The non-profit French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI) announce the 40th anniversary of French Quarter Festival presented by Chevron, April 13-16, 2023! French Quarter Fest is the largest free festival and showcase of Louisiana music, food, and culture. The festival takes place across venues and stages in the French Quarter neighborhood. This year’s fest invites locals and visitors to reconnect with the flavors of regional cuisine from more than 60 local restaurants, dance to the beat of 270+ Louisiana acts on 20 stages, and enjoy special events that celebrate our unique city. The festival will operate from 11am-8pm each day of the event.

Opening day of French Quarter Fest will close with a bang as the legendary Irma Thomas, Soul Queen of New Orleans closes out the Chevron Stage and fireworks light up the night’s sky on Thursday. 

Remarkably, more than 50 artists will be making their French Quarter Fest debut this year, including Flagboy Giz and the Wild Tchoupitoulas, Iceman Special, Dee1, Los Güiros, Jason Neville Funky Soul Band, Michael Doucet & Lacher Prise, and many more. There's a special featured performance by The Soul Rebels with Big Freedia this year, as well. Other returning favorites include Ani DiFranco, Tank & the Bangas, John Boutte, Sweet Crude, Robin Barnes & the Fiyabirds, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, and MANY others. 

Attendees can experience Louisiana legends in the streets of the Quarter each night of festival, thanks to the return of the Chevron Evening Concert Series, which returns in 2023 with Rockin' Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles, Louisiana’s LeRoux, and Erica Falls at the Chevron Stage in the Jax Brewery Lot.

The complete music schedule will be released in early March. Check frenchquarterfest.org for all the most up-to-date information.

Food

Some come for the food, and stay for the music! Undoubtedly, the Fest’s long list of menu items has been creating its own fans for 40 years. The four-day event is home to 60 vendors, across six food sites. The 2023 French Quarter Festival Culinary Lineup returns with no shortage of flavor serving up New Orleans’ classics and modern dishes from local restaurants and chefs.

This year’s lineup includes decadent options like the Shrimp and Alligator Sausage Cheesecake and Slow Roasted Duck Po-Boy from Jacques-Imo’s, Crabby Jack’s Rabbit Jambalaya, Crawfish Enchiladas with Green Chili Meat Sauce from Voleo’s and Mexican Style Street Corn and the award-winning Fried Chicken Sandwich from Southerns.

FQFI welcomes Boulevard, serving up the Boulevard Oysters with Crispy Gulf Oysters, Cream Spinach, and Crystal Aioli in their debut year. Other returning favorites include Addis Nola, Walker’s Southern Style BBQ, Patton’s, Morrow’s, and Ajun Cajun. Vaucresson’s Sausage Co., which has been a part of the French Quarter Festival journey since 1984 also returns to the lineup.

Abita Beer returns as a major sponsor of the festival; the local brewing company brings favorites like Amber, Jockamo Juicy IPA, Hard Sweet Tea, and the debut of Beeracuda. A varied menu of spirits and mixed cocktails, wine, and champagne can also be found at beverage booths around the festival ground that include Jack Daniel’s, El Jimador Tequila, Finlandia Vodka, Sonoma-Cutrer Wines, Korbel California Champagne, and new festival additions Fords Gin and Diplomático Rum.

With family in mind, a wide range of non-alcoholic beverages for fans of all ages is also offered throughout the Fest including Pepsi products and their all-new Starry. Those in need of a pick me up to keep on festin' can grab a French Market Coffee and relax in their patio cafe in JAX Brewery Lot.

Special Events, Programs, and Festival Extras

● French Quarter Festival Second-Line Kickoff Parade will take place Thursday, April 13 at 10am. The parade departs from the 200 block of Bourbon Street and makes its way to Jackson Square.

● Free dance lessons sponsored by the French Market Corporation will occur at both the Chevron Stage and the French Market Traditional Jazz Stage throughout the festival.

● On Saturday and Sunday the Chevron Children’s STEM Zone, will return to the Natchez Wharf to entertain and educate people of all ages.

