NOLA’s French Quarter Festival Recap

New Orleans really knows how to party.

One of my all-time favorite festivals ever attended was the French Quarter Festival, just one of the MANY events held in the French Quarter every year. This 4-day fest celebrates the city’s wonderful culture, upbeat music and drool-inducing, AH-mazingly delicious foods with origins stemming from all over the world.

Gumbo, Étouffée, Jambalaya, Muffulettas, Po’boy, Crawfish, Red Beans and Rice… and that was just my breakfast…

Learning how to swing dance with Chance Bushman of the NOLA Jitterbugs and about 200 other festival goers.

Even putting the food aside for a sec, the music alone is worth the plane ticket. The fest represents every genre from traditional and contemporary jazz to R&B, New Orleans funk, brass bands, folk, gospel, Latin, Zydeco, classical, cabaret and international.

Bonus: Let’s also not forget, the French Quarter has the honor of hosting, “The World’s Largest Jazz Brunch” in Jackson Square. Last year, they estimated more than 760,000 people in attendance.

I also stopped by the famous Loretta’s Authentic Pralines (pronounced PRA-leen, not PRAY-leen) to learn how these special beignets are made. I also learn about the namesake’s story of her business which has been a part of the festival for over 37 years. Watch a clip HERE

Tastemade’s Quest for the Fest series has me getting an education on the differences between Cajun and Creole food, learning to swing dance, making beignets from scratch and eating SO. MANY. Po’Boys.

If you’re ever planning a trip to New Orleans, I highly recommend checking out this festival. It is the largest FREE outdoor festival in the entire continental United States.

Oh, and it’s loads of fun.

Hungry for more? Check out more episodes of Quest for the Fest on Amazon