) every Wednesday evening, in the heart of the Central Business District. From March through May, these outdoor concerts feature a variety of jazz, rock, swam pop, brass, Latin rhythms, and more. Bring a chair or a blanket, or dance by the stage, and dogs and kids are welcome.

No March in New Orleans is complete without mentioning the festivities surrounding St. Patrick’s Day. It often comes as a surprise to first-time visitors to New Orleans that this city has a deep Irish heritage, which traces back to its history as a Catholic port of call that was one of the main entry points for the USA. There’s an entire neighborhood in this town called the Irish Channel, plus a plethora of fantastic pubs.

The weekend closest to St. Patrick’s Day (or the actual day of, if it falls on the weekend) turns emerald green thanks to two parades and numerous block parties across the city. The massive Irish Channel Parade Uptown has float riders passing cabbages to the screaming crowds; and the Downtown Irish Club Parade rolls from the Bywater to the French Quarter, making several pit stops on its way to Bourbon Street.

The annual gathering of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes, called Super Sunday, is perhaps the most open means of accessing this unique element of New Orleans backstreet culture. If you are lucky, you might see the Indians out and about on St. Joseph’s Day, and the tribes will be out in larger numbers on Super Sunday, which, weather permitting, typically falls on the third Sunday of March.

You can catch the gathering and the procession either at the A.L. Davis Park, at the corner of Washington and LaSalle streets; or in Bayou St. John in Mid-City, at the intersection of Orleans and Moss streets, on the bayou’s banks and the Orleans Street bridge.

Next up is the New Orleans Book Festival, held at Tulane University and featuring readings, panel discussions, keynote speeches, and so on. Then, on the last weekend of March, the five-day Tennessee Williams Literary Festival celebrates this city’s love affair with the written word, as well as writers’ love affair with New Orleans.

The festival pays homage to the brilliant Tennessee Williams with conferences, a book fair, walking tours, and the “Stella” and “Stanley” contest, which involves folks screaming out the iconic scene from A Streetcar Named Desire to appreciative crowds on Jackson Square.

Held in conjunction with this fest, the city also hosts the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival which celebrates LGBTQ+ authors.

April

April opens with Hogs for the Cause at the UNO Lakefront Arena, an annual celebration of whole hog roasts and local music (with some national acts in the lineup as well). The event brings awareness to pediatric brain cancer.

Come Easter, the heavily Catholic city celebrates the end of Lent with three parades. The Historic French Quarter Easter Parade winds its way on Easter Sunday, before Easter Mass services begin, from Antoine’s Restaurant to St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square via classic convertible cars and mule-drawn carriages.

When the parade arrives at the cathedral at 11 a.m., Easter Mass begins. Following services, folks prim and pose in Jackson Square, showing off their best Easter duds, before heading back to Antoine’s to break their Lent fasts like nobody’s business.

This procession is followed by the French Quarter Easter Parade, paying homage to the Crescent City’s own grande-dame diva of singing, dancing, and general fabulousness, the late Chris Owens, along with a small army of attendants, rolling from Canal to Bourbon Street. The final parade of the day, also in the French Quarter, is the Gay Easter Parade, a long-standing tradition of the New Orleans LGBTQ+ community.

Next up are the two heavy hitters on the city’s event calendar, the French Quarter Fest and Jazz Fest. The French Quarter Fest is the largest free musical event in the New Orleans calendar, and according to organizers, the largest free music festival in the USA. The setting is, as you may have guessed from the name, the French Quarter itself. The festival goes off in mid-April, which tends to come with gorgeous weather, and the lineup of musicians and food vendors is always fantastic.

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, commonly known as Jazz Fest, is the preeminent music festival of a city that is pretty well known for its music festivals. Held on the New Orleans Fair Grounds race course in Mid-City, the event takes place on the last weekend of April and the first weekend of May, occupying the local weather sweet spot that links spring to summer. A dozen music stages and tents encompass genres and acts ranging from gospel to Cajun to rock and pop.

A major part of the appeal is the food tents, which feature a regular rotating sampling of some of the city’s finest cuisine. Even more than Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest has a crop of devoted repeat attendees; a sizable amount of visitors rent out homes on an annual basis for the Fest, which has become something of a pilgrimage for a certain set of music aficionados. On the weekdays that link Jazz Fest’s official dates, random gigs constantly pop off around town.

The Whitney Zoo-To-Do evening fundraiser at the Audubon Zoo rounds up the event-heavy April.

May

One of the most anticipated spring events in the massive lineup of the festival season in New Orleans, the Freret Street Festival stands out as the biggest neighborhood festival in the city. This free festival is usually held on the last Saturday in March on the stretch of Freret Street from Napoleon to Valmont. Expect dozens of vendors, a food court, and several music stages. Zeus Place, located on Freret Street, had been a constant presence at the fest, offering pet adoptions.

The spring roster of festivities continues into May with the popular Bayou St. John three-day extravaganza on the bayou’s banks in Mid-City, Bayou Boogaloo; and the Greek Fest in Lakeview, complete with a toga contest and Greek staples like souvlaki and spanakopita.

The Boogaloo has a smaller, more local feel than, say, the French Quarter Fest, and usually draws out an impressive flotilla of all kinds of vessels, from the expertly constructed, massive rafts to kayaks to giant inflatables, that park and party on the bayou for the duration of the festival (permit is required these days, and no pets are allowed).

June

Despite the soaring temps the month of June is still going strong with festivals, including New Orleans Pride (there’s a parade, of course) and the French Market Creole Tomato Festival.

Traditionally held on the second weekend of June, the French Market Creole Tomato Festival welcomes the arrival of Creole tomatoes that Louisiana loves to incorporate into many local recipes. The French Market location and the food offerings make this a popular festival among locals and visitors alike.

The festival features live music, kids’ activities, a parade, and a second line. There are cooking demos in addition to an extensive menu of Creole tomatoes incorporated into gelato, crepes, crawfish pies — you name it.

The festival usually features a Bloody Mary market in Dutch Alley and a tomato-eating contest. There will be local restaurants and bars offering the Marys, the Marias, and other variations of the signature cocktail, competing for “Best of the Fest” awards in such categories as Most Creative Bloody Mary and Best Bloody Mary Garnish.

The annual New Orleans Wine & Food Experience (NOWFE) provides local and visiting epicureans and hobbyists an extended weekend of libations and culinary indulgence in a style that is uniquely New Orleans. NOWFE is designed to encourage participation in the full gamut of food and wine-centered experiences. The event offerings include package rates, activities, and dinners with something at nearly every price point with attire ranging from costumed to cocktail depending on the event and venue.

There you have it! Happy spring!

Visiting New Orleans this spring? Take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee. Reserve your room today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things to Do in New Orleans in March

With March upon us, expect a good slate of early spring activities in the Crescent City. Also, the weather is warmer — hopefully just pleasantly warmer — the kind of spring sunshine that equals t-shirts and jeans, if not shorts.

Mainly, we consider this time of year an awesome window when the Carnival wraps up (or, depending on the year, is over) and the festival season is yet to begin. This is that rare time when the city settles for a very slight breather between its biggest parties and festivals, although it still means there’s a ton of stuff to do. Here are the highlights.

Mardi Gras

Start date: January 6. End date: Changes annually.

First up is one of the best parties in the world! The Carnival season, which kicks off on January 6 (Twelfth Night/Epiphany), will culminate as usual on Mardi Gras Day (this year it falls on March 4, 2025, but some years it happens in February). By the time March rolls around, there have already been dozens of parades in New Orleans, but the weekend leading up to Fat Tuesday is especially packed.

Check out the parade schedule that will roll every season up to (and including) Fat Tuesday in the city of New Orleans. There are typically three to five parades daily/nightly, and not just in the French Quarter and Uptown but in other parts of the New Orleans metro area. Among the most popular parades are the super-krewes of Endymion, rolling in Mid-City on Saturday before Fat Tuesday, and Bacchus, happening Uptown on Sunday.

There are walking parades, balls, block parties, and much more. Don’t miss the annual Greasing of the Poles at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Friday and the Lundi Gras Festival at the Woldenberg Park on Monday. This is the greatest six days of the year to be in New Orleans, hands down, and if you happen to be here — well, all we can say is lucky you, and soak it in.

Wednesday at the Square

Wednesdays, March 19 and 26, 2025

Unwind with a cold beverage on any given Wednesday at the Square, a free concert music series held in the spring in Lafayette Park (located one block off of Poydras Street, between St. Charles Avenue and Camp Street in the heart of the Central Business District) every Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m.

From March through May, these outdoor concerts feature a variety of jazz, rock, swam pop, brass, Latin rhythms, and more. Bring a chair or a blanket, or head to the front of the stage to partake in some dancing. You can bring your dog, and there are vendor booths surrounding the park where you can buy food and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (no outside food or beverages, please).

Danny Barker Banjo & Guitar Festival

Wednesday-Sunday, March 19-23, 2025

The Danny Barker Banjo & Guitar Festival pays homage to New Orleanian musician, writer, instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and lyricist Danny Barker. The five-day festival features a mixture of programming including live music performances, panel discussions and workshops, special events and outings, second lines, and more. It will be held at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week

Monday-Saturday, March 24-29, 2025

The New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) kicks off six days of speeches, speaker sessions and networking events on March 24, 2025. New this year, Loyola University’s College of Business will co-produce this annual event with The Idea Village. Idea Village’s annual IDEApitch competition, which showcases growth-stage companies competing for an investment prize, is also back this year. NOEW is now in its 14th year and has attracted 5,400 attendees in 2024. For this year’s keynote speakers and more info, check out the event’s website.

The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane

Thursday-Saturday, March 27-29, 2025

The New Orleans Book Festival features both fiction and non-fiction and readings, panel discussions, symposia, and keynote speeches. It also provides an opportunity for outlets, authors and readers to interact with each other. Saturday is Family Day, so bring your kids to the Tulane campus for some fun.

Last year’s notable authors and speakers on the impressive roster included Andy Borowitz, Richard Campanella, Maureen Dowd, and many more — so expect A-list greatness this year as well.

St. Patrick’s Day

Monday, March 17, 2025

It often comes as a surprise to first-time visitors to New Orleans that this city has a deep Irish heritage, which traces back to its history as a Catholic port of call that was one of the main entry points for the USA. There’s an entire neighborhood in this town called the Irish Channel, plus a plethora of fantastic pubs that eschew cheesy emerald-green Irish stereotypes for rough-hewn hospitality (Finn McCool’s and Erin Rose come to mind, plus a selection of our favorite Irish pubs in the French Quarter).

As such, there are plenty of Irish in this town, and thus, the weekend closest to St. Patrick’s Day is an important one for the city of New Orleans. Numerous parades kick off, including the massive Irish Channel parade (on Saturday, March 15, 2025), where float riders pass cabbages to the screaming crowds.

The Downtown Irish Club Parade rolls on Sunday, March 16, 2025, from the Bywater to the French Quarter, making several pit stops on its way to Bourbon Street.

How much you enjoy all of the above is linked to your tolerance for public drinking and green beer. St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans is not quite as kid-friendly as the Carnival — you’ll still see families, but these parades are more aimed at adults.

Super Sunday

Sunday, March 16, 2025

The annual gathering of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes is perhaps the most open means of accessing this unique element of New Orleans backstreet culture. The tribes will be out in large numbers on Super Sunday, which usually falls on the third Sunday of March.

