French Quarter Fest Moved to Fall

As we are speculating about upcoming annual events, and how the coronavirus pandemic will affect those in 2021, a couple of Louisiana's most unique festivals have announced their plans for this year.

Yesterday, organizers of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival announced that they were postponing this year's event to fall due to ongoing concerns with COVID-19. It will now be held on the weekends of October 8 and 15th and will remain at the Fairgrounds. For the last 50 years, the festival has been held the last weekend in April, and the first weekend in May.

And on Thursday promoters of the French Quarter Fest also announced their plans for the upcoming event. French Quarter Festivals, Inc., which is a non profit organization that also puts on the Satchmo Summerfest and Holidays New Orleans Style will move the 2021 celebration to September 30 - October 3. The festival is traditionally held in April, and has been held every year since 1984, when it was launched "as a way to bring residents back to the Quarter; following the World’s Fair and extensive sidewalk repairs in the French Quarter." It, like all our other fun festivals, was canceled last year due to COVID-19 concerns.

Organizers say the economic impact of French Quarter Fest is around $200 million for the city of New Orleans, and it employs at least 1,500 musicians each year. Emily Madero, who is the CEO of FQF, told OffBeat news “We’re excited to continue our 38-year partnership with Louisiana musical artists, chefs, businesses, and volunteers for our 2021 season. We appreciate our partners and fans for their continued support, and we look forward to celebrating Louisiana’s incredible culture together in October.”