The festival features over 70 local food vendors with dishes from across the city. Organizers say Saturday was one of the busiest days of the four-day event.
NEW ORLEANS — As the French Quarter Festival heads into its final day, festivalgoers say the food is just as much a draw as the music.
Crowds filled the French Quarter on Saturday, with organizers calling it one of the busiest days of the four-day event. While hundreds of local musicians perform across multiple stages, many attendees said their main focus was sampling as much New Orleans cuisine as possible.
“I had fried ribs, oysters from Morrow’s, pasta from Morrow’s and chicken from another eatery — it was all so good,” one festivalgoer said.
The festival features more than 70 local food vendors, giving visitors a chance to try dishes from restaurants across the city in one location.
Others said they prefer to keep things simple when deciding what to eat.
“I just see what they have and find out what I want,” another attendee said.
That approach appears to be paying off, with festivalgoers praising a wide range of options — from savory meals to quick bites.
“This is from Sun Chong — it’s the wings and fried rice, and it’s a 10,” one person said while eating.
Among the standout items mentioned by attendees were the beignets from Loretta’s Pralines, located near the Audubon Aquarium along the riverfront.
“The beignets were excellent. You’ve got to try them — if you haven’t, you’ve got to,” another festivalgoer said.
Beyond the food itself, some attendees said the festival serves as a gateway to discovering new restaurants.
“If I like it, I’m actually going to go there and eat there,” one person said.
This year’s festival is the largest yet, featuring more than 300 performances across 20 stages, along with dozens of local vendors showcasing New Orleans food and culture. The event also includes new additions, such as an expanded riverfront experience at Governor Nicholls Wharf.
Organizers say the festival continues to highlight local businesses while drawing large crowds to the French Quarter for one of the country’s largest free music events.
The festival wraps up Sunday, with gates opening at 11 a.m. and closing at 8 p.m.
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Dining and Cooking