While the Mardi Gras Indians have their set routes and parade areas, no one event packs the tribes into one public space like Super Sunday. In this case, said public spaces are A.L. Davis Park, at the corner of Washington and LaSalle streets; and Bayou St. John in Mid-City, at the intersection of Orleans and Moss streets, on the bayou’s banks and the Orleans Street bridge. The Indian procession usually leaves the gathering spot around 1 p.m.

We can’t stress this enough: Be respectful if you go. Take pictures at a distance, and don’t get in the way of marching Indians or their friends, family and attached bands. Super Sunday has been overrun with spectators in the past years, so please do your part to enjoy this amazing cultural event responsibly.

Some background: The Mardi Gras Indians are the most vibrant, visible and conversely mysterious expressions of African-American New Orleans culture. To distill them into an extremely simplistic sentence: Mardi Gras Indians are African-American New Orleanians who dress up (or in local lingo, ”mask”) as stylized Native Americans.

They take to the streets in fantastic costumes made of beads, feathers, and sequins that cost thousands of dollars, weigh hundreds of pounds, and require hundreds of days of painstaking labor; no element of costume creation is automated.

On Mardi Gras Day, Super Sunday, St. Joseph’s Day, and a select few other special occasions, the “chiefs” and their tribes parade through the city, chanting, shouting and challenging each other to determine who is “the prettiest.”

There’s a ton more background on this fascinating subject at the Backstreet Cultural Museum in the historic Tremé neighborhood.

Tennessee Williams Literary Festival

Wednesday-Sunday, March 20-24, 2024

Writers have always been drawn to New Orleans. Few cities in America (or the world, really), can match this town for its atmosphere, sense of place, or penchant for fun and pathos (all good elements of a writing life).

The Tennessee Williams Literary Festival celebrates this city’s love affair with the written word, as well as writers’ love affair with New Orleans. Notable authors will be in attendance, hosting seminars, workshops, and lectures.

Plus, this being the Tennessee Williams Festival, there is, of course, a “Stella” shouting contest, which involves folks screaming out the iconic scene from A Streetcar Named Desire to appreciative crowds on Jackson Square. The program will also include a scholar conference, walking tours, masterclasses, theater, and more.

Note that on Friday-Sunday, March 28-30, 2025, the city will also host the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival, an alternative literary event that celebrates LGBTQ+ authors. The three-day festival will include panel discussions and a fair amount of networking opportunities between authors, editors, and publishers.

Congo Square Rhythms Festival

Saturday-Sunday, 2025 dates TBA

The musical heritage of New Orleans follows a line that can be traced all the way back to Africa, where the black diaspora begins. The music of that continent evolved here and in the Caribbean, influenced by Europe and indigenous music, into the forms and traditions that are the core of today’s New Orleans sound.

This vital legacy is celebrated in Armstrong Park, on the grounds of Congo Square, where local slaves were once permitted to practice the musical traditions of Africa and the Caribbean. Congo Square Rhythms Festival is a celebration of global and local music, and offers both amazing food and a fantastic lineup of music.

Presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the festival features Mardi Gras Indians, African dance, brass bands, soul-funk, as well as indigenous music. The large art market and a Soul Food Court complete the experience.

Don’t miss one of the fest’s highlights, the Mardi Gras Indian “battle” — when the tribes gather in the center of the square, plus the festival’s largest to date assemblage of New Orleans-based African dance troupes (they typically perform on Sunday).

Are you visiting New Orleans this spring?

Take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

And when you do, consider booking a guided tour of the famous St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 to experience the hauntingly beautiful past of New Orleans.

For easy, informative sightseeing, we recommend the City Sightseeing New Orleans city tour on the open-top, double-decker bus. It runs every 30 minutes through the Garden District, French Quarter, and CBD. You can hop on and off anytime!

Happy Spring!

