Keith Spera’s music picks for 2026 French Quarter Festival | Louisiana Festivals

If you are a fan of New Orleans music festivals, that is your season.

Starting Thursday, the 2026 French Quarter Festival kicks off a unprecedented three weeks of wall-to-wall stay music in New Orleans. The 4 days of the French Quarter Festival are adopted instantly by the 2 four-day weekends of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

In current years, the French Quarter Fest’s expertise roster has come to resemble Jazz Fest’s, minus visiting headliners.

In its early years, the FQF centered on conventional jazz. But extra not too long ago, it has expanded its scope to showcase nearly each type of indigenous south Louisiana music, together with DJs, among the many 300 or so acts who will carry out on 19 levels alongside the downtown riverfront and within the French Quarter.

If the climate is favorable, complete four-day attendance will quantity effectively into the a whole bunch of hundreds.

One cause for the large crowds: General admission to the French Quarter Festival is free (the 2 nighttime FQF After Dark concert events are ticketed). Fest Family VIP passes, which grant entry to reserved viewing, hospitality areas and different perks, can be found for buy. Food and beverage cubicles will promote 275 totally different menu gadgets.

You will not be capable to spend money — because it was final 12 months, the FQF is totally cashless.

The competition is produced by the eight-person workers of the nonprofit French Quarter Festivals Inc., led by President and CEO Emily Madero. It is supported by sponsorships and meals and merchandise gross sales.

The forty third version of FQF has expanded its footprint to Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Parka newly christened inexperienced house on the Gov. Nicholls Street wharf, which may be accessed alongside the riverfront or on the foot of Esplanade Avenue.

Several acquainted levels will transfer and/or broaden their programming. The Louisiana Fish Fry Stage, with its roster of brass bands and DJs, has moved away from the Old US Mint due to building. It is quickly relocating upriver close to the Audubon Aquarium.

The Jack Daniel’s Stage is migrating downriver from Spanish Plaza to Goldring Woldenberg Riverfront Park on the Gov. Nicholls Street wharf. Festival favorites Irma Thomas, Big Freedia and Cupid & the Dance Party Express will carry out there.

The Pan-American Life Insurance Group Stage may also be on the Gov. Nicholls Street park, with 4 full days of programming. The House of Blues Voodoo Garden Stage has stepped up its programming.

Loyola University is, for the third 12 months, sponsoring the Esplanade In the Shade Stage. Plenty of Loyola college students will carry out and work there all through the weekend.

First-time French Quarter Fest performers in 2026 embody Bobby Rush, the 92-year-old blues singer and harmonica participant from Homer; Dawn Richard, whose music attracts on each her household’s Mardi Gras Indian heritage and up to date R&B and pop; and keyboardist Kyle Roussel and his “Church of New Orleans” venture.

They’ll be joined by a complete lot of native favorites.

Go to www.fqfi.org for extra particulars.

A DAY-BY-DAY BREAKDOWN OF THE 2026 FQF:

THURSDAY

Traditionally, Thursday is a gentle opening, with solely a half-dozen levels energetic. This 12 months’s opening Thursday is a bit busier, with eight levels in play.

The opening-day parade, populated by sponsors and some bands, units out at 10 am from the 200 block of Bourbon Street. It activates St. Ann Street, heading to Jackson Square, the place Preservation Brass will as soon as once more kick off the music on the NewOrleans.com Stage at 11:15 am

The Abita Beer Stage lineup is stable from high to backside, with the Soul Rebels, Erica Falls & Vintage Soul and Kermit Ruffins & the Barbecue Swingers.

Elsewhere on Thursday, you possibly can hear Bobby Rush, Susan Cowsill, blues-based guitarists Mem Shannon and John Mooney, trumpeter Leroy Jones & New Orleans’ Finest, pianist and songwriter Lilli Lewis, the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars, the Rebirth Brass Band, Cajun/nation/pop fiddler participant and singer Amanda Shaw, and Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-chas.

Thursday’s FQF After Dark present on the House of Blues options Revivalists singer David Shaw. Showtime is 9 pm; tickets are $42.

FRIDAY

The stage rely bumps as much as 13 on Friday.

PJ Morton, the homegrown up to date R&B and gospel singer who can be the keyboardist in pop-rock band Maroon 5, closes the Abita Beer Stage at 6:40 pm Friday. He’ll launch a mixture R&B/gospel double album, “Saturday Night, Sunday Morning,” in June. He might give a sneak peek of a music or two on the competition.

He’s preceded instantly on the identical stage by keyboardist Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen and the trombone-powered rock/brass band Bonerama.

Other Friday highlights embody John Boutte, Kyle Roussel’s Church of New Orleans, Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars, Cole Williams, the up to date pop ensemble People Museum and avant-garde Cajun band Lost Bayou Ramblers.

The New Orleans Legacy Coalition options the sons of well-established New Orleans musicians, together with Loyola graduate Michael Mullins, whose father is Bonerama trombonist Mark Mullins; 16-year-old piano prodigy River Eckert, son of New Orleans Suspects guitarist Jake Eckert; and percussionist Omari Neville, son of the legendary Cyril Neville. The sons and fathers are scheduled to carry out collectively at 4:30 pm Friday on the Loyola Esplanade within the Shade Stage.

Big Sam’s Funky Nation throws down for the FQF After Dark live performance at Good Measure, 600 Carondelet St. Showtime is 9 pm; tickets are $22.

SATURDAY

After Saturday kicks off with a 5K race, all 19 levels can be up and working. New Orleans funk/celebration band Flow Tribe tops off the Abita Beer Stage after legendary Meters bassist George Porter Jr. and his Runnin’ Pardners.

Other Saturday highlights embody Big Freedia, New Orleans funk and extra keyboardist John “Papa” Gros, singer-songwriters Joy Clark and Paul Sanchez, trumpeters James “Satchmo of the Ghetto” Andrews and Wendell Brunious, clarinetist Tim Laughlin, the Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band and Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers.

At 1 pm Saturday, “American Routes” host Nick Spitzer will lead a dialogue about New Orleans recording engineer Cosimo Matassa on the Historic New Orleans Collection Williams Research Center, 410 Chartres St. Matassa’s J&M Studios was the place Fats Domino and plenty of different rhythm and blues and early rock ‘n’ roll icons recorded.

After the speak at 2 pm, the HNOC’s Helis Hall, 520 Royal St., hosts a Matassa-themed party with the Mahogany Blue Baby Dolls and DJ Buy It Now spinning recordings made at J&M. Admission to the lecture and celebration is free.

SUNDAY

It’s the final likelihood to bop (at the least till April 23, when Jazz Fest opens).

Two of New Orleans’ residing legends are on the Sunday schedule. Irma Thomas, the age-defying Soul Queen of New Orleans, sings the hits on the relocated Jack Daniel’s Stage at 5 pm And Cyril Neville, the percussionist/singer from the Neville Brothers and the Meters, closes the Abita Beer Stage at 6:50 pm

The two acts earlier than Neville on the Abita Beer Stage are rapper HaSizzle with the TBC Brass Band preceded by featured Galactic vocalist Jelly Joseph main her personal band.

Other Sunday highlights embody trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, Leyla McCalla, fashionable jazz ensemble Astral Project, Judith Owen & Her Gentlemen Callers, trumpeter Jeremy Davenport, Americana singer-songwriter Kristin Diable, The Rumble that includes Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr., Tuba Skinny and avant-garde cellist Helen Gillet.