Top Spring Festivals in New Orleans for 2025

Spring is a great time to visit New Orleans. The weather is mild, the flowers are blooming, and the city is buzzing with energy after Mardi Gras. But just because Carnival season is over doesn’t mean the celebrations stop – spring in New Orleans is jam-packed with incredible festivals and events celebrating everything from music and food to art, literature, and culture. 

Whether you’re here for world-famous events like Jazz Fest or looking to experience a neighborhood festival with a more local vibe, something is happening almost every weekend. 

In this guide, we’ll give you an overview of the best spring festivals in New Orleans so you can add a little extra flair to your visit.

March Festivals In New Orleans

St. Patrick’s Day

March 15-17, 2025

Head to the Irish Channel, a neighborhood near the Garden District, on the Sunday before St. Patrick’s Day to join the crowds for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Rolling down the lower section of Magazine Street and St. Charles Avenue, marchers and riders throw green beads and doubloons, in true New Orleans style. (They might also throw the makings of Irish Stew, so keep an eye out for potatoes, onions, cabbage, and carrots.) You can also hit the block party at Annunciation Square, join a pub crawl, or party with the Downtown Irish Club during their St. Patrick’s Day parade which rolls from the Bywater to the French Quarter on Tuesday.

Danny Barker Banjo & Guitar Festival 

March 17-23, 2025

A week filled with citywide live music performances, educational panels, and even a golf tournament, this annual festival celebrates the life and legacy of New Orleans’ own NEA Jazz Master Danny Barker, a renowned musician, educator, and author. It’s a wonderful showcase of the musical heritage of New Orleans. 

Wednesday at the Square Weekly Concert Series 

Every Wednesday from March 19 – May 7, 2025

If you’ll be in New Orleans on a Wednesday night in the spring, grab a chair or blanket, put together a picnic, and get set up in Lafayette Park. Wednesday at the Square is a free weekly concert series that brings a mix of jazz, rock, brass, swamp-pop, Latin rhythms, and more to the heart of the Central Business District. It’s great for kids, and dogs are welcome too!

NOLA Food Fight 

March 27, 2025

Foodies, this one’s for you! It’s an all-you-can-eat food fest at the carousel at Lafreniere Park. With over 40 restaurants and 30 spirits competing to create the best New Orleans dishes and cocktails, you’re in for a real treat. The event benefits the PLEASE Foundation, a Louisiana non-profit providing at-risk teens with mentorship, leadership training, and scholarships to attend local college-preparatory high schools.

Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival 

March 26-30, 2025

A five-day fest celebrating the brilliant Tennessee Williams and the city’s love of books, this festival assembles top authors, playwrights, actors, and speakers for a series of literary panels, theatrical performances, movie screenings, book signings, cocktail parties, conferences, walking tours, and more. The most well-known part of the event is the “Stella!” shouting contest in Jackson Square, where contestants reenact the iconic scene from A Streetcar Named Desire. (Note: The Stella Shouting Contest is on March 23rd.)

The New Orleans Book Festival, hosted at Tulane University, and The Saints and Sinners Literary Festival, celebrating LGBTQ+ authors, overlap with the Tennessee Williams Festival, making for one incredible weekend for book lovers!

New Orleans Book Festival 

March 27-29, 2025

Saints + Sinners Literary Festival

March 28-30, 2025

Freret Street Festival 

March 29, 2025

This all-day free neighborhood festival shuts down several blocks of Freret Street Uptown (from Napoleon Ave to Valmont St) so over 200 local vendors can set up shop. With live music stages, lots of food and drink options, and tons of vendors, the festival celebrates the restaurants and businesses that have made the Freret Shopping District so vibrant.

Brews, Boils & Bubbles Festival 

March 29, 2025

Nothing’s more NOLA than boiled seafood! Head over to the New Orleans Lakefront to enjoy hot, spicy, flavorful boils paired with local craft beer and champagne at this outdoor festival. There will also be all-day entertainment including music, games, photo ops, and more. 

Congo Square Rhythms Festival 

March 29-30, 2025

A free event presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the Congo Square Rhythms Festival features live music, African dance and drumming, an arts market, and lots of gumbo. Hosted in what is known as the oldest neighborhood of free African Americans in the United States, the festival is a celebration of traditional song, dance, and drumming.

April Festivals in New Orleans

Hogs for the Cause

April 4-5, 2025

During the Hogs for the Cause festival, over 90 world-class BBQ teams and an incredible lineup of more than 20 musical acts unite for two days of fun, including a cook-off contest where judges taste test to determine categories like best ribs and best sauce. Pig out on yummy BBQ, rock out to live music, and feel good knowing your ticket is contributing to a fundraiser for pediatric brain cancer. The two-day fest is hosted by the New Orleans Lakefront.

Overlook Film Festival 

April 3-6, 2025

Horror fans, unite! Is there any better place to celebrate all things horror than the most haunted city in America? The Overlook Festival is a four-day celebration of horror, showcasing both full-length and short films, interactive and immersive experiences, live shows, radio plays, podcasts, and panels. 

French Quarter Festival 

April 10-13, 2025

This is a New Orleans favorite! The French Quarter Festival celebrates the essence of NOLA with four days of music and food in the French Quarter. Over twenty stages featuring local musicians and tons of food and drink vendors take over the charming streets of the FQ. You’ll enjoy every genre of local music from traditional jazz to brass bands and sample cuisine from over 60 Louisiana restaurants. Best of all, admission is free!

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 

April 24-May 4, 2025

Also known as Jazz Fest, this is THE festival for music aficionados. Held on the New Orleans Fair Grounds in Mid-City, this famous two-weekend festival brings together all kinds of incredible musical acts and some of the city’s best cuisine. Headliners for 2025 include Pearl Jam, Dave Matthews band, Luke Combs, Lil Wayne & The Roots, Lenny Kravitz, Kasey Musgraves, Santana, and more – there are so many well-known artists, we can’t list them all! 

NOLA Crawfish Festival 

April 28-30, 2025

If you’re in town for Jazz Fest, you’re in for a treat during the week between Jazz Fest weekends. The NOLA Crawfish Festival is centered around crawfish, of course! In addition to thousands of pounds of boiled crawfish, there will also be award-winning BBQ and a full musical lineup. Hosted outdoors at the Broadside, this is one fun NOLA tradition.

May Festivals in New Orleans

Photo Credit: thebayouboogaloo.com

Bayou Boogaloo

May 16-18, 2025

Hang by the water, hop on a tube or kayak, and enjoy three days of delicious food, arts and crafts tents, live music, and boat races for a totally unique New Orleans experience. You can arrive by land or by boat (two different ticket types are required) to the festival’s location in Bayou St. John.

Where to Stay For Spring Festivals in New Orleans 

Spring in New Orleans is a season of nonstop celebration, with festivals that showcase the city’s love for music, food, and culture. Our vacation rentals put you right in the heart of the action, offering a comfortable and convenient home base for all your New Orleans festival adventures. 

Ready to plan your spring getaway? Book your stay with us and make the most of spring in the Big Easy!