fbpx

New Orleans Summer Festivals

trumpet players New Orleans

Here’s what’s on tap for the upcoming summer months in terms of festivals and other fun events you should consider attending if you’re visiting New Orleans this summer.

Enjoy Music Like Never Before

Music has been an integral part of New Orleans history, culture and traditions. It comes as no surprise that people come from near and far to experience the unique music scene in this culturally diverse city. This summer, you will have the opportunity to hear outstanding live music at a number of local festivals.

ESSENCE Festival, taking place June 29 – July 3, 2023, over the Independence Day weekend, will be returning this year to the Caesars Superdome for the nightly concerts, plus there will be a packed schedule of free daytime events at the Convention Center, including motivational seminars, beauty and style presentations, celebrity interviews, cooking demos, and lots more.

Expect a stellar music lineup of major headliners and the best of the local talent. This year, the spotlight is on hip-hop to honor its 50th anniversary.

The traditional Sunday Gospel Celebration at the Convention Center will feature 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 returning once again to the Superdome.

Since ESSENCE is so much more than music, a slew of exciting conferences, exhibitions, roundtables, and other experiences is also scheduled, including a series of keynotes. The celebrated ESSENCE Eats will once again have cooking demos and a food court with vendors from all over the South.

Another music festival of note is Satchmo SummerFest (August 5-6, 2023), which started as a tribute to Louis Armstrong on his 100th birthday. The two-day festival is held at the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint at the foot of Esplanade Avenue and will have music all weekend on its two outdoor, tented stages. Other events will include a Sunday morning jazz mass at the historic St. Augustine Church in Tremé, seminars and film screenings, kid’s activities, and a second-line parade on Sunday.

More Exciting New Orleans Summer Events and Festivals

Running of the Bulls brings Encierro to New Orleans on July 14-16, 2023, except the “bulls” are the Big Easy Rollergirls. San Fermin in Nueva Orleans pays annual homage to the world-famous Encierro of Pamplona, Spain, running through the CBD starting at the Sugar Mill on Saturday, July 15, 2023. Check out the schedule on the event’s website for the annual opening and closing parties happening that weekend.

If cocktails are your thing, be sure to check out Tales of the Cocktail (July 23-28, 2023), a six-day festival full of special events, tastings and seminars — all geared towards sharing ideas and techniques of cocktail-making. The theme this year is “Vitalize,” and the Spirited Dinner series will feature special cocktail and food menus at restaurants across the city. The festival’s signature annual blowout, the “best of” Spirited Awards, will be held on Thursday, July 27, 2023, followed by the always-popular after-party.

The fun doesn’t stop there, of course. The White Linen Night (Saturday, August 5, 2023), its cousin Dirty Linen Night (Saturday, August 12.2023), the Red Dress Run (also on Saturday, August 12, 2023), Southern Decadence (August 31 – September 4, 2023), and the monthlong COOLinary will all be making their way to New Orleans this August.

Finding a New Orleans Hotel Close to It All

Planning a trip to New Orleans this summer? Book your reservation today with Place d’Armes Hotel! Just minutes from exciting summer festivals, events, restaurants, shops, bars, and more, the Place d’Armes is ideally located in the heart of the city, the historic French Quarter.