Beignet Festival
October 5
https://www.beignetfest.com/
A project for the Tres Doux Foundation, which supports nonprofits helping children with developmental delays, the Beignet Fest is guaranteed to be a wonderful and delicious event. It’s held at the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds from 10am-6pm. The festival will feature over 30 beignet varieties in the sweet and savory categories from some of New Orleans’ best restaurants and food trucks. The festival will also feature live music, a kid’s village, and art market. Tickets are $5 per person, with free admission for children 12 and under with a paying adult.
Algiers Fest
October 5
http://algiersdevelopment.com/2019-algiers-fest/
This year’s festival will focus on bringing awareness to Breast Cancer by honoring cancer survivors and those who lost their battle to this horrific disease. The 5th anniversary of Algiers Fest will be held from 12pm-9pm at New Orleans Riverside at Federal City, located at 2500 General Meyer Ave. Come out and enjoy delicious food and live music, while celebrating the military and the community.
Fall Garden Fest
October 5-6
http://neworleanscitypark.com/events/fall-garden-festival
Celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the Fall Garden festival is the place to be for all home and professional gardeners. The event takes place at the New Orleans Botanical Gardens, located within City Park. It will feature plant and garden product exhibits, products/plants for purchase, educational seminars, a kid’s area, music, arts and crafts, and much more. Sponsors include the New Orleans Botanical Garden, New Orleans City Park, the New Orleans Botanical garden Foundation, and Friends of City Park. See website for ticket information and purchase. Friends of City Park members receive free admission.
Oktoberfest
October 4-5, 11-12, 18-19
Oktoberfest will take place the first three weekends in October on Bayou St. John, across from Big Lake in City Park. The event will feature authentic German food, live music, dance performances, a German souvenir shop, contests and, of course, lots of German beer. Admission is $8, children 12 and under free.
Gentilly Fest
October 11-13
The location for Gentilly fest is Pontchartrain Park Playground, at 5701 Press Dr. It is a free festival, but donations are greatly appreciated, which help support New Orleans first responders, Children’s Music Camps, sports programs of Pontchartrain Park and Milne playgrounds and The Roots of Music. Celebrating all things New Orleans, the event will feature food, fine arts and crafts, live music and a Kid’s Village. You can see a pattern here! All New Orleans festivals feature food, live music, almost always alcohol, activities for kids and unique local arts and crafts.
NOLA Mac and Cheese Fest
October 12
https://www.nolamacncheesefest.com/
The 3rd Annual NOLA Mac and Cheese Fest will take place from 11am-6pm in Louis Armstrong Park. Admission is free. Food and drink tickets will be available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Special Olympics, Louisiana. Come try some of the best mac and cheese in the city and see who’ll be awarded the Macaroni Trophy for the best mac and cheese in the city!
Crescent City Blues and BBQ Festival
October 18-20
https://jazzandheritage.org/blues-fest/
The Crescent Blues and BBQ Festival, presented by the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, will hold its 14th annual event in Lafayette Square. The event features live music on two stages and lots of incredibly delicious BBQ, served up by some of the best pit masters in the region. Admission is free. For a full line-up of events, see the attached website.
Krewe of Boo Halloween Parade
October 19
Presented by the Haunted History Tours, this parade has been the official New Orleans Halloween parade in New Orleans since 2007. New Orleans is the perfect city to celebrate Halloween in with its haunts, voodoo, and mysterious mix of cultures. Floats and props are created by the incredibly talented Kern family. The 3-dimensional fiberglass and papier mache props are sure to excite and frighten parade-goers as they make their way through the “Boo Carre” (Veaux Carre, otherwise known as the French Quarter). As a solution to the masses of waste produced by beads, Brian Kern came up with a useful alternative for parade throws—New Orleans-made food items and local collectible items that parade-goers would want to keep as mementos. Some of these items include Pralinettes from Aunt Sally’s, Chee Wees from Elmer’s Fine Foods, PJs Coffee Frac Packs, and Krewe of Boo Limited Edition T-shirts. Check out the website for various other fun events happening in correlation with the parade.
Voodoo Music and Arts Experience (Voodoo Fest)
October 25-27
https://www.voodoofestival.com/
Voodoo fest is a multi-day music and arts festival held in City Park. The festival will feature over 65 bands, spread out over numerous stages throughout the festival grounds. People attend this festival dressed in some of the most “interesting” get-ups. It’s a people-watcher’s paradise, for sure! The Forked Up Food Court offers numerous selections of native New Orleanian cuisine. The crowds are bountiful, the traffic can be a nightmare, but the talent presented on stage is worth the hassle. The Festival is offering one day passes this year. Visit the official website for ticket info, featured bands, and much more.
Boo at the Zoo
October 25-27
https://events.audubonnatureinstitute.org/boo/
Venture out to the Audubon Zoo for three days of spooky family fun! The event is held for children up to the age of 12. It features a trick-or-treat lane, ghost train, inflatables, haunted house, entertainment and much more. Dress up your little ones and enjoy an evening of safe, family-friendly entertainment, while supporting Children’s Hospital of New Orleans and the Audubon Zoo. Admission is $20 per person for adults and children. Games and treats, except for concession items, are included in the ticket price.