New Orleans Official Visitors Guide - 2026 Winter/Spring
Festivals & Events
2025-12-12 02:29:20
Funky Festivals you might not have heard of ...
BUT WON’T WANT TO MISS!
Home to more than 130 festivals and events a year, New Orleans is a city known for its celebrations. While you might be familiar with the biggest ones, there are dozens of smaller festivals worth the trip. Here are a few of our favorites.
RUNNING OF THE BULLS
Every year in July, runners and “bulls” take to the streets of downtown New Orleans in the city’s version of Spain’s Encierro de Pamplona. Our Running of the Bulls happens to feature “roller-bulls” on wheels equipped with plastic bats! Watch from a balcony or, if you’re brave, join in on the fun. A portion of the proceeds benefit charity.
GENTILLY FEST
Music, food, and community are all the focus of Gentilly Fest, a neighborhood celebration held in Pontchartrain Park. Enjoy various vendors, live music, and activities for the kids on one weekend every October. This fest is free to attend, and the weather is usually perfect.
BEIGNET FEST
New Orleans is no stranger to festivals named after food, so let us present ... Beignet Fest! Enjoy both traditional and creative treats, like Oreo-stuffed beignets, and savory options like crawfish beignets. Funds raised go to support the Beignet Fest Foundation, which supports the autism community.
MAGAZINE STREET CHAMPAGNE STROLL
An annual Mother’s Day Weekend tradition, the Magazine Street Champagne Stroll sees more than 100 businesses opening their doors to offer sparkling wine, special deals, promotional sales, live music, and art shows. Shops extend their hours and the event is free to the public.
2026 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JANUARY
» Allstate Sugar Bowl – Jan. 1
Fun fact: It’s also the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals.
» Krewe of Joan of Arc – Jan. 6
» Teaser Fest - Jan. 15-18
» Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus – Jan. 24
» Krewe du Vieux - Jan. 31
» Rockin'1000 - Jan. 31
FEBRUARY
» Krewes: Muses, Endymion, Bacchus, Orpheus, Rex, Zulu - Feb. 12-17
» Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras Day – Feb. 17
» Tet Fest
Fun fact: Tet Fest marks the Vietnamese New Year.
MARCH
» New Orleans Book Festival – March 12-15
» Irish Channel Parade – March 14
» Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival – March 25-29
Fun fact: 2026 is the 40th anniversary of the festival.
» Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival (SASFest) – March 27-29
Fun fact: Part of the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival, it celebrates LGBTQ writers.
» Congo Square Rhythms Festival
Fun fact: This festival celebrates African drumming traditions in Congo Square.
» New Orleans French Film Festival
APRIL
» Crescent City Classic – April 4
» Gay Easter Parade – April 5
Fun fact: This parade is just one of many family-friendly parades on Easter Sunday.
» French Quarter Festival – April 16-19
Fun fact: This is the largest free festival in Louisiana.
» New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – April 23-May 3
» French Quarter Easter Parade
» Hogs for the Cause
» Overlook Film
Festival Fun fact: This festival bears the same name as the spooky hotel from "'The Shining."'
» Zurich Classic
MAY
» New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – April 23-May 3
» Zoo-To-Do
» Bayou Boogaloo
» New Orleans Greek Festival
» Sail 250 - May 28-31
JUNE
» New Orleans Pride
» Black Pride Weekend
» French Market Creole Tomato Festival
» New Orleans Restaurant Week
» New Orleans Juneteenth Festival
JULY
» Go Fourth on the River
» ESSENCE Festival of Culture
» Running of the Bulls
» Tales of the Cocktail
AUGUST
» Museum Month
» COOLinary New Orleans
Fun fact: Enjoy specially priced menus all month long.
» Satchmo Summerfest
» Red Dress Run
» White Linen Night
» Dirty Linen Night
» NOLA Pickle Fest
Fun fact: New Orleans has lots of festivals named after food, but this one’s all about pickleball.
SEPTEMBER
» Southern Decadence
» WWE Money in the Bank
- Sept. 6
» NOLAxNOLA
- Sept. 24-30
Fun fact: This celebration of local live music offers back-to-back shows over festival dates.
OCTOBER
» New Orleans Music Month
» National Fried Chicken Festival
» Gretna Fest
» Art for Art’s Sake
» Tremé Fall Fest
» Gentilly Fest
» Oktoberfest
» Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival
» Krewe of BOO!
Fun fact: This is New Orleans’ very own spooky parade and it’s free.
» Praise Fest
» Top Taco
» NOLA Funk Fest
» NOLA Reggae Fest
» Halloween New Orleans
» New Orleans Film Festival
NOVEMBER
» Bayou Bacchanal
» Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival
» Oak Street Po-Boy Festival
» Celebration in the Oaks
» Bayou Classic
» Beignet Fest
» LUNA Fête
» Fit Fête Park Marathon & Half Marathon - Nov. 14-16
DECEMBER
» Celebration in the Oaks, continues
» R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl
» Manning Family Children's Holiday Parade
» Algiers Holiday Bonfire & Concert
» Greenway Supernova
» NOLA ChristmasFest
» Holidays New Orleans Style
Fun fact: Enjoy caroling, home tours, traditions, and more all month.
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