Where to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in New Orleans

Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash

Mardi Gras may be but a bead-sodden memory of a few days past, but are we stopping with the parades? Of course not. We never stop parading! (At least, sometimes it feels that way.)

As St. Patrick’s Day (Monday, March 17, 2025) presents us with a slew of activities over the weekend, here are some of the best. And remember, there’s also going to be an always-impressive act — the annual gathering of the Mardi Gras Indian tribes on Super Sunday on March 16, 2025, by A.L. Davis Park (Washington and LaSalle streets).

The Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Day Parade

This is THE New Orleans Paddy’s Day parade. On Saturday, March 15, 2025, the parade will start at 1 p.m. on the corner of Napoleon Ave. and Tchoupitoulas St. Float riders typically toss all things green, including the edible kind (cabbage), and try to bestow kisses upon the spectators.

Block parties

On the same Saturday, there are two big parties kicking off mere blocks from each other at the border of the Lower Garden District and the Irish Channel. One blowout goes off at Tracey’s at 3226 Magazine St. (11 a.m. till), and the other at Parasol’s at Third and Constance streets (10 a.m. – 8 p.m.). Expect much green beer, green tutus, and green jello shots — you get the idea.

The annual Irish Channel block party is typically held on Friday of the St. Patrick’s Day weekend (2025 date TBA) starting at 1 p.m. This block party is located at Annunciation Square on the 1500 block of Chippewa. There will be Irish music, food, drinks, and dancers.

Downtown Irish Club Annual Grand Marshall Party Bus

Monday, March 17, 2025, 1:30 – 4 p.m.

The club typically meets in a bar downtown (the 2025 route TBA) and heads out on a party bus for a “mobile bar crawl.” There are about five scheduled pub stops before the bus returns the revelers to the gathering spot. This year, the event is held on St. Patrick’s Day, from 1:30 to 4 p.m.

You don’t have to be a club member to ride, though you are asked to wear “traditional Irish colors, your parade tuxedo, or kilt for this ride.” The cost to march includes free Guinness at each stop and on the bus. You can reserve your seat on the club’s website.

Downtown Irish Club St. Patrick’s Day Parade

If you prefer staying downriver on Paddy’s Day, the Downtown Irish Club Parade rolls from Piety and Burgundy in the Bywater into the French Quarter at 7 p.m. on St. Patrick’s Day, Monday, March 17, 2025.

Finn McCool’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day Party

Or head to Mid-City for Finn McCool’s always awesome St. Patrick’s Day block party. The fun starts at 10 a.m. and lasts into the night, with the Wee Parade, live music, and crawfish. There’s also Irish karaoke till about 1 a.m., which will either be terrible or grand and likely a bit of both. Trust us, it’s just as debauched as the other celebrations around town.

Germans Go Irish

Deutsches Haus (1700 Moss St.) in the Bayou St. John area of Mid-City is throwing a party on Sunday, March 16, 2025, 11 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., to celebrate Ireland’s Patron Saint as they do in the small villages in the Old Country: with a Céilí (a gathering). Expect traditional Irish food like cabbage, soda bread, and Guinness beef stew served over colcannon (Irish mashed potatoes), plus Celtic musicians, Irish dancers, bagpipers, and other family-friendly activities. The event is free except for the concert which typically starts at 5:30 p.m. (You can get tickets online on the venue’s website or at the door).

Italian-American St. Joseph’s Parade in the French Quarter

Yet another option, the St. Joseph’s Society celebrates St. Joseph with a parade through the French Quarter on Saturday, March 22, 2025. The parade kicks off at 6 p.m. at the intersection of Convention Center Blvd. and Girod Street. It includes 16 floats, nine marching bands, and a whole lot of guys dressed in tuxedos.

Finally, there are parades in Metairie, Gretna, and St. Bernard Parish (the Irish Italian Islenos Parade). For a full list, please visit the New Orleans St. Patrick’s Day website.