The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park Kids Stage operates just a stones throw away from the STEM Zone on both days.

●  Ernie’s Schoolhouse Stage located at the Homer A. Plessy Community School features an array of up and coming musicians of middle and high school age from independent programs and school associated ensembles. This initiative, started in 2018, continues FQFI’s commitment to investing in the next generation of New Orleans’ culture bearers. Youth inclined to musical performance are provided opportunities to showcase their talents at a major music festival while learning about engaging in the live production aspect of the music industry.

●  The official poster of French Quarter Fest 2023 is available for sale now at this link

FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL 2023 MUSIC LINEUP

* Festival debut

THURSDAY, APRIL 13, 2023

Ani DiFranco
Babineaux Sisters Band
Bag of Donuts
Corey Ledet & His Zydeco Band
Chubby Carrier and the Bayou Swamp Band
Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra Ernie Vincent
Gerard Delafose and The Zydeco Gators*
Irma Thomas, Soul Queen of New Orleans
Joe Lastie's New Orleans Sound
Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes
Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers
Louisiana’s LeRoux
Mahogany Brass Band
Mem Shannon & The Membership
Paul Sanchez and the Rolling Road Show
Poisson Rouge*
Preservation Brass
Roderick Paulin (REV) and The Congregation*
Slugger*
Susan Cowsill
The Dirty Dozen Brass Band
The Iguanas
The Lilli Lewis Project
Tuba Skinny

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2023

Alex McMurray and his Band
Amanda Shaw
Antoine Deil & New Orleans Misfit Power Band
Beau Bayou and the Sabine Connection*
Big Frank & Lil Frank and the Dirty Old Men
Bon Bon Vivant
Bonerama
Debauche
Dee 1
DeJan's Olympia Brass Band Duane Bortles Band
Ecirb Müller's Twisted Dixie
Eric Johanson
Erica Falls
Flagboy Giz and The Wild Tchoupitoulas*
Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue
George Porter, Jr. & the Runnin' Pardners
Giantfunk w/Gerald French
Higher Heights Reggae Band
Ingrid Lucia
James Andrews
Jamey St Pierre and THC
Jeffery Broussard and the Creole Cowboys
John Boutté
Kings of Brass*
LeTrainiump*
Louis Ford & His New Orleans Flairs Mayumi Shara & New Orleans Jazz Letters
Mid City Aces
Muévelo
Palmetto Bug Stompers
Panorama Jazz Band
Rachel Fleetwood & Perfect Love Band*
Raw Deal*
Red Hot Brass Band
Robin Barnes & The Fiyabirds
Samantha Fish*
Secret Six Jazz Band
Slow Motion Riders
Solid Harmony-Tribute to Topsy Chapman
Sporty's Brass Band
Sweet Crude
T Marie and Bayou Juju*
The Jake Landry Band
The New Orleans Catahoulas The Revealers
The Soul Rebels ft. Big Freedia*
The Wolfe Johns Blues Band
Tom Saunders and the HOTCATS
Tommy McLain and C.C. Adcock
Treme Brass Band
Troy Sawyer and the Elementz Water Seed

