Photo by Danny Howe on Unsplash

Summer has arrived, and now is the time to embark on exciting adventures with family and friends. There is no better way to kick off your summer than with ESSENCE Festival this July in New Orleans. This massive event features a host of famous musical performers, guest speakers, delectable local cuisine, fashion, beauty, and much more. Between four days, multiple stages, and a multitude of great musical artists, there is an incredible lineup of chart toppers, influencers, celebrity wellness experts, and world-famous personalities.

ESSENCE is typically held over the Independence Day weekend (June 29-July 3, 2023) mostly at the two New Orleans venues: the Caesars Superdome for the evening performances and the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center for the daytime activities. Some of the daytime events including the conferences and the exhibits were also held over the years at the Contemporary Arts Center. New since 2019, the Wellness House experience is held in the Arts District downtown.

You can get your tickets a la carte (for the evening concerts at the Superdome and for the ESSENCE After Dark) or in bundled day and VIP packages, online. The headliners sell out fast, so don’t wait till the last minute! All the events held at the Convention Center during the day are free and open to all (registration is required for everyone over 18).

A Music Lover’s Dream

Music fans from all over simply can’t go wrong with all the incredible names in every year’s lineup. The 2023 lineup is yet to be announced, but in the past, attendees were treated to performances by some of the biggest names in the music business, including Brandy, Missy Elliott, Mary J. Blige, Nas, New Orleans’ own Big Freedia, Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, and many more.

The traditional Sunday Gospel Celebration at the Convention center features the greatest gospel hits, and ESSENCE After Dark, a series of late-night jam sessions, comedy shows, underground performances, live podcast recordings, and more, is also not to be missed.

ESSENCE Is Much More Than Music

Besides the stellar music lineup, the festival is jam-packed with conferences, keynote events, and other experiences. A slew of exciting exhibitions, roundtables, and other events await, including a series of keynotes. The Beauty Carnival and Wellness House experiences features celebrity beauty influencers and wellness experts, and the popular ESSENCE Eats has cooking demos and a food court with vendors from all over the South offering a wide range of classic New Orleans food, world cuisine, vegan and vegetarian fare, desserts, and beyond.

Stay Close to All of the ESSENCE Action

Don’t wait — grab your tickets to ESSENCE Festival and then book your stay nearby at the Prince Conti Hotel. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, it’s minutes away from many popular New Orleans bars, restaurants, landmarks, and destinations — including the Superdome and the Convention Center. This elegant hotel is a nice calming change of scenery from the bustling city that awaits outside, offering the old-world New Orleans charm along with all the modern-day amenities.

Fall in New Orleans means the end of heat-induced hibernation and switching gears to enjoy the upcoming months of moderate weather, a calendar full of foodie-haven and music festivals, a unique take on Halloween, plus several parades and many other fun activities. With the summer lull over, this is a great time to visit Crescent City. Here are a few highlights, to give you an idea of just how much is going on in New Orleans in the fall.

SEPTEMBER

Southern Decadence

August 31 – September 4, 2023

Held over the Labor Day weekend, this popular festival celebrates LGBTQIA+ culture and attracts participants from all over the world. The festival’s annual hub, Bourbon Pub/Parade, is typically open 24/7. Just like in previous years, it serves as an epicenter of the Bourbon Street Extravaganza, a free show/block party happening on Saturday, and the annual Southern Decadence Grand Marshal Parade on Sunday.

National Fried Chicken Festival

September 30 – October 1, 2023  

This relative newcomer on the foodie-fest scene serves as one of the highlights of September. The two-day free fest usually features three outdoor stages, two for music and one for the cooking demos, at the Lakefront. The stellar food lineup includes over 30 well-known fried chicken vendors coming from all over the region to represent different cooking styles of this classic Southern dish.

New Orleans Burlesque Festival

September 2023 dates TBA  

This annual international event brings together the best of local talent and some big international names. Dancers, emcees, comics, singers, and variety-act performers will be doing nightly shows at the Civic Theatre and House of Blues. The main event, usually held on Saturday at the Civic Theatre, will have performers from all over the world competing for the title of “Queen of Burlesque.”

Beignet Festival

September 2023 date TBA

This annual extravaganza returned in 2022 and is held at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds. The free, daylong party gives you an opportunity to sample over 30 renditions of the beloved beignet, from traditional sweet treats swimming in powdered sugar to savory options bursting with seafood and cheese. There are usually vegan and gluten-free beignets to accommodate every diet, and awards are given in four “Best of” categories. Don’t forget to vote for your pick!