If you’re visiting New Orleans this spring, take advantage of the French Market Inn specials, group rates, and best-rate guarantee for greater savings to spend on New Orleans famous French Quarter cuisine and enjoying everything this magnificent city has to offer. Reserve your room today!

 

 

 

The Rules of Mardi Gras

We are approaching peak Carnival time! There’s a whole slate of parades to watch in the days leading up to Fat Tuesday, and things to keep in mind while gearing up for the revelry.

Here we list both informal guidelines as well as a few actual rules — i.e. ordinances related to Mardi Gras. The laws are meant to keep everyone safe and give everyone a fair chance of catching some good throws. Knowing them will also help you avoid getting arrested or fined, having to move your setup during the parade, and being (rightfully) judged by fellow revelers.

Personal Effects Must Be 6 Feet From the Curb

It’s totally OK to bring a backpack or cooler to a parade, but remember to store them a little off the curb. Those first few feet of grass or sidewalk are meant for everyone trying to enjoy the parade and catch beads. Also, occasionally, the parade floats have been known to jump the curb; your personal effects could be damaged in the event this happened. This rule also applies to ladders.

No “Saving” Spots

Some parade-goers stake out “their spot” along the parade route with chairs, trash cans, sofas, rope, yellow tape, spray paint — whatever comes in handy (have you heard of Krewe of Chad?). Not only this is very uncool and frowned upon but there’s an actual ban on roping off territory if you are in the public right of way.

The curb and the neutral ground are fair game to all who attend the parades. If you want to have a good spot, you’ll have to come early and wait in the spot to keep it. Seasoned revelers usually show up at least two hours before the parade rolls (and much earlier for the most popular parades like the Muses, Endymion and Bacchus).

Don’t Move Other People’s Stuff

Please do not move unoccupied chairs and ladders, as well as unattended coolers and personal belongings along the parade route to carve your own spot. We can guarantee that someone is watching this space and will be right back. Plus, families tend to use the same spots year after year. And they might also have little kids or seniors, or disabled persons in their group and need the space to accommodate everyone comfortably.

Don’t Interfere With the Parade

Running along with the moving float for a short while, begging for a Muses shoe or a Zulu coconut, is socially acceptable, but don’t run into the street between the floats to pick up a covetable throw. Floats are massive and can’t just stop quickly. You can get seriously hurt.

Also, getting in a band’s way, hanging on a float, joining the parade by marching along, acting aggressively toward anyone in the parade, or jumping over the barricade are all surefire ways to get yourself arrested.

No Nudity

You’ve probably seen or heard about the way some people come by beads. Police officers might be somewhat lenient about that sort of behavior on Bourbon Street, but it isn’t tolerated along the parade routes. Keep all your clothes on!

Contrary to popular belief outside of New Orleans, Carnival is overwhelmingly a family-friendly holiday. Many New Orleanians take their kids to parades, and a good rule to apply here is, if you wouldn’t do something in front of kids in your hometown, you shouldn’t do it here (exceptions to this rule include screaming, dancing and waving your arms to score beads).

Plus, in this day and age, you will probably end up on the internet, and not in a good way. We can’t stress this enough: Do NOT flash for beads.

No Glass Containers

As the night (or day) progresses, trash from the parades tends to pile up on the streets and curbs around the route. Glass bottles and even cans are potentially dangerous when discarded on the ground, although the official ban only applies to glass. You can always pour your drink into a plastic cup, or order one to go from one of the many bars you will find along the parade route.

Plan Wisely for Transportation and Parking

During Mardi Gras, and during the parades especially, parking violations are vigorously enforced. Parking on Napoleon and St. Charles is prohibited on both sides of the neutral ground, not just the parade side, starting two hours before the parade. This rule is strictly enforced, and you will be towed. Also, do not double-park or park in driveways, in front of water hydrants, within 15 feet of curb corners, or too far from the curb.

