New Orleans Events and Festivals
A festival nearly every weekend, with Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest at the top of the list.
Carnival season officially begins on January 6 and builds to Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Because the date follows Easter, it falls anywhere from early February to early March. Most of the big parades roll in the final two weeks, along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street rather than through the French Quarter, and they are free to watch. Hotels fill up and prices rise during the final weekend, so book months ahead.
Spring is festival season, with French Quarter Festival in April and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival over two long weekends from late April into early May. Summer is hot but busy around the Fourth of July with the Essence Festival. Fall brings food festivals, football at the Superdome and Halloween, and the year ends with holiday lights and the Sugar Bowl. Dates change every year, so confirm on each organizer's site.
Annual Festivals and Events
Weeks of parades by Carnival krewes, most along St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street, ending on Mardi Gras day. Parades are free; grandstand seats are sold separately.
A large, mostly free festival of Louisiana music on stages across the Quarter and along the river, with food booths from local restaurants.
Two long weekends of jazz, blues, gospel, zydeco, rock and brass bands on more than a dozen stages, with Louisiana food and crafts.
Evening concerts at the Superdome and daytime programs celebrating Black culture, music and business.
A festival honoring Louis Armstrong, with music, talks and a jazz mass and second line.
One of the largest LGBTQ+ celebrations in the South, with a parade, block parties and events across the Quarter.
A one-day street festival where local restaurants serve creative and classic po-boys, with live music.
The annual football game between Grambling State and Southern University, with a battle of the bands and a parade.
Holiday light displays among City Park's live oaks, a long-running fundraiser for the park.
One of college football's oldest bowl games, now part of the College Football Playoff rotation, with fan events around town.
Dates move from year to year — confirm on the organizer’s site before you plan around an event.
Official Event Calendars
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When is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras day is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, so it moves with Easter and falls between early February and early March. The busiest parades roll during the final two weekends before it.
When is Jazz Fest?
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival usually runs over two long weekends, from the last weekend of April into the first weekend of May, at the Fair Grounds Race Course in Gentilly.
Are New Orleans festivals free?
Many are. Mardi Gras parades, French Quarter Festival and most neighborhood festivals are free to attend. Jazz Fest, Essence evening concerts and some special events require tickets.