New Orleans Events Listing

Some of the more popular events
in the New Orleans Area for 2005. 

~ Winter

Mardi Gras -  Click Here for the Mardi Gras Page

~ Spring

Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
March 30- April 30, 2005
www.tennesseewilliams.net

This is the first major festival of the year in the Quarter. Many of the events require tickets and they include literary classes, theater events, and other stuff like that. Not really our cup of tea, but the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival is the premier event for anyone looking to come to New Orleans for a non "Frat Like" experience.

French Quarter Fest
April 8-10, 2005
www.frenchquarterfestival.com

This is the second of many events held in the French Quarter. Most of the Music is Free, featuring local bands and small stages. Pleasant crowds and early spring make this a great time to visit New Orleans and the Quarter. Rooms are cheap and generally available compared to Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans
English Turn Golf and Country Club
New Orleans, Louisiana
April 25-May 1, 2005
http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r018/

English Turn is about 30 min. from New Orleans and is a first rate golf course. This annual PGA event is held during the same time as Jazz Fest and is a good break from the hipster party.

Jazz Fest
April 22-May 1, 2005
www.nojazzfest.com/

Many Local's and Music Lovers from around the world consider Jazz Fest the premier event in New Orleans, even over Mardi Gras. The crowds are not as bad, but it is still a carnival like atmosphere. It's one of the largest music festivals in the US, and features 20 or so stages. Top rock names ranging from Phish, Dave Mathews, and others mix with local favorites like Dash Rip Rock and Cowboy Mouth. There are two weekends, Hotel Rooms can be tough to get. Many of the big names play shows in other venues around the city. Depending on who's playing, it moves smoothly from a jammy vibe, to a jazzy groove, to a high-energy rock and roll atmosphere, to a funky good time, all in the matter of a little stroll from one stage to the next or a foot tappin' whiling a little time away.

  ~ Summer

Greek Festival
May 28 -30, 2005
www.greekfestnola.com

This is the smallest event to make this list, and probably shouldn't be here, but it's held during a time of year when not too much is going on and you know that there's no better "filler" than gyros, feta salads, ouzo, and athletic events harkening back to Olympian days. Don't come to NOLA for this, but if you're here its pretty fun. The Greek Festival is held out by the Lake on the far North side of the city by UNO. More "souvlaki" then you can handle--guaarrrrraaannttteeeed!

French Market Tomato Festival
June 11 & 12, 2005

There really isn't much to the French Market Tomato Festival. But as the weather turns a touch muggy in the summer it's a great excuse for me to leave my Uptown apartment, go to the Quarter and get drunk in the middle of the day on the finest bloodie marys the great state of Lousiana has to offer.

Satchmo Summer Fest
August 4-7, 2004
www.satchmosummerfest.com

Unlike the other "Summer Festivals", Satchmo Summer Fest is worth a trip to New Orleans for just this purpose. It was started as a way to commemorate the Great Louis Armstrong near his birthday, and to help out the struggling tourism Industry during the dreadfully hot days of Summer in the Big Easy. There are all sorts of Free Concerts and other musical events in and around the Quarter. The music is more Jazz related than the Rock and Roll atmosphere of the French Quarter Fest with arts, crafts, and great food to boot.

 ~ Fall

Voodoo Fest
October 22-23, 2005
http://www.voodoomusicfest.com/

Voodoo Fest is no less that awesome! It is held right before Halloween every year. Its one of the larger Hip-Hoppin, hard-rockin music festivals in the US. It's held over one weekend and not as big as Jazz Fest, but has grown immensely over the past few years.

Halloween on Frenchman Street

All the holidays are great in New Orleans; Christmas, St-Patty, Cinco de Mayo, New Years.............but HALLOWEEN is especially great. The big party is actually behind the Quarter in "The Marigny" on Frenchman Street. If you can't find it, then you're too old to be attending raging street parties.