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 fell on February 2024, but some years it happens in March). 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

Every Wednesday, March 6 – May 8, 2024

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. This year’s lineup features Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Brass-A-Holics, Lost Bayou Ramblers, 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 6-10, 2024

The Danny Barker Banjo + Guitar Festival pays homage to New Orleanian musician, writer, instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and lyricist Danny Barker. The three-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. Tickets are $15-$75.

New Orleans Entrepreneur Week

Monday-Saturday, March 11-16, 2024

New this year, the New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) is partnering with the New Orleans Book Festival to produce back-to-back events. The events are not merging, but they have scheduled their conference dates to line up during the same week in March, with one crossover day of shared programming on Thursday, March 14.

NOEW kicks off three days of speeches, speaker sessions and networking events on March 11. On March 14, the entrepreneurial portion will culminate in Idea Village’s annual IDEApitch competition, which showcases growth-stage companies competing for an investment prize. NOEW is now in its 13th year and attracted roughly 2,700 people to its four-day event last March, which included a weekend musical festival (not happening this year). 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 14-16, 2024

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. And, as was noted above, this year marks the first partnership with NOEW with one day of crossover events.

St. Patrick’s Day

Sunday, March 17, 2024

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 16, 2024), where float riders pass cabbages to the screaming crowds.

The Downtown Irish Club Parade rolls on Sunday, March 17, 2024, 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 17, 2024

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, but this year coincides with St. Patrick’s Day.

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 22-24, 2024, 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, March 23-24, 2024

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. The festival kickoff concert on Friday, March 22, features Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles.

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 of Honduras, and highlife from West Africa. 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).

Crescent City Classic

Saturday, March 30, 2024

The annual Crescent City Classic is a fun local tradition. Held on the Saturday before Easter and open to both amateur and pro runners, the event is the city’s signature 10k race. (Expect some runners dressed in Easter-themed costumes.) The race starts at 8 a.m. on Champions Square and then proceeds down Esplanade Avenue to the New Orleans City Park. After the race (8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.) there’s a festival at the park’s Festival Grounds, with local music and food. You can register for the race and buy festival tickets on the event’s website.

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!

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Lineup & What’s New

It’s almost that time of year again — time to sip the iced tea, snack on crawfish Monica, and sway to the music of local and international musicians under the hot New Orleans sun. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, or Jazz Fest, is one of the most celebrated festivals in New Orleans and takes place every year during the last weekend of April and the first weekend in May. Jazz Fest has been around since 1970 and gets bigger and better every year.

During these two weekends, locals and out-of-towners get together to enjoy the culture of New Orleans with the various food, crafts, and performances that Jazz Fest has to offer. Contrary to the name, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is more than just jazz music.

Various musical genres like hip-hop, zydeco, blues, tribal, and electronic music can all be heard live from Jazz Fest’s multiple stages. This year the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will take place at its usual spot on the Fair Grounds Race Course starting on Friday, April 28, and ending on Sunday, May 7, 2023.

Some of the top headliners for the festival include Lizzo, Ed Sheeran, Mumford & Sons, Dead & Company, The Lumineers, Jon Batiste, H.E.R., and more. The music schedule is broken down by day in cubes with times for all the acts, which you can view here.

Of course, one of the best parts of Jazz Fest is the food. Some staples for food include Crawfish Monica, mango freezes, Ya-Ka-Mein, snoballs, poboys, and much more.

What’s new in 2023

Jazz Fest is going cashless this year! Ticket, food, beverage, craft, and merchandise booths will no longer accept cash payments. If you come to the event with only cash, the Festival will offer cash exchange booths near key vending locations so you can get a prepaid card for your cash.

Another change is that one of the longest-running Jazz Fest food vendors won’t be there, and neither will his famous and beloved crawfish bread. John Ed Laborde, who created this bread, has been selling it at the fest since 1987.

To view the complete 2023 Jazz Fest music and food lineup and purchase tickets visit the event’s website.

