The 2022 Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo, presented by Friends of Bayou St. John, will make its return to the banks of Bayou St. John for three days from May 20-22. The annual, three-day neighborhood festival features music on four stages, including the new floating Brass Barge stage stationed in Bayou St. John.
Now in its 16th year, the neighborhood event announced the following updates:
Music Lineup: In March, the Bayou Boogaloo released its full lineup featuring Ani DiFranco, Dragon Smoke, Squirrel Nut Zippers, The Soul Rebels, Sonny Landreth and Maggie Koerner. Today, the festival announced three new additions: Inferno Burlesque, Joshua Starkman and Friends featuring Gabrielle Cavassa and Sabine McCalla, and Chosen Ones Brass Band, the brass band for L.B. Landry High School and the 2022 winners of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation’s Class Got Brass Competition. Full 2022 day-by-day lineup can be found here.
Food Vendors: In addition to festival favorites like Clesi’s and Mid-City Pizza, Bayou Boogaloo has announced several new vendors. Brand new this year is Soulé Cafe, a Mid-City neighborhood spot that will offer gluten free and vegan spins on New Orleans classics like meatless red beans and rice, beignet fries and bread pudding bites. A new restaurant, Jamaican Jerk House, is also joining the festivities, serving Jamaican jerk chicken, pork and oxtails. Gourmet hot dog spot Dat Dog will make its Bayou Boogaloo debut, along with Bub’s Burgers, the hit pop-up that recently moved into a brick and mortar storefront on Banks Street. For the first time, there will also be food trucks on the Dumaine Street side of the festival, including Da Grill Master and Southerns, who will serve their famous fried chicken sandwich. The full list of vendors can be found here.
Bayou Access: This year, everyone who enters Bayou Boogaloo must have a ticket—including those who come in on the bayou. There will be two bayou entrances (at both Dumaine Street and Toulouse Street) for people with boats, barges and other watercraft, and all attendees—both on and off land—must pass through metal detectors. Attendees with large barges can pre-register their barges, pay a security deposit and sign up for a predetermined time to assemble their barges ahead of the festival for easier and quicker entry. To sign up, visit thebayouboogaloo.com.
Focus on Kids: The festival offers a special area for kids to enjoy with three full days of programming for children of all ages. The weekend will kick off with the return of the Silent Disco with DJ Tom Harvey on Friday night. There will be special kid’s programming on Saturday and Sunday beginning at 12 p.m. From drumming workshops to dance performances, there will be something for every age and taste. Kids can also partake in activities at the Arts and Crafts tent. The festival invites children to come get creative and join Upturn Arts on Saturday and Art Camp504 on Sunday beginning at noon for fun activities, take-home accessories and a group mural. Nurse Nikki will also be returning to host the Baby Changing and Feeding Tent—a comfortable, shady space for tending to the little ones.
Yoga: Swan River Yoga will host a yoga class on Sunday morning from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. at the Dumaine Stage followed by Sound Bath with Michelle Baker. Additionally, there will be a family yoga class on Saturday at 12 p.m. in the kids tent. The yearly yoga classes are tranquil and relaxing ways to start off the day.
Arts Market: Finally making its full-fledged return for the first time since 2019, this year’s Bayou Boogaloo will feature a curated arts market with 60 artists and designers. Featuring locally handmade artwork by regional favorites, the arts market will include metalwork, glass, photography, ceramics and more.
2022 Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Poster: This year, the commemorative poster was designed by Louisiana native and self-taught artist Kelly Boyett. With a speciality in live-painting performances, Boyett started this year’s poster as a live painting at the 2019 Bayou Boogaloo. The original will be auctioned off at this year’s festival. To see the poster and learn more about Boyett, please visit here.
Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo Canopy Club VIP Lounge: Returning this year are three-day Canopy Club VIP passes, on sale now for $240. Canopy Club passes allow the holder festival entry as well as access to the Canopy Club VIP Lounge, a shaded oasis next to the stage with comfy seating, restrooms, a complimentary bar and unique catering. Canopy Club passes available here.
Three-day general admission weekend tickets with in-and-out privileges are available for $45 and will increase to $55 on May 15. Single day Saturday + Sunday tickets are also available for $20 but will increase to $30 on May 15. Single day Friday tickets are available for $10 but will increase to $15 on May 15. Tickets can be purchased here.
For more information, visit thebayouboogaloo.com
Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo was founded in 2005 and is produced by The Friends of Bayou St. John, a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to improving and preserving the Bayou St. John neighborhood. As always, funds raised through Mid-City Bayou Boogaloo events are used to preserve and protect Bayou St. John and its canopy of trees. Some of the recent projects undertaken by Friends of Bayou St. John include: monthly bayou clean-ups, ongoing litter abatement and Christmas tree immersion to create habitats for fish. Currently Friends of Bayou St. John is financing a feasibility study by a landscape architecture company to reinvigorate the infrastructure on Bayou St. John.
