Fall is a babes favorite time of the year! In New Orleans, there’s never a shortage of festivals, and some of the fests are we look forward to most are during the fall. There’s something wonderful about heading out to fest when the weather is a few degrees cooler.
There are SO many fests happening this fall that it would be almost impossible to attend them all so we narrowed it down to the top six we can’t stop thinking about in case you need help prioritizing!
Fried Chicken Fest
September 23 -24, 2017
Woldenburg Riverfront Park
If you are a New Orleanian who doesn’t love fried chicken, you are probably in the wrong place. Feeling extra bougie? Splurge for the Moet Chicken and Champagne VIP Experience. There’s something about sipping Moet while eating fried chicken that makes it so much more chic and seem less like we are ingesting a large amount of fried food. In typical Nola fashion, there will be a full line up of live music all weekend as well. Fried Chicken Fest is kind of winning the fall fest line ups this year if you ask us with headliners like Big Freedia, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Naughty Professor and Shamarr Allen & The Underdawgs. We are hoping it’s not as hard to get actual chicken at the chicken fest this year (second chances people), but even if it is, it’s worth heading out to have free access to that lineup in our opinions!
Beignet Fest
December 2, 2017
New Orleans City Park
Did you really think we weren’t going to include Beignet Fest? We had so much fun being judges at last year’s fest and celebrating our namesake, that we are back this year for more! From savory to sweet, we are getting so excited to eat our favorites from last year like Cafe Maspero’s beignet fries, and try the new additions. This year’s fest will move to New Orleans City Park for an even bigger event, and add a VIP experience with bottomless mimosas 👀. All proceeds benefit the Tres Doux Foundation, on a mission to support New Orleans-area programs that serve children with development delays.
Gleason Classic
October 7, 2017
Team Gleason House 3525 Bienville Street
Ok, so we know what you are thinking, why are we throwing in a fitness event in the midst of all these glorious food and drinks? Um, to work it off of course! Yes – this is the same day as Beignet Fest, but it starts at 7:30AM so you will have plenty of time to squeeze in yoga, a race AND a twerk-out with Big Freedia all before heading to city park to stuff your face. Plus, you get to support Steve Gleason’s Team Gleason, a cause close to all of our hearts. 💛 We would say that’s a pretty accomplished day, and challenge you to join us on October 7th! Get tickets here. Use code babes for an $8 discount!
Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival
October 13 – 15, 2017
Lafayette Square Park
This is the cutest fall fest in Lafayette Square, and is all weekend long so it’s easy to make some time to get out there! There’s something about this little fest that feels so charming and authentically New Orleans. Probs because its put on by the Jazz Fest krewe. There’s a full lineup of blues all weekend featuring artists like Andrew Duhon, Little Freddie King and Bobby Rush; plus an art market and of course BBQ! They are pretty hush hush about what’s on the menu, but let’s just say we have had everything from BBQ chicken nachos to traditional ribs in the past. With the NOLA BBQ scene booming as of late, we can’t wait to see what’s in store this year! This is the perfect fest to bring a blanket, spread out and chill with your friends for the day. Check out the full music lineup and more information here.
Oak Street Po-Boy Festival
October 22, 2017
Oak Street at South Carrollton
O po-boy fest, you never get old! Oak Street Po-Boy Festival is the one day of the year where it’s socially acceptable to eat five different sandwiches in one sitting. This is one of those fests the everyone comes out for. I mean have you ever met anyone who doesn’t like po-boys? If you have, you should probably remove them from your contact list. Some of the po-boys we look forward to all year are the Mahoney’s short rib po-boy, the fried lobster po-boy from GW Fins, and Boucherie’s BBQ shrimp po-boy. We can’t wait to see what new additions will be available this year.
Boudin, Bourbon and Beer
November 3, 2017
Champions Square
Emeril Lagasse Foundation’s Boudin, Bourbon and Beer is perhaps the most underrated event in New Orleans all year. The cool fall night in Champion’s Square is booming with the best chefs from around the nation putting their signature spin on a Cajun favorite, top shelf beverages including every Abita Beer imaginable, inventive cocktails made with Buffalo Trace bourbon and all the vino. Live music keeps the party going all night, and will feature Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Langhorne Slim & The Law, Kristin Diable & the City, and The Silverado Pickups this year. At $100, the tickets are SO worth the price tag. If you eat & drink as much as we do, you literally get more than you are paying for, and get to support a good cause while doing it. If we had to pick one event to go to all year, this would probably be it babes! Stay tuned for a giveaway on our Instagram 😉
Coincidence that they (almost) all have to do with food? We think not! 🐷 Of course, we are not discounting all of the other wonderful fests that are taking place this fall. If you can’t make it to the ones on our list, you have so many other fab fests to chose from like New Orleans Swing Dance Festival, Tremé Fall Festival, Carnival Latino, Gentilly Fest, Fall Garden Festival, Oktoberfest, Mac N Cheese Fest, Louisiana Seafood Fest and so many more – the list never ends!
We are certain you will have no shortage of festin’ to do this fall babes. Start saving room;)
XOXO