Three unaffiliated festivals are set to take over the Uptown neighborhood on April 5th. Those who wander between festivals have a rare chance to experience the vibrant musical culture and local flavor of New Orleans in one jam-packed day.
Music and mudbugs will abound at Crawfest, Tulane University’s annual music, food and arts festival. Located on the Lavin-Bernick Center Quad of Tulane’s uptown campus, Crawfest promises a full day of unlimited crawfish, unlimited music and access to local food and art vendors.
In past years Crawfest has welcomed 12,000 visitors and doled out an estimated 18,000 pounds of crawfish. Wristbands cost $10 for those who aren’t Tulane students or staff members. Headlining Crawfest is Boston funk group Lettuce and experimental jazz artist Marco Benevito. Local bands featured at Crawfest include the psychedelic Sexual Thunder! and modern-day funk band Flow Tribe. The festival grounds are open to the public from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Flow Tribe will play two out of three festivals on April 5.
On Saturday, the Freret Street Market is also sponsoring its annual Freret Street Festival between Jefferson and Napoleon Avenues.
A culmination of Freret Street’s meteoric rebirth, the Freret Street Festival boasts five musical stages and more than 200 vendors selling everything ranging from beer and snacks to used clothing and art.
Notable food vendors include Dat Dog, Woody’s Fish Tacos and Cane River Meat Pies.
Some of New Orleans’ most popular local artists are slated to perform at the festival. The Wild Magnolias will headline at the Napoleon Avenue stage, performing a combination of modern funk and traditional Mardi Gras Indian chants. After its set at Crawfest, Flow Tribe will also perform at the Freret Street Festival at the Jefferson Avenue stage at 5:40 p.m. Visitors can enjoy the Freret Street Festival free of charge between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Uptown residents can also celebrate the city’s French cultural heritage at la Fete Francaise. Presented by and located at the Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orleans, the Fete is celebrating its 15th anniversary as New Orleans’ favorite French festival. This year’s Fete is themed “a certain je ne sais quoi,” a phrase that encapsulates the indescribable spirit of this culturally-rich city.
At the event, visitors can dust off their French and taste the finest cuisine offered by several New Orleans restaurants, including Martinique Bistro and La Crepe Nanou. The Fete’s musical lineup is similarly steeped in French tradition. On its main stage, the Fete will host Cajun group T’Monde and brass band sensation Soul Rebels. The Fete will also revive the spirit of Carnival with the Camel-Toe Lady Steppers, an all-female Mardis Gras dance group that will lead a second-line through the festival. La Fete Francaise will run from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is free.
Whether you are into food, more food, great music, or supporting a great local school, April 5 has something for you. Get out there and take advantage of this full schedule of free music and fresh food.
