French Quarter Festival

Canal St to Esplanade Ave, Mississippi River to N Rampart St, New Orleans, Louisiana USA

Independent

No Longer Maintained

This location is no longer maintained in Roadtrippers. Please confirm location details before visiting.

The charming lights, sweeping balconies, and cheerful colors of New Orleans' French Quarter burst to life as over 700,000 people attend the annual French Quarter Festival. Celebrated for over thirty years, it is the South's largest free and open-air music festival, with acts designed to celebrate the cultural heritage of the area. Music ranges in genre, with 23 stages showing off the best in funk, R&B, jazz, cabaret, Latin, Zydeco, and more. Once you've danced up a sweat, take to the town and hit up the restaurant: Jackson Square hosts "The World's Largest Jazz Brunch", among many restaurants and cafes participating. Voted "favorite festival" and "favorite food festival" year after year, the unbeatable combination of snazzy tunes and savory meals is a hit. The festival is held over four days in April.

Reviewed by
Nancy Sewell

1,228 Reviews
414 Helpful

August 25, 2016

Happens during the spring (website: http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/festivals/musicfestivals/fqfest.html)
More than one dozen stages will rock the French Quarter throughout the three-day weekend. Music lovers will find traditional and contemporary jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, Cajun and zydeco, New Orleans funk, classical, swing, rock, international and the many diverse sounds that are part of this city's rich cultural gumbo.

The festival's signature event is the "world's largest jazz brunch" in Woldenberg Riverfront Park and the French Quarter — a tantalizing spread of beverages and specialty items from some of the best known restaurants in the Crescent City. Sample Pat O'Brien's Hurricanes, jambalaya, blackened catfish po-boys, crawfish étouffée, Cajun meat pies and more. More than 60 food and beverage booths will be scattered throughout the historic French Quarter. All dishes are priced in the $3-$5 range.

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