French Quarter Fest 2023 – Thurs.

My favorite festival of the year,  French Quarter Fest, (FQF) is celebrating its 40th year.  With over 20 stages of indigenous music and over 60 local food booths, locals and visitors can enjoy the best of our city’s offerings. After wandering across the Quarter checking out this year’s dishes, we started our day with the Walker’s Southern Style BBQ Cochon de Lait Po-Boy ($12). I’m not normally a sandwich fan and prefer Po-Boys even less, but we usually get 2 to 4 of the pulled pork and cole slaw Po-Boys before the fest ends.

Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers were on the Abita Stage

Satchmo Summerfest – Sunday

After an amazing Friday with Ellis Marsalis, Deacon John and Rebirth Brass Band and Saturday with Bill Summers, Corey Henry and more, the last day of Satchmo Summerfest was a belly-rubbing, hip-shaking capper to a phenomenal weekend of food, music, education and fun. We started our day with new fest vendor, Rib Room, and a sample of their refreshing savory Watermelon Gazpacho ($6). It was so good Friday, I had to get another Prime Rib Debris Po-Boy ($7). We finished up with a Nectar Creme Plum Street Sno-Ball ($4) and pinned some money on birthday boy, DancingMan504.

Our first band was Kid Merv and All That Jazz. Though it was once again Hades-hot, people were up and dancing to the energetic standards.