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 that 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 is this 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 17, 2026) 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 and rideshares 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 have 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 a 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!

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 LGBTQ+ culture and attracts participants from all over the world.

September continues with NOLAxNOLA. Pronounced “NOLA by NOLA,” it’s a celebration of New Orleans music, venues and artists. Supposed to be even bigger this year, NOLAxNOLA is not to be missed. For this year’s artist roster and participating venues list, check out the event’s website. NOLAxNOLA will be held on Thursday, September 25, through Sunday, October 5, 2025.

October starts with the NOLA Coffee Festival. This annual festival-slash-trade show celebrates all things coffee. The event is a two-day one, a trade and industry day on Friday, October 3, and a consumer day on Saturday, October 4, 2025. On consumer day, you can sample the products, attend classes on home brewing, and more. Held at the Pontchartrain Convention & Civic Center (4545 Williams Blvd. in Kenner).

Next is the always well-attended Art for Art’s Sake on Saturday, October 4, 2025. It’s an opportunity to browse the shops and galleries along the commercial stretch of Magazine Street. Expect extended hours, special deals, live music, and beverage sampling.

Do you like fried chicken? How about beer? The National Fried Chicken Festival (Saturday-Sunday, October 4-5, 2025) at the Lakefront 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. This year, expect over 40 vendors and four outdoor stages.

October fun continues with the Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival. This free fest happens every year in the CBD, in Lafayette Square. Join the fun for two stages of music, a dozen of the best barbecue vendors in the region, and a large art market (Friday-Sunday, October 10-12, 2025).

Don’t forget, New Orleans throws its own lavish version of Oktoberfest on Fridays and Saturdays over the three weekends in October (October 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 2025) at Deutsches Haus in Mid-City.

Next up is NOLA Funk Fest (Friday-Sunday, October 17-19, 2025). Held at the Spanish Plaza downtown (2 Canal Street), this three-day fest will feature the city and nation’s best funk acts (check out this stellar lineup). You can get tickets here.

The New Orleans Film Festival (Thursday-Monday, October 23-27, 2025) is one of the largest film festivals in the South and is the longest-running festival of its kind in the state (36 years in 2025). The festival has grown to the point of attracting thousands of attendees and industry insiders, plus more than 400 filmmakers and over 200 films annually.

NOLA Reggae Fest (Friday-Sunday, October 24-26, 2025) will be held at Congo Square and will run from 2 to 8 p.m. daily. Expect food trucks, art vendors, art and culture demos, and, of course, lots of live music. Get your tickets here.

Halloween kicks into high gear with the kid-friendly Krewe of Boo, courtesy of Kern Studios (Saturday, October 25, 2025). Expect the usual 3-D fiberglass and papier-mâché extravaganza, plus all of your favorite spooky characters.

All the monsters on the floats are PG-13 and not too scary, even for the youngest kids. Parade-goers are encouraged to come in costume. Expect plush toys, candy, and unique, eco-conscious throws. The parade starts in the Marigny and goes to the French Quarter (here’s our guide to all annual events associated with Krewe of Boo).

October continues with Tremé Fall Festival, which brings entertainment from New Orleans musical royalty and food trucks and vendors from some of New Orleans’ best eateries in one of the nation’s first African American neighborhoods on Saturday, October 25, 2025, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October closes out with Halloween. New Orleans puts its own spin on the Halloween fun with a slew of balls, costume parties, a parade, haunted tours, and a huge block party on Frenchmen Street.

November kicks off with Bayou Bacchanal. This free two-day fest is held in Armstrong Park’s Congo Square and celebrates the city’s Caribbean heritage, Carnival-style (Saturday-Sunday, November 1-2, 2025).

Another festival held on the same weekend is Freret Street Fall Fest (Saturday, November 1, 2025). From Napoleon to Valmont, Freret Street’s six blocks will once again host a one-day free festival from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The fest will have three stages, 20 bands, and tons of food and art. Check out this year’s music lineup on the event’s website.

The annual Tremé Creole Gumbo festival serves up the perfect trifecta of gumbo, brass bands and cooler temps, returning to celebrate over a decade of existence at Louis Armstrong Park (Saturday-Sunday, November 8-9, 2025).

Adding to the year-round roster of music and food-centric festivals, Beignet Festival celebrates both sweet and savory renditions of the beloved pastry (Saturday, November 15, 2025). This annual extravaganza returned in 2022 and has been held at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds. The free, daylong party gives you an opportunity to sample dozens of renditions of the beignet.

There are usually vegan and gluten-free beignets to accommodate every diet, and awards are given in four “Best of” categories. Don’t forget to vote for your pick!

In its 17th year, Oak Street Po-Boy Festival (Sunday, November 16, 2025) celebrates all things po-boy during this one-day fest, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and you can be sure that you will be able to sample the best po-boys the city has to offer.

The Oak Street Fest is held between the 8100 and 8700 blocks of Oak Street in the Carrollton neighborhood. About 40 vendors present more food than you could shake your fork at, with over 60 varieties of delicious sandwiches alone — plus beer, specialty cocktails, and desserts. They will also compete in six “Best of” categories.

And, of course, this being New Orleans, there is live music, with stages set up on side streets to avoid the Oak Street foot traffic congestion of the past years. A second line usually opens the fest at 10 a.m., forming at Oak and Carrollton streets.

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 (Thursday, November 27, 2025) 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 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.

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!