Events

Traditional Tapping of the Keg ('O'zapft is!') on opening Friday; 20+ brews on tap; 800+ kegs; Warsteiner, Paulaner, Spaten, Franziskaner, Hofbräu, Bitburger + Urban South Brewery

6-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical; 40+ performers; elaborate puppetry and African-inspired staging by director Julie Taymor; songs by Elton John & Tim Rice including 'Circle of Life,' 'Hakuna Matata'

150+ films, 250+ filmmakers, 12,000+ in-person attendees; focus on emerging diverse storytellers from the American South; filmmaker Q&As, conference, South Pitch program, Virtual Cinema, parties citywide

Halloween-themed Mardi Gras-style parade; 3D fiberglass/papier-mâché floats by Kern Studios; 1,000+ participants; throws include candy, Chee Wees, pralinettes, light-up beads, voodoo pins, doubloons (all collectible/consumable)

America's Halloween capital — celebrations run all month; 2026 Halloween falls on a Saturday; festivities second only to Mardi Gras in scale

One-day premier food festival celebrating the beignet in every form; 30+ vendors compete for Best Beignet (Traditional, Sweet, Savory); live music, artist market, kids village, beer garden, sensory-friendly spaces

NFL Regular Season Week 9 — First game after Week 8 bye

Annual 7-block po-boy celebration; 40+ vendors serving 60+ po-boy varieties; live music, Arts Market, Kids Zone, opening parade, juried po-boy competition with celebrity judges

NFL Regular Season Week 10 — NFC South Divisional

NFL Regular Season Week 13

Broadway musical inspired by the legendary Grammy-winning 1997 album; brings Cuba's legendary son musicians to the stage through iconic songs and the spirit of Old Havana

Beloved holiday Broadway musical celebrating 20+ years on stage; Max the Dog narrates as the Grinch plots to steal Christmas from Whoville; features 'You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch' and 'Welcome Christmas'

Centuries-old South Louisiana tradition — nearly 200 bonfires (20–30 ft. high wooden pyramids) lit along both banks of the Mississippi River to guide 'Papa Noël' (Cajun Santa Claus); hailed by international media as one of the most breathtaking holiday traditions in the world

New Orleans' largest free NYE celebration — open-air riverfront concert, iconic Fleur de Lis drop at midnight (descends from JAX Brewery), fireworks over the Mississippi River (Crescent City Countdown Club)

Family-friendly New Year's Eve celebration counting down to NOON — confetti and bubble explosion at the stroke of noon; festive hats and noisemakers provided; live music, dancing, face painting, games throughout the 8.5-acre campus

Official kickoff to Carnival Season — every Twelfth Night the PPP boards a St. Charles streetcar for a satirical procession; members throw the first beads of Mardi Gras season; champagne, king cakes, the Boss determined by the king cake baby

College Football Playoff (CFP) Semifinal — winner advances to CFP National Championship (Jan. 25, 2027, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas)

Largest downtown foot parade of Crescent City Carnival — 2,500–2,800+ members; 150+ sci-fi/fantasy/horror sub-krewes; ~100 handmade human-powered contraptions (no engines); motto: 'Saving the Galaxy, One Drunken Nerd at a Time'

Broadway musical based on Nicholas Sparks' bestselling novel and the iconic 2004 film; sweeping love story of Allie and Noah across multiple eras of their lives; 'full of butterfly-inducing highs and beautiful songs' (Entertainment Weekly)

Fiendishly funny whodunit based on the cult-classic 1985 Paramount film and Hasbro board game; six mysterious guests at Boddy Manor — Colonel Mustard, Mrs. Peacock, Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Mr. Green — in a whirlwind of slapstick comedy

One of the most beloved musicals in history — 65+ years on stage; Rodgers & Hammerstein classic; Maria Rainer becomes governess to the von Trapp children in Austria, falls in love with the captain, and the family escapes Nazi Germany

200+ national/regional/local authors; panels, book signings, cooking demos, live music; Family Day with Scholastic: interactive activities, book distribution, author visits

Festive walking parade and massive bar crawl; motto: 'Everyone is Irish for a day'

One of the country's largest BBQ and music festivals — 30,000+ fans, 20 bands, 90 competing BBQ teams; combines competitive BBQ with live Americana/country/roots music

10K race from Poydras St. through New Orleans, ending at City Park; Michelob Ultra RaceFest post-race with live music and cuisine

Annual Easter Sunday celebration of LGBTQ+ fashion and creativity; carriages, walking groups, and convertibles; gowns, summer suits with Easter hats, tuxedos, and creative costumes; family-friendly and inclusive

Tulsa, Oklahoma, 1967 — Ponyboy Curtis and his Greaser family battle the Socs; gripping story of friendship, belonging, and 'staying gold'; jaw-dropping fight choreography, original folk/country/pop-infused 1960s score

The largest free showcase of Louisiana music anywhere in the world — the city's 'favorite festival'; 300+ performances across 20+ stages; every genre of Louisiana music; 60+ Louisiana restaurant vendors

Only team event on PGA TOUR — 80 two-man teams; Rounds 1 & 3: Four Ball; Rounds 2 & 4: Foursomes (introduced 2017)

One of the world's greatest music, food, and culture festivals — 400,000–475,000 attendees; 12+ stages; 85–90% Louisiana performers; jazz, blues, gospel, R&B, zydeco, Cajun, folk, rock, and more; two large food areas, 250+ crafts vendors, Cultural Exchange Pavilion

Global theatrical phenomenon — Harry's headstrong son Albus befriends Draco Malfoy's son Scorpius, sparking a time-travel adventure with the power to change the past and future forever; 'the most astonishing theatrical magic ever seen on stage'

'Utterly electrifying' (Entertainment Weekly) new musical — Bobby Darin's remarkable journey from teen idol to global sensation; immersive nightclub staging with live band and cabaret tables; cast performs throughout the space