New Orleans Spring Festivals
You can't really turn around in spring without stumbling across a cute-themed festival, and you shouldn't have to. What's your thing? Tomatoes? Strawberries? Barbecue? Jazz? Trains? Being Italian? There's a festival for it all.
We've done a small gathering of some of the best in Louisiana, with one piece of advice for each in case it's overwhelming or you don't know. We initially wanted to rank them, but it felt cruel to the hard work everyone puts in, so now they are in a secret order that only makes sense to us.
Kenner Italian Heritage Festival
Advice: Binge watch The Sopranos before coming, and eat at least two kinds of sausage.
NOLA SpeedTour
Advice: Like the movie Cars but real.
Overlook Film Festival
Advice: In a manic state, make buying passes and attending this a first date with someone.
New Orleans Giant Puppet Fest
Advice: Do one day high and the rest sober.
Croatian Fest
Advice: Get the čevapi.
Hogs for the Cause
Advice: One of the only times eating barbecue can help pediatric brain cancer.
New Orleans Spring Garden Show
Advice: You're not going to be able to see or purchase this many exotic plants legally anywhere else.
Louisiana Railroad Days Festival
Advice: You know you know someone with autism.
French Quarter Fest
Advice: This is the time to invite your dad for a visit.
Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival
Advice: There is a pageant where they crown a Strawberry Queen.
Old Schoolhouse Antique Fair and Yard Sale
Advice: Have lunch at the '50s-style diner in the school gym with all your trinkets.
Scottish Tartan Festival
Advice: Get your face painted and see a hawk.
Festival International de Louisiane
Advice: Show your baby something Ms. Rachel can't give.
Grand Isle Migratory Bird Celebration
Advice: Kayak tours of nesting birds. What more could you want?
Kite Fest Louisiane
Advice: Bring a neck pillow. Between the fireworks and the kites, you're going to be looking up a lot.
May The 4th Be With You in Houma
Advice: Hookup with a wookie.
Cinco De Mayo Fest
Advice: Features the city's largest taco eating contest and raises money for Hispanic high school students.
Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo
Advice: Dogs are not allowed, which is devastating.
New Orleans Greek Festival
Advice: Take a shot of ouzo and learn a dance.
General Festival Advice
Bring: Cash, camping chairs, sunscreen, refillable water bottle, hat
Leave: Grumpy family members, dogs, backpack, coins
Remember: You only live once, live music is an exchange, and you're not too good for kitsch.
Forget: Everything you thought you knew about local music and kites.
I Don't See a Festival I Care About
At the time of publishing, some hadn't announced their 2025 dates yet, so keep your ears to the ground if you do not see the niche festival you love. Also we are but one magazine and are, unfortunately, not omniscient. Please let us know if there's a festival you want to be included next year.
Should I Start a Festival?
Yes, absolutely. The more specific, the better. There's an audience for it. Some suggestions: Daria/90s Cartoon Festival, a doughnut festival, Shag Rug Appreciation Fest, Weed Festival, Festival for Cows, Good Boyfriend Festival (if you have a good boyfriend, you can set up a booth and take questions), Bad Art Festival (a place to honor art that is otherwise overlooked), sequins, butter, etc. Anything you want.
General Life Advice Regarding Festivals
No matter what you see for yourself in the new year, you can find it at one of these festivals. What is a festival, really, but a celebration of something specific? Living in a place with so much celebration and joy reminds us to have awe for being alive and cultivate our appreciation of life. We hope you expand your knowledge of the city you live in and the people who share it with you. What better way to do that than by spending $8 on lemonade or $32 on a specialty t-shirt? We can't think of one.
A fun challenge would be to pick a weekend with multiple festivals and combine them. A Star Wars/Cinco de Mayo weekend or Migratory Birds and Kites. Double dip. Whatever you do, don't let these festivals pass you by. There's only 200 of them, and time is slipping away. Just make sure you have fun, tip at least three people, and buy at least one thing you don't really have a place for.
