The Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival will return to Lafayette Square Park (602 St. Charles Ave.) in New Orleans for its 15th edition on October 14-16, 2022.

Charlie Musselwhite and Ruthie Foster will top the bill at the festival, which is presented by the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation, the nonprofit that owns Jazz Fest. Admission is free and open to the public.

The Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival is an award-winning event, featuring two stages of music, a large selection of the best barbecue vendors in the region and a local arts market. Though the event is a barbecue festival, there will be options for vegetarians, vegans and those who eat gluten-free. The festival will be held on Friday, October 14, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., and Saturday, October 15, and Sunday, October 16, from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Additional performers at the 2022 edition include Robert Finley, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Kenny Neal, Mr. Sipp, Jon Cleary, Johnny Sansone, Little Freddie King, Trudy Lynn, Mia Borders, Mem Shannon & the Membership, Joy Clark, Eric Johanson, Layla Musselwhite, D.K. Harrel, Kevin & the Blues Groovers, and Wolfe Johns Blues Band.

The festival was last held in-person in 2019 before the COVID pandemic. In 2020, the festival was produced online by the Foundation and its radio station, WWOZ 90.7 FM in New Orleans, as “Blues Festing in Place.” The festival is free, but VIP Experience Passes are available for those looking for a premium festival experience, which includes a balcony view of Lafayette Square, seating, two complimentary bars, and air conditioning. The $250 passes cover all three days and available here.

For more information, visit crescentcitybluesfest.com.