If you’re planning a stay in New Orleans, be sure to check out our resource for French Quarter Hotels.

Best Live Music Venues Near French Market Inn

Image courtesy of Preservation Hall on Facebook

New Orleans is a music city, and if you’re staying in the French Quarter you are in luck as you can walk to many venues that dish out excellent, world-class live music nightly, often for a low cover. Sometimes it’s even free — all you need to do is walk around and catch a band on a street corner.

Also, there’s no better place for live music than the Marigny Triangle. Situated between Esplanade Avenue and Elysian Fields, this wedge-shaped neighborhood is bisected by Frenchmen Street, a pedestrian-friendly strip of music clubs, bars, restaurants, and an art market, some of which don’t get going until after 10 p.m. The vibe is a giant block party, and you can easily walk there from the hotel.

So, here’s just a sliver of where to check out the city’s robust live music culture near the French Market Inn.

In the French Quarter

21st Amendment Bar at La Louisiane

725 Iberville Street

Prohibition-era 21st Amendment Bar is located just a half-block off Bourbon Street. The bar takes its name from the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which repealed the 18th Amendment creating Prohibition (the ban on alcohol production and sales) in 1920. The space was originally a hotel and restaurant called La Louisiane when it was established in 1933; the same year, Prohibition ended. Black-and-white images of mobsters adorn the walls, and inventive craft cocktails abound.

Fritzel’s European Jazz Club

733 Bourbon Street

Fritzel’s is a great spot for live jazz, and it regularly dishes out plenty of old-school Dixieland. It’s calm and laid back in almost inverse proportion to much of the rest of Bourbon Street — a perfect stop if you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the crowds, or if you just want to listen to some good music.

New Orleans Street Music

Royal Street, Jackson Square, Bourbon Street)

You don’t have to buy a cocktail or pay a cover to hear great jazz. Playing on the street is a New Orleans tradition, and many successful music careers have started that way. You might catch a band on the corners throughout the Quarter nightly, especially on Bourbon and Royal, plus on Jackson Square. Frenchmen Street in the Marigny also hosts impromptu performances nightly. Drop a tip in a jar, and enjoy.

Preservation Hall

726 St. Peter Street

There’s no food or drink for sale or public restrooms at this no-frills, all-ages venue (you can bring your own drinks). What you will find, though, is a bastion of traditional New Orleans jazz that has branched out in recent years to embrace performances by artists ranging from Mos Def to Foo Fighters. Grab a go-cup and get ready to sweat it out — a concert at Pres Hall is truly a New Orleans bucket list item.

The Bombay Club

830 Conti Street

When former owner Richard Fiske took the wheel at Bombay Club in the early 2000s, jazz was scarce in the Quarter (except for Preservation Hall). Fiske aimed to make The Bombay Club a live jazz destination on par with nightclubs of the 1940s. He succeeded at his task, and although he has since passed on, his legacy continues in the nightly lineup of jazz luminaries. There’s no better place to savor music alongside new Louisiana cuisine and cocktails, all in a comfortably luxurious atmosphere.

On Frenchmen Street

The Maison

508 Frenchmen Street

A music club that triples as a restaurant and bar. It’s three-level, with multiple stages where you can find drag, burlesque, and live music of many genres. The menu is primarily New Orleans classics, a house burger, and sandwich platters.

Bamboula’s

514 Frenchmen Street

Here, you’ll find casual New Orleans fare like po-boys and jambalaya. The no-cover eclectic live music seven days a week is another draw.

Blue Nile

532 Frenchmen Street

One of the longest-standing clubs on Frenchmen Street is a must for live jazz and local brass. On any given night, you can catch a performance by the city’s top musicians like Kermit Ruffins and Big Sam’s Funky Nation. It’s also a great spot to see the Mardi Gras Indians do a show.

Three Muses

536 Frenchmen Street

Grab a seat at the bar or a tall bistro table, order Chef Daniel Esses’ tapas and one of the on-point house cocktails, and settle in for an intimate night of music. Curated by musician and Frenchmen Street fixture Sophie Lee, the nightly lineup includes Shotgun Jazz Band, Gal Holiday, Tom McDermott, and many others.

d.b.a.

618 Frenchmen Street

Since this live music venue opened its doors in 2000, d.b.a. has hosted hundreds of live acts. The bar features a broad selection of beer and spirits, and the music plays nightly. Tin Men and John Boutte perform there regularly.

Marigny Brasserie

640 Frenchmen Street

The casual, live music venue at the end of Frenchmen offers an elevated Cajun/Creole menu, hand-crafted cocktails, a good wine list, and local draft beer plus live big-band music.

Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro

626 Frenchmen Street

Snug Harbor is a sit-down ticketed music venue that is home to local and touring heavyweights of traditional and modern jazz (such as a weekly show by Ellis Marsalis). For over 30 years, Snug Harbor has provided the best in live jazz and great regional cuisine. Snug Harbor is located in three rooms of a renovated 1800s storefront a dining room, a bar, and a music room.

The Spotted Cat

623 Frenchmen Street

It’s raucous, it’s loud, it’s standing room only, and it’s one of the best places to throw down in New Orleans. This casual, petite Frenchmen Street venue doles out traditional jazz, modern jazz, blues, and funk. If things get too hot and crowded, just step outside with your drink for a breather — chances are, you’ll find a brass band playing on the street.

Remember, you can walk to all these venues from your hotel! 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!

 

 

“Throw Me Something, Monsta!”: Krewe of Boo

Image courtesy of Krewe of Boo on Facebook

Krewe of Boo kicks off the holiday and parade season on Saturday, October 21, 2023, with its annual Halloween parade. This lively affair has become the “official Halloween Parade” in New Orleans in 2007, and has been going strong since, only growing in popularity. Krewe of Boo is brought to you by Kern Studios and the late “Mr. Mardi Gras” himself.

With Krewe of Boo, expect the usual 3-D fiberglass and papier-mache extravaganza with all of your favorite spooky characters. This popular parade draws both locals and visitors but is not so crowded that you won’t be able to get close at any point on its route. The parade-goers had been known to don their favorite, family-friendly Halloween gear as well, and you’re encouraged to do the same.

Krewe of Boo is very child-friendly, we can’t stress that enough. Everyone is welcome to join the spooky festivities, which makes this parade one of the best and most family-friendly ways to celebrate Halloween in one of the most haunted cities in America. You’ll see werewolves, ghosts, vampires, and other Halloween-themed monsters, but all the monsters on the floats are PG-13 and not too scary even for the youngest parade-goers.

There are plenty of plush toy throws for the little ones too. In an ongoing effort to minimize waste, Krewe of Boo has been instead handing out eco-friendly cups and food items made by local companies that are sponsoring the event.

Look out for Aunt Sally’s pralinettes and Chee Wees from Elmer’s Fine Foods. The little coffee packs from PJ’s Coffee are also a mainstay. Also look out for other collectibles and consumables like candy, light-up medallion beads and doubloons.

Once again, the pre-parade fun starts early in the morning and lasts all day. First up is the New Orleans Zombie Run. This two-mile race starts at 9 a.m. and ends at noon, both at Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant (701 Tchoupitoulas St.) in the Warehouse District. Participants are encouraged to come dressed as zombies and monsters. Registration for the race begins at 7:30 a.m. You can also pre-register online.

The parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Decatur St. and Elysian Fields Ave. in the Marigny, rolling through the French Quarter. It will first go down Elysian Fields to N. Peters St., then to Decatur, passing by Jackson Square. Then the parade will go down Canal, up to Burgundy St., making a U-turn and eventually reaching Tchoupitoulas St.

You can watch the parade at the official viewing party on the balcony of Crescent City Brewhouse (527 Decatur St.) in the French Quarter, but you might want to get your tickets soon as they will most likely sell out (tickets include an open bar and balcony access).