OCTOBER

Oktoberfest

October 6-7, 13-14, 20-21, 2023

New Orleans throws its version of Oktoberfest over three Fridays and Saturdays in October at Deutsches Haus in Mid-City, to celebrate the city’s rich German history with all the usual trappings, including authentic food and live music.

Art for Art’s Sake

October 7, 2023

The always well-attended Art for Art’s Sake is an opportunity to browse the shops and galleries along the commercial stretch of Magazine Street. Expect extended hours, special deals, live music, and beverage sampling.

Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival

October 13-15, 2023

This free fest happens every year in the CBD, in Lafayette Square. Join the fun for two stages of music, a dozen of the best barbecue vendors in the region, and a large art market.

Krewe of Boo

October 21, 2023

This lively affair has become the “official Halloween Parade” in New Orleans in 2007, and has been going strong since, only growing in popularity. The parade is brought to you by Kern Studios, so expect the usual 3-D fiberglass and papier-mâché extravaganza, plus all of your favorite spooky characters. All the monsters on the floats are PG-13 and not too scary even for the youngest kids. Parade-goers are encouraged to come in costume. Expect plush toys, candy and unique, eco-conscious throws.

Halloween

The second half of October; October 31, 2023

New Orleans puts its own spin on the Halloween fun with a slew of balls, costume parties, a parade, haunted tours, and a huge block party on Frenchmen Street. The city knows how to do Halloween in a family-friendly style too. We are thankful for the variety, and hope you’ll find plenty of entertainment in the two weeks leading up to the holiday as well as on the day of Halloween itself.

Tremé Fall Festival

October 2023 date TBA

This local fave throws a serious party in the blocks connecting Henriette Delille, Tremé, and Gov. Nicholls Streets in one the nation’s first African American neighborhoods during the first weekend of October, just as the weather is getting nice. Most of the action is centered in front of the historic St. Augustine Church on the 1100 block of Henriette Delille Street. Expect entertainment from New Orleans musical royalty and food trucks and vendors from some of New Orleans’ best eateries. The festival is donation-based.

NOLA Mac n’ Cheese Fest

October 2023 date TBA

This free annual fest is held at Louis Armstrong Park and keeps expanding to accommodate its growing popularity. The fest features a judged competition among the dozens of mac ‘n’ cheese dishes from Louisiana restaurants, pop-ups and food catering businesses, an artist market, and an eating competition. The festival was canceled in 2019-2021, but is slated to make its fourth appearance in 2023.

NOVEMBER

New Orleans Film Festival

November 2-7, 2023

The New Orleans Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals in the South and is the longest-running festival of its kind in the state. The festival has grown to the point of attracting thousands of attendees and industry insiders, plus more than 400 filmmakers and over 200 films annually. It’s one of the few film festivals in the nation that showcases Oscar-qualifying films drawn from all three Academy-accredited categories: Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short. Venues include Broad, Orpheum and Prytania theaters, and the festival’s hub, the Contemporary Arts Center.

Tremé Creole Gumbo Festival

November 16-17

The annual Tremé Creole Gumbo festival serves up the perfect trifecta of gumbo, brass bands and cooler temps, returning to celebrate over a decade of existence at Louis Armstrong Park. A few years ago this festival was merged with another popular local event, the Congo Square Rhythms Festival, adding more music, and featuring two art markets and two food courts.

Thanksgiving at the Fair Grounds Race Course

November 23, 2023

Per a long-standing New Orleans tradition, it’s customary to turn out at the track on Thanksgiving Day to watch the opening-day races while sporting cocktails and some seriously fabulous hats. The first race starts at 11 a.m., and the racetrack also serves a sumptuous holiday buffet, plus a fancy dinner with all the holiday trimmings at the Clubhouse.

Bayou Classic

November 24-25, 2023

Each November the Bayou Classic draws the fans and alumni of Southern University and Grambling State University to New Orleans over the Thanksgiving weekend to partake in one of the country’s greatest college sports rivalries. Over the years, this has become much more than a football game, drawing more than 200,000 visitors to New Orleans. The event stretches for two days and includes a fan fest, a parade, the battle of the bands, and, of course, the big game at the Superdome.

Celebration in the Oaks

November 24, 2023 – January 1, 2024

This beloved New Orleans tradition is celebrating over three decades of existence, selling out quickly for the past few years. Celebration in the Oaks is a dazzling holiday lights festival scattered throughout the 25 acres of the City Park, including the Botanical Garden, Storyland, and Carousel Gardens Amusement Park. Stroll through the magical grounds swathed in hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights, take a train ride or a holiday picture by the iconic Mr. Bingle, listen to the caroling, do some holiday shopping, or ride the historic carousel.

Oak Street Po-Boy Festival

November 2023 date TBA

There’s a po-boy for every budget and palate in New Orleans, and at this festival dedicated to the beloved New Orleans staple you can sample over 50 varieties. Dozens of vendors also compete in several “Best of” categories.

Frenchmen Art Market photo by Connie Ma

Check out the city’s robust music culture — there’s no better place for live music than the Marigny Triangle. Situated between Esplanade Avenue and Elysian Fields, this wedge-shaped neighborhood is bisected by Frenchmen Street, a pedestrian-friendly strip of music clubs, bars, restaurants, and an art market, some of which don’t get going until after 10 p.m. At that point, brass bands, pedestrians and food trucks combine to create a giant block party. Dance on the street corner or venture into one of these excellent music venues and restaurants.

Blue Nile (532 Frenchmen St.)

You may have spotted a neon crescent moon sign of this stalwart music club hanging above the sidewalk. Blue Nile hosts a wide range of musical genres ranging from funk to brass bands. Cover price varies depending on the act, and a word to the wise: the club’s second-floor balcony is the best place to overlook the wild street party that is Frenchmen Street.

Bamboula’s (514 Frenchmen St.)

Here, you’ll find casual New Orleans fare like po-boys and jambalaya. The no-cover eclectic live music seven days a week is another draw.

Dat Dog (601 Frenchmen St.)

Dat Dog is a colorful, affordable option if you end up partying on Frenchmen. It’s open late (till 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and till midnight the rest of the week), and has a kid menu and vegetarian options. But, basically, it’s tots, fries and dogs made with many different kinds of meat and loaded with sauces, condiments, veggies, and other goodness. Create your own or choose from a large menu of creatively named specials. There are more than 30 toppings to choose from. Though Dat Dog has two more locations, both Uptown, this one has an undisputed perk, a big balcony for all your viewing and partying pleasure.

d.b.a. (618 Frenchmen St.)

Since this live music venue opened its doors in 2000, d.b.a. has hosted hundreds of live acts. The bar features a broad selection of beer and spirits, and the music plays nightly. Tin Men and John Boutte perform there regularly.

Downtown Tattoos (501 Frenchmen St.)

This corner tattoo shop is the premier place to get inked in New Orleans. Its roster of talent includes heavy hitters, and the shop takes walk-ins for the ultimate souvenir — but if you’re not ready to commit to the artwork on your skin, you can hang the tattoo artists’ work on your walls when you visit the adjacent art gallery. There, tattooers who also paint on canvas sell their work.

Frenchmen All Day (630 Frenchmen St.)

Small and quaint, Frenchmen All Day is a cafe with indoor seating, as well as sidewalk cafe seating, a full bar, coffee, and brunch fare. The menu has breakfast quiches, Cuban sandwiches, NOLA staples like crawfish etouffee and red beans and rice, and salads. Open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Marigny Brasserie (640 Frenchmen St.)

The casual, live music venue at the end of Frenchmen offers an elevated Cajun/Creole menu, hand-crafted cocktails, a good wine list, and local draft beer plus, of course, live music.

Palace Market Frenchmen (619 Frenchmen St.)

This nightly art market is held in a quirky, light-strung lot, lined with vendors selling everything from handmade soap and incense to original art and clothing. It’s a good place to shop, chat and hang out when the hustle and bustle of Frenchmen get too overwhelming. Bring your drink and settle into a cozy nook, where you can chat and people-watch until you catch your breath.

Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro (626 Frenchmen St.)

Snug Harbor is a sit-down ticketed music venue that is home to local and touring heavyweights of traditional and modern jazz (such as a weekly show by the Jason Marsalis Quartet). For over 30 years, Snug Harbor has provided the best in live jazz and great regional cuisine. Snug Harbor is located in three rooms of a renovated 1800s storefront — a dining room, a bar, and a music room.

The Maison (508 Frenchmen St.)

A music club that triples as a restaurant and bar. It’s three-level, with multiple stages where you can find drag, burlesque, and live music of many genres. The menu is primarily New Orleans classics, a house burger, and sandwich platters.

The Spotted Cat (623 Frenchmen St.)

Petite, sweaty, noisy, and fun, this music club features up to three bands nightly. It draws an eclectic crowd — you’ll see everyone from college students to septuagenarian tourists out there dancing. The venue can get crowded, so if you need to get some air, step out and take a breather at a nearby art market.

Three Muses (536 Frenchmen St.)

Three Muses is one of the best dinner-and-a-show venues in the city, and there’s live music every night. It can get crowded, so you want to make a table reservation (good for 90 minutes, after which you can go to the bar). Some of the best musicians have played there, and the excellent food menu has a lot of vegetarian options.