The French Quarter is closed to vehicular traffic during Mardi Gras weekend (the weekend leading up to Fat Tuesday, which falls on February 21, 2023) except for residents and hotel guests with special parking passes. You won’t get past the police barricades.

Please also remember that parking lots fill up fast during parades and tend to charge more than usual. Bus and streetcar routes and schedules also often change during Carnival season. And cabs might be delayed due to the demand and traffic congestion, so plan ahead or consider walking or biking, if it’s feasible.

Respect the Authority

The local police are consummate pros at handling all kinds of behavior during the Carnival and had seen it all. They are also amazing at controlling the crowds and tolerating all that goes on as long as it doesn’t involve breaking the law.

So, as you enjoy the festivities please do remember that the rules like no glass, no public urination, and the drinking age will be enforced. You will get arrested if you act obnoxiously, threaten anyone, act overly intoxicated, or break the law in any other way. The police presence is very robust at the parades, and in the French Quarter during the Mardi Gras weekend.

Finally, if you’re out and about enjoying the parades and the parties on Mardi Gras Day, don’t be surprised when midnight strikes and you’re asked to clear off the street. Mardi Gras is officially over and the street cleanup begins, though you are of course free to continue partying indoors.

“Ain’t No Place…”

One of the most famous Mardi Gras songs is the Benny Grunch classic, “Ain’t No Place to Pee on Mardi Gras Day.” As the saying goes, it’s funny because it’s true — or at least it can feel that way. There are some public restrooms along the parade routes — the most prominent ones are around Lafayette Square near St. Charles Ave. and Poydras St. You might think that you can sneak into a hotel or a restaurant, but those places usually strictly reserve their restrooms for guests or paying customers.

If you don’t want to wait in long lines, some restaurants, bars, churches, or other businesses offer single-use or day-long bathroom passes. Doing your business in public is a definite no-no, as you will get in trouble if the police catch you (also, it’s gross). And, this is an official rule: There can be no private portable toilets on neutral ground or other public property.

Parade Etiquette

The cops won’t come for you if you break these unofficial “rules,” but if you want to keep the peace with fellow parade-goers, it’s a good idea to maintain good Mardi Gras etiquette.

Bead Rule No. 1

This is one of the unspoken “rules” — don’t pick up beads that have fallen on the street or ground. There are a couple of safety issues involved with this rule. Picking up a bead or throw from the street puts you in direct line with the tires of the tractors or the floats. Also, the streets of New Orleans during Mardi Gras can get… Well, let’s just say “unsanitary.” Do yourself a favor and wait until you catch something in the air. There’s plenty to go around.

Bead Rule No. 2

For the “good throws” — most often signature beads, but also stuffed animals, sparkly Muses shoes, anything that lights up from Bacchus, etc. — you should never get in the way of someone else’s catch. If the rider wants to throw you something from the float, they’ll make eye contact with you, usually make an exaggerated “I’m looking at you” sign, and throw in your direction. The good part is, if someone else catches a throw destined for you, unless they’re clueless, they will respectfully give it up and hand it to you.

The Optional Bead Rule

This one is more good-natured than the first two bead rules. As the parade progresses, you should wear all of the beads that you catch. You’ll look silly at the end of the night, but it will also be a mark of pride. The people with the most beads must’ve worked really hard to get all of them, right?

The Family Rule

As we keep saying, Mardi Gras is a family event. Many people make it a day with their whole family, kids included. There are some places that are unofficially yet almost exclusively “Family Zones,” usually located near the beginning of parade routes and in residential zones, but children are welcome everywhere. So, try your best to remain on something like good behavior — there might be kids nearby. Also, never reach over a kid to catch a throw — that’s just mean.

And, the Number 1 Rule of Mardi Gras, above any official and unofficial rules, is to have fun! Costumes are encouraged throughout the season of Mardi Gras. Put on your fanciest wig and glitteriest outfit, and go out there!

Book a stay at our historic French Quarter boutique hotel, right in the epicenter of all of the action!