The parade ends at Generations Hall (311 Andrew Higgins Dr.) in the Warehouse District for the Monster Mash party. This ticketed costume party starts at 8 p.m. (until).; ages 18 and up to enter. The Monster Mash features live music, a costume contest, drink specials, and a big dance party. You can buy tickets online or at the door.

The day before the parade, on Friday, October 20, 2023, there’s a slew of scheduled events to kick off the fun, including a luncheon, a second line to Pat O’Brien’s (718 St. Peter St.) in the French Quarter, and a happy hour there.

For more information and updates please visit the Krewe of Boo websiteFacebook page, or find them on Twitter and Instagram.

Need somewhere to stay while you enjoy all the fall fun New Orleans has to offer, including the always-fabulous Halloween celebrations? Book a stay at a historic French Quarter boutique hotel today!

Fall in New Orleans Highlights

Celebration in the Oaks in the New Orleans City Park

When the summer lull is over and the temps are milder, the city gets ready to ramp it up with Halloween and a calendar full of foodie-haven and music festivals. There’s a festival, sometimes two, going on every weekend! Here are the fall highlights of what’s happening in New Orleans.

The Labor Day weekend kicks into high gear with Southern Decadence, which celebrates LGBTQIA+ culture and attracts participants from all over the world.

September continues with the New Orleans Burlesque Festival, which brings together the best of local talent and some big international names who compete for the title of “Queen of Burlesque.” Adding to the year-round roster of music and food-centric festivals, Beignet Festival celebrates both sweet and savory renditions of the beloved pastry.

Do you like fried chicken? How about beer? The National Fried Chicken Festival at the Woldenberg Riverfront Park keeps getting bigger, drawing well-known fried chicken vendors coming from all over the region to represent different cooking styles of this classic Southern dish.

Don’t forget, New Orleans throws its own lavish version of Oktoberfest over the three weekends in October at Deutsches Haus in Mid-City. October continues with Tremé Fall Festival brings entertainment from New Orleans musical royalty and food trucks and vendors from some of New Orleans’ best eateries in one the nation’s first African American neighborhoods during the first weekend of October, and the Mac n’ Cheese Fest at the Louis Armstrong Park needs no introduction.

October fun continues with the massive New Orleans Film Festival and the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival. Halloween kicks into high gear with the kid-friendly Krewe of Boo, courtesy of Kern Studios.

November gives us the popular Oak Street Po-Boy Festival. Don’t miss Thanksgiving at the Fair Grounds Race Course! Per a long-standing New Orleans tradition, it’s customary to turn out at the track on Thanksgiving Day to watch the opening-day races while sporting fabulous hats. The racetrack also serves a sumptuous holiday buffet, plus a fancy dinner with all the holiday trimmings at the Clubhouse.

Every Thanksgiving weekend, the Bayou Classic draws the fans and alumni of Southern University and Grambling State University to New Orleans to partake in one of the country’s greatest college sports rivalries. This involves a fan fest, a parade, and the always-amazing Battle of the Bands before the big game at the Superdome.

Finally, November kicks off the beloved New Orleans tradition of Celebration in the Oaks, a dazzling holiday lights festival scattered throughout the 25 acres of the City Park, including the Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park. This is how you know the winter holidays are upon us!

New Orleans offers tons of fun festivals and events for people of all ages and interests, appealing to both locals and tourists alike. If you are visiting the Big Easy in the fall, be sure to book your stay at The French Market Inn, a charming historic hotel in the New Orleans French Quarter located close to all of the festivals and excitement.

Kick Off Your Summer With the ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans

Photo by Danny Howe on Unsplash

Looking for something fun to do in New Orleans coming up this July? Look no further. ESSENCE Festival will be taking place in New Orleans over the Independence Day weekend (June 29 – July 3, 2023). This unique New Orleans festival hosts multiple famous musical guests, renowned speakers, unforgettable food, fashion, beauty, culture, and much more. Music lovers from all over simply can’t go wrong with all the incredible names in this year’s lineup.

Over the five days, the event will be held mostly at the two New Orleans venues: Caesars Superdome for the evening performances and the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for the daytime activities.

Soak in the Music at ESSENCE Festival in New Orleans

Essence Festival is a music lover’s dream, and while this year’s lineup is still TBA, the past years’ lineups should tell you this much: The 2023 music schedule will be amazing as usual. In the past, ESSENCE featured performances by such renowned musical artists as Brandy, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Nas, Big Freedia, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, and many more.

The traditional Sunday Gospel Celebration at the Convention center will feature the greatest gospel hits, and admission is free. ESSENCE After Dark is a series of late-night jam sessions, comedy shows, underground performances, live podcast recordings, and more.

Other events

The festival has a lot more than just music. One of the highlights is a series of keynote events (Michelle Obama, Rev. Al Sharpton and Pharrell Williams were the speakers in the past), plus a slew of exciting conferences, exhibitions, roundtables, and other experiences.

The Beauty Carnival and Wellness House experiences will bring beauty influencers and wellness experts to the stage, and the celebrated ESSENCE Eats will once again have cooking demos and a food court with vendors from all over the South offering a wide range of classic New Orleans food, world cuisine, vegan and vegetarian fare, desserts, and beyond.

How to Get Your Tickets

You can get your tickets a la carte (for the evening concerts at the Superdome and for the ESSENCE After Dark) or in the bundled day and VIP packages, online. The headliners sell out fast, so don’t wait till the last minute! All the events held at the Convention Center during the day are free and open to all (registration is required).

Stay Close to the ESSENCE Festival

If you are attending ESSENCE, book your stay at a beautiful New Orleans hotel close to the sounds of the city, the French Market Inn! This historic hotel is located in the heart of the New Orleans French Quarter, close to a multitude of popular New Orleans bars, restaurants and landmarks, including the Superdome and the Convention Center.

This quaint hotel also gives you old New Orleans charm, without sacrificing any of the modern-day amenities that you want when staying at a hotel. When you stay at the French Market Inn, you can walk through meandering gardens and a beautiful stone-paved courtyard that allows you to enjoy a little oasis away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

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 14-16, 2023, at location TBA (in the past, the event had started at The Sugar Mill).

The Encierro

The festival stretches over the weekend, but the run itself takes place on Saturday, July 15. 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, (2023 location TBA, the event starts at 11 a.m.) or join the other revelers who stick around to make a day of it bar-crawling downtown.

On Friday, July 14, the festival opens with El Txupinazo (pronounced “el choo-pin-AHT-so”), hosted by the charity that benefits from this festival, Beth’s Friends Forever. Again, the location is TBA but expect an auction, live music, and food from some of the top restaurants in New Orleans.

Recover the next day after the race at Sunday’s annual event, El Pobre de Mi (“Poor Me”), an Ernest Hemingway-themed party (location TBA), 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., with burlesque, cocktails, and a Papa Hemingway look-a-like contest. This is a non-ticketed event, and there’s no cover.

All events happening on Friday and Saturday are ticketed. Proceeds go to Beth’s Friends Forever, a charity named after Nola Bulls cofounder Beth Hanning, which raises money for financially needy women fighting cancer in the Greater New Orleans area.

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!

If you are visiting the Big Easy this summer, be sure to book your stay at The French Market Inn, a charming historic hotel in the New Orleans French Quarter located close to all of the festivals and excitement.

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.

Satchmo SummerFest

What: A jazz-centric music festival/tribute to Louis Armstrong

When: Saturday-Sunday, August 5-6, 2023

Where: New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Ave.

Admission: $7 wristband for daily admission for adults, available at the gate; free for children under 12

More information: http://fqfi.org/satchmo

The two-day Satchmo SummerFest, named so after one of Louis Armstrong’s nicknames, started as a tribute in 2001, on Armstrong’s 100th birthday. It has been traditionally held on the first week of August and marked by strong attendance.

Produced by the nonprofit French Quarter Festivals, Inc., and sponsored by Chevron, Satchmo SummerFest has music on its outdoor, tented stages on the U.S. Mint’s grounds, plus dance lessons and demos on the dance floor located on the Mint’s second floor.

Other events will include a Sunday morning Jazz Mass at the historic St. Augustine Church in Treme, seminars and film screenings, kid’s activities, and a second-line parade. For schedule and updates please check the event’s website.

Fidelity Bank Whitney White Linen Night

What: A block-party style art event, an open house for galleries

When: Saturday, August 5, 2023, 5-10 p.m.

Where: 300-600 blocks of Julia Street, Warehouse District

Admission: Free

More information: http://www.artsdistrictneworleans.com/events/fidelity-bank-white-linen-night

This popular art event is held on the first Saturday in August in the Warehouse District, centering around the galleries on Julia Street. The 300-500 blocks of Julia Street are closed off for a block party, with several stages for live music and dozens of food and drink stands. About 20 galleries on and around Julia St. will be open to the public.

Started in 1994 in an attempt to attract visitors to that revived area (now known as Arts District New Orleans), White Linen Night has been growing steadily, attracting more visitors and vendors every year. Help the White Linen Night live up to its name by wearing white, though this is decidedly optional, as there’s no dress code.

Red Dress Run

What: An annual fundraiser race for local charities

When: Saturday, August 12, 2023, 9 a.m.

Where: Starts at Crescent Park, 1008 N. Peters St.

Admission: $65

More information: http://nolareddress.com/

Red Dress Run isn’t exclusive to New Orleans, but local participants take it up a notch by costuming on top of wearing their best and/or most outlandish red dress, regardless of gender. This is an annual fundraiser run for local charities organized by hashing groups (adults-only, non-competitive social running clubs) all over the world. They call themselves “drinking clubs with a running problem” and the local group, New Orleans Hash House Harriers (NOH3), is no exception.

All proceeds from the run will go directly to local charities, according to NOH3. The New Orleans Red Dress Run is traditionally held on the second Saturday of August. It starts at Crescent Park, though the route will not be publicized until the day of the run. The run doesn’t take off until 12:30 p.m., but the participants can start showing up as early as 9 a.m. for beer and live entertainment.

There are a few rules to be aware of if you plan to participate: Registration is required. A red dress is a must. And you must be 21 to participate because the alcohol will be flowing.

Dirty Linen Night

What: Art, food and music block party

When: Saturday, August 12, 2023, 6-9 p.m.

Where: 500-900 blocks of Royal Street, French Quarter

Admission: Free

More information: https://dirtylinen.org/

Dirty Linen Night, as you may have guessed, takes after another annual art event, White Linen Night. It follows the White Linen Night exactly one week after, on the second Saturday in August. It is similar in format, though looser in structure and spanning more territory.

The multi-block party takes over the 500-900 blocks of Royal Street and some cross streets and adjoining areas in the French Quarter, including Jackson Square and Dutch Alley. About 40 galleries are expected to participate this year, plus a number of shops and restaurants.

Although Dirty Linen Night does riff off White Linen Night, it wasn’t created to compete with the Warehouse District event but to promote the many galleries and shops of Royal Street. It does have fun with it though. Dirty martinis and dirty rice cheekily make an appearance as the food and drink of choice served by some galleries and stores. The event organizers also encourage participants to “wear the dirty clothes they wore the previous week to White Linen Night — no laundry needed.”

Southern Decadence

What: The annual festival celebrating LGBTQIA+ culture

When: Thursday, August 31, through Monday, September 4, 2023; times vary

Where: Various locations

Admission: Depends on the event, but most are free

More information: http://www.southerndecadence.net/

What started as a going-away party in the early 70s has evolved into an immensely popular annual event that attracts participants from all over the world. It’s considered the fifth largest event in New Orleans after Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, Essence Festival, and French Quarter Festival.

Indeed, Southern Decadence is massive. Just like every year, it has a different theme and 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.

The free show/block party at the corner of Bourbon and St. Ann streets is always a big hit, as are the two parades. Both parades will take place in the French Quarter. The Friday parade will roll at 7:30 p.m. with about 15 floats starting at Elysian Fields by Washington Park. The Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Parade on Sunday starts at 2 p.m. at Decatur and Barracks Streets. It’s a walking parade.

A lot of events are free and open to the public. You can purchase a VIP Weekend Pass online for access to all events that do charge an entrance fee and may sell out.

New Orleans offers tons of fun festivals and events for people of all ages and interests, appealing to both locals and tourists alike. If you are visiting the Big Easy in August, be sure to book your stay at The French Market Inn, a charming historic hotel in the New Orleans French Quarter located close to all of the festivals and excitement.

 

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 French Market Creole Tomato Festival which celebrates the arrival of the beloved Creole tomato. In over three decades, the free festival will again feature live music stages, cooking demos, kid’s activities, and the Bloody Mary Market in Dutch Alley. The 2023 date is TBA, but the festival typically occurs in early June.

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 ESSENCE Festival (June 29 – July 3, 2023), 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.

Running of the Bulls brings Encierro to New Orleans on July 14-16, 2023, except 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 CBD starting at The Sugar Mill on Saturday, July 15. The annual opening and closing parties happening that weekend are also great fun (check out the schedule on the event’s website).

A city renowned for its world-famous partying, New Orleans knows how to have a good time, and wants you to grab some friends and join in. After all, some of the world’s most famous cocktails were invented in this city, and New Orleans loves to celebrate its drinking culture.

If you and your friends are interested in cocktails and drink-mixing, you may want to check out Tales of the Cocktail (July 23-28, 2023), 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.

Satchmo SummerFest (August 5-6, 2023) started as a tribute to Louis Armstrong over a decade ago, on his 100th birthday. The three-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, kid’s activities, and a second-line parade.

The White Linen Night (Saturday, August 5, 2023) is a free 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 12, 2023), 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 of Royal Street. The multi-block party takes over the 200-1000 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 12, 2023) 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 (August 31 – September 4, 2023) is traditionally held on Labor Day weekend. This massive four-day festival celebrates LGBTQIA+ 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.

There’s no better time to try out an award-winning restaurant or revisit the 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: the prix fixe three-course dinner and brunch menus, and the two- to three-course lunch menus that don’t exceed a certain price. Over a hundred restaurants typically participate.

Finding the Perfect Place to Stay in New Orleans

New Orleans offers tons of fun festivals and events for people of all ages and interests, appealing to both locals and tourists alike. If you are visiting the Big Easy this summer, be sure to book your stay at The French Market Inn, a charming historic hotel in the New Orleans French Quarter located close to all of the festivals and excitement.

 

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 10 historic buildings in the French Quarter. Though you may not want to tour the buildings in the rain, the Royal Street location (533 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 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 ($10 admission to The Cabildo; $7 to The Presbytère). 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 Presbytere. 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.

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.

Not far away is the state-of-the-art IMAX theater, located next to the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas at the riverfront. It usually has two or three nature-themed 3D films on rotation.

Speaking of the Aquarium, the 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. (Please note that it’s currently closed but will reopen in the summer of 2023 after the relocation of the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium. Both will be eventually merged at the Aquarium’s location.) Packed with bug-centric interactive exhibits and featuring a spectacular butterfly garden, the Insectarium will be definitely worth a visit.

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 Carre 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 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. Vacherie‘s happy hour (3-6 p.m.) $8 bar menu has slider-of-the-day specials and draft beer flights. The Bombay Club inside Prince Conti Hotel specializes in martinis and has more than 50 specialty cocktails on the menu. The daily happy hour (4-7 p.m.) features $3 beer and $4 wine, $5 cocktails, and small plates like gumbo and meat pies.

Visiting New Orleans soon? 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!