As a newcomer to New Orleans, I’ve been struck by just how many events, festivals and things to do there have been in my first couple of months in the city.
To me, it felt like my first Mardi Gras season had just wrapped up when I began hearing about “festival season” and the dozens of upcoming celebrations in the New Orleans area and beyond.
Already, it seemed like a whole new series of stuff to do, and I can admit to feeling a little overwhelmed all over again.
But before long, the week of French Quarter Fest had arrived, so I dug deep to make sure I made a first-ever trip to the fest on its opening day Thursday.
Heading over to French Quarter Fest
I didn’t exactly start the morning in the perfect festival mood. Minutes before I was set to leave and try out what the French Quarter had to offer, I was still speeding through the breaking news of the day.
I may have felt frantic just before heading over to the festival, but my tensions quickly eased as I began my walk through the Crescent City’s downtown.
Everyone was forecasting a beautiful day and the weather certainly delivered — Thursday was sunny and warm without hitting the overwhelming summer humidity.
Festival-goers walk along the Mississippi River during the first day of French Quarter Festival in New Orleans, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (Photo by Sophia Germer, The Times-Picayune)
STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Plenty of people were also eager to bask in the weather and head to the festival. At the Jackson Square entrance, lines had formed to enter the Square lined with food stands and live music stages.
The lines I saw at first were out of the ordinary, I was told, but I managed to get inside pretty quickly.
At Jackson Square, the walking paths were a little crowded and maneuvering through other festival guests sometimes felt a bit like an obstacle course, especially whenever I had a precious tray of food in my hands.
I joined my coworker Poet Wolfe for French Quarter Fest, and she let me tag along as we tried a selection of classic French Quarter Fest foods and some up-and-coming dishes.
All five of the plates I sampled were new to me, from a barbecue shrimp and pepper-jack cheese po-boy filled with shrimp coated in Restaurant R’evolution’s tangy sauce to a shrimp and alligator sausage cheesecake from Jacques-Imo’s — a combination that initially confused me as I envisioned a classic velvety New York-style cheesecake stuffed with sausage.
I enjoyed all of the servings, but I especially loved the Patton’s Caterers combo platter, where appropriately spiced seafood met with soft dough and sauces that were rich in flavor.
The combo platter from Patton’s Catering at Jazz Fest is a feast of crawfish sack, oyster patty and savory seafood beignets. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
BY IAN MCNULTY | Staff writer
For dessert, I loved Desire Oyster Bar’s bread pudding with whiskey sauce, a well-portioned offering of pure comfort as the warm bread mingled with cinnamon and a sweet sauce. I ate from two servings of bread pudding and could have had even more.
WWOZ’s mango freeze also hit the spot on a hot day, bringing to mind a fruit forward treat I used to love buying from Puerto Rican markets in Massachusetts.
Trekking between food stands also gave me my first real look at the beautiful fountains that dot Jackson Square and the pristine view of the Mississippi River from the riverfront.
I saw some of the legendary New Orleans river boats up close for the first time and took a brief moment to imagine myself as a traveler crossing the Mississippi while a jazz band played through the day.
As I waited in line for much-needed food and coffee, I appreciated how friendly New Orleans residents are as guests chatted me up about their favorite beverages and their lives in New Orleans.
I left French Quarter Fest wishing I spent even more time there Thursday. Hopefully, I’ll be able to stop by again this weekend to try even more dishes and spend some quality time watching the jazz musicians I was able to briefly admire.