New Orleans Fall Festival and Events Guide

Fall is finally here and the craze for fall festivals in New Orleans is just beginning. From Oktoberfest to Caribbean Carnival to other events honoring the city’s diverse communities, there are many ways to enjoy fall in and around New Orleans.

Here you will find a selection of the events we found.

International arts festival

27–29 September 2024

• Locations: The Orpheum Theater (Day 1), Armstrong Park (Day 2 and Day 3)
• Cost: $50 to $1,500

The International Arts Foundation’s three-day event aims to promote cultural diversity and global awareness. New Orleans musicians and a number of global stars will perform, including Yohan Marley, Mystic Marley and more.

NOLAxNOLA

September 26th – October 6th

• Locations: Across New Orleans
• Cost: Some shows are free, others are paid

The event, called “NOLA by NOLA,” brings 400 shows to iconic venues across the city, from Tipitinas to Preservation Hall. This year’s lineup includes local acts like The Revivalists, Big Freedia, many marching bands, Mardi Gras Indians and more.

Art for art’s sake

Saturday, October 5th

• Location: Magazine Street
• Cost: Free

More than 100 shops, stores and restaurants will participate in the annual showcase of art, food and music along a six-mile stretch of Magazine Street.

Gretna Festival

Oct. 4th – 6th

• Location: 740 2nd Street, Gretna
• Cost: $40 to $255 for festival admission ages 13 and older, River Club Suite tickets range from $7,500 to $8,500

There will be numerous activities in addition to food, crafts and live music from local, national and international artists.

National Fried Chicken Festival

Oct 5th – 6th

• Location: Lakeshore Drive and Franklin Avenue
• Cost: $20-$119

Fried chicken lovers can choose from a wide selection of premium dishes at over 40 participating restaurants. There’s live music, a new unlimited beer garden, family-friendly games and more.

Oktoberfest

11-12, 18-19, 25-26 Oct

Location: German House, directly across from Bayou St. John in City Park.

Cost: Daily admission to Oktoberfest is $10 (cash only) and is free for children 11 and under.

The event takes place over three weekends and features a variety of authentic German food, live music, dancing, activities and more.

Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival

11th-13th Oct

Location: Lafayette Square Park

Cost: Free. The VIP experience is priced at $300 per ticket plus processing fees of $15.99, for a total of $315.99 per person.

Expect delicious BBQ and music from some of South Louisiana and Mississippi’s finest blues artists.

Gentilly Festival

Oct. 11

Location: Playground in Pontchartrain Park

Cost: Free, $15-$140 for VIP tickets

Bring the whole family to enjoy live music, food from local restaurants, and crafts from local artisans and vendors.

West Bank Hispanic Heritage Festival

Oct. 12

Location: University of Holy Cross, 4123 Woodland Drive

Cost: Free

The family-friendly event will highlight New Orleans’ vibrant Hispanic culture with plenty of dancing, food, live music, art and activities.

New Orleans Film Festival

16–22 Oct. (in person), 16-27 Oct. (virtual)

Location: The Broad Theatre, Contemporary Art Center, The Prytania Theaters and online

Tickets: Individual tickets will be sold to the general public at a later date.

The New Orleans Film Festival brings more than 150 independent films to multiple theaters across the city, spotlighting emerging, diverse storytellers from the South and around the world.

Top taco

Oct. 24

Location: Lafreniere Park, 3000 Downs Boulevard, Metairie

Cost: $85-$135, plus fees

Festival-goers can sample tacos and signature cocktails at some of New Orleans’ best restaurants and vote for their favorites.

NOLA Funk Fest

October 18th – 20th

Location: New Orleans Jazz Museum, 400 Esplanade Avenue

Cost: Entrance fees vary

This year’s festival promises lots of funky music, food, drinks and crafts with local acts like George Porter Jr. & Runnin’ Pardners, Big Freedia and more.

Krewe of Boo

Oct 19

Location: The French Quarter

Cost: Free

The Krewe of BOO! will transform the Vieux Carre (French Quarter) into the “Boo Carre!” with its annual Halloween parade. There will be special events and afterparties throughout the weekend, including a Zombie Run and Lucy’s Balcony Bash.

Tremé Fall Festival

25-26 Oct

Locations: George & Joyce Wine, Jazz & Heritage Center, 1225 N. Rampart (Friday) and 1100 block Henriette Delille (Saturday)

Cost: The festival is free and open to the public. Early bird tickets for the Patron Party are available through September 24th for $125 plus fees. The ticket includes a buffet and an open bar.

The festival will host a patron party at the Jazz & Heritage Center on Friday, October 25, followed by a day-long event on Henriette Delille Saturday with a lineup of local musicians, food and art vendors, and other fun activities. There will be second lines, stilt walkers, artist tents and more.

Oak Street Po Boy Festival

Oct 27

Location: Oak and S. Carrollton Avenue

Cost: The festival is free, but wristbands ($10-$125) are required to purchase po-boys.

The Oak Street Po-Boy Festival is a day-long celebration of New Orleans’ legendary sandwich. Festival-goers can enjoy po-boys from over 40 local vendors along with live music on multiple stages.

NOLA Zydeco Fest

November 2nd

Location: Mandeville Shed in Crescent Park

Cost: Tickets are $20 for general admission and $65 for VIP.

The event takes place against the backdrop of the Mississippi River and features live performances from some of Southwest Louisiana’s best zydeco bands.

Bayou Bacchanal

November 1st – 2nd

Location: Congo Square

Cost: Ticket prices will be announced at a later date.

New Orleans’ original Caribbean Carnival returns to Congo Square with Caribbean cuisine, costumes, dancing, music and a grand parade.

Outlook.6: The future is present, the harbinger is home

November 2nd – February 2nd, 2025

Cost: Ticket prices can be found here.

The event brings over 50 artists from around the world to New Orleans to create projects at various venues around the city. Festival attendees can attend exhibition openings, mural unveilings and more.

Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival

9th-10th November

Location: Louis Armstrong Park

Cost: Admission free, donations welcome

There will be lots of live music, an art market and of course gumbo! Further information, including a live music schedule, will be released at a later date.

LUNA Festival

November 14th – 17th

Location: Gallier Hall to Piazza d’Italia

Cost: Free

Using LED lights, lasers and projected artwork, the event will transform downtown New Orleans into a playground of light for four days, exploring themes of “melody and mythology.”

Beignet Festival

November 16th

Location: City Park Festival grounds

Cost: $20-$50

Beignet lovers can choose from more than 80 menu options with nearly 50 unique variations of beignets, including vegan and gluten-free. There will be live music, a children’s village, an artists’ market, a beer garden and more.

FOREST Dival

November 16th

Location: 13401 Patterson Road, New Orleans

Cost: $15-$250, children are admitted free

The family-friendly event, presented by A Studio in the Woods, is a celebration of all things art and nature. There will be special guest artists, guided forest walks with scientists and a silent auction.

Bayou Classic

Thanksgiving weekend

Location: Downtown New Orleans

Cost: Tickets are on sale now and can be ordered through Ticketmaster or purchased at the box office.

On Thanksgiving weekend, fans flock to Caesars Superdome to watch the exciting football game between Southern University and Grambling State University. The big game takes place on Saturday with a highly anticipated halftime show featuring two of the best marching bands in the country. The Bayou Classic Parade will parade through downtown on Thanksgiving Day.