SATURDAY, APRIL 15

79rs Gang
Anna Laura Quinn*
Andrew Duhon Trio
Astral Project
Audubon Charter Middle School Choir led by Davis Rogan
Banu Gibson
Barbara Shorts and Blue Jazz
Big Chief Monk Boudreaux and the Golden Eagles
Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band
Charmaine Neville
Christian Serpas & Ghost Town
Chucky C & Band
Dinosaurchestra
Don Vappie & Banjo a la Créole
Flow Tribe
Fritzel’s All Star Band
Ghalia Volt
Helen Gillet & Wazozo
Jason Neville FunkySoul Band*
Joe Krown
John "Papa" Gros
Johnny J and the Hitmen
Joy Clark
Julian Primeaux
Khris Royal
Kid Simmons Jazz Band
Kristen Diable
Lawrence Cotton Legendary Experience
Leroy Jones' Original Hurricane Brass Band
Leslie Cooper and Music Street
Lisa Amos
Little Freddie King
Lynn Drury
Marc Stone
Mark Braud’s New Orleans Jazz Giants
Mark Brooks
Marty Peters and the Party Meters
Meschiya Lake and the Little Big Horns
Michael Doucet & Lâcher Prise
Miss Sophie Lee
Mizik Minokan: A Tribute to Damas "Fanfan" Louis
New Orleans Classic Jazz Orchestra
New Orleans Nightcrawlers
NPS African Drum & Dance Program ft Wowo Souakoli & Sidiki Conde
NPS Arrowhead Jazz Band
Onward Brass Band
Papo y Son Mandao
Patrice Fisher and Arpa
Quiana Lynell
R Project Brass Band
Rebirth Brass Band
Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys
Seguenon Kone featuring Ivorie Spectacle
Shake Em' Up Jazz Band
Shamarr Allen
Shannon Powell Traditional All-Star Band
Shawana Rice
Slangston Hughes and the Rimless Bentley*
Songs for Jr Rangers with Richard Scott
Sullivan Dabney's Muzik Jazz Band
Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots
The Dixie Cups
The New Orleans Klezmer All Stars
The Original Pinettes Brass Band
The Rumble featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr
Tim Laughlin
Tommy Sancton's New Orleans Legacy Band
Viva La Música Kids
Washboard Chaz Blues Trio
Waylon Thibodeaux Band
Zita*

SUNDAY, APRIL 16

21st Century Brass
A.C.E. (Anderson, Chute, Easley)
And Then Came Humans
Andy J Forest Band
Bamboula 2000
Bucktown All-Stars
Cary Hudson featuring Katrina Miller & Anna Hudson
Cha Wa
Charlie Gabriel*
Clive Wilson's New Orleans Serenaders
Creole String Beans
Cullen Landry and the Midnight Streetcar Band featuring Al "Carnival Time" Johnson
Cupid & the Dance Party Express Band
David Bandrowski & the Rhumba Defense*
Dr. Sick and the Late Greats
Dwayne Dopsie and the Zydeco Hellraisers
Edna Karr
Ever More Nest
George W. Carver
Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestras
Gumbeaux Juice
Halloran & The Tropicales
Happy Talk Band
Honey Island Swamp Band
Hot Club of New Orleans
Iceman Special
James Rivers Movement
Jamil Sharif
Jena McSwain Jazz Band
Jeremy Davenport
John Mooney
Johnette Downing - Louisiana Roots Music for Children
Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen
Jourdan Thibodeaux et les Rôdailleurs
Kelly Love Jones
La Petite Mort
Lena Prima
Leroy Jones & New Orleans' Finest
Los Güiros*
Los Niños Garínagu: Manteniendo Nuestras Raíces // Garínagu Children: Preserving our Roots and Culture
Lost Bayou Ramblers
Maggie Koerner
Marina Orchestra*
Maude Caillat
Mikhala "Jazz Muffin" Iversen
Minus the Saint
Nana Sula & Asase Yaa's Songs
On the Levee Jazz Band
Paulin Brothers Jazz Band
Preston Frank & the Frank Family Band
Red Wolf Brass Band
Rhodes Spedale Tribute ft. Live Jazz Group
Rockin' Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters
Rory Danger and the Danger Dangers
Sierra Green
Songs for Jr Rangers with Sam Kuslan
Steve Pistorius & the Southern Syncopators
Storyville Stompers Brass Band
Tank and the Bangas
The New Orleans Swinging Gypsies
The NOCCA Jazz Ensemble
The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band
The Pfister Sisters
The Song Dogs
Tiffany Pollack & Co.
Tiny Dinosaur
Tonya Boyd-Cannon
Tyron Benoit Band
Wanda Rouzan and a Taste of New Orleans
We are Trained Professional

Check frenchquarterfest.org for all the latest!