Beignet Fest is back this year to celebrate New Orleans’ most well known pastry. In 1986, the beignet was named Louisiana’s official state doughnut and the deep-fried pastry is star of the NOLA show for one day in City Park. Fruit, chocolate, seafood, cheese — if it fits in a little pocket of pastry, chances are someone at Beignet Fest has already stuffed it inside a beignet and sold it.
The official vendor list includes some of the city’s best restaurants and food trucks: Afrodisiac NOLA, Any O’Cajun, Big O’s Original Pops, bof bars, Cafe’ Beignet, Chubbies’s Fried Chicken, Diva Dawg, Divine Cuisine, Happi Pappi, The Howlin’ Wolf, Loretta’s Authentic Pralines, Meals from the Heart Cafe’, Nobull Kitchen, Oh Taste & See, Old School Eats, PJs Coffee, Ruby Slipper Cafe, Sno-La Snoballs, Sweet Legacy, Valerie’s Snowballs and The Vintage NOLA + Legacy Kitchen Craft Tavern.
Besides all the beignet dishes you can imagine there are local music performances, shopping and family-friendly activities as well. Kids can get their wiggles out at the kid’s village, running through sandboxes and getting their faces painted while Imagination Movers perform. Adults, you can grab an ice cold beer or cocktail from the Abita Beer Garden and browse the artist market for local trinkets and festival merch. Local favorites Mia Border and Flow Tribe will each play sets, too.
These airy doughnut bites support a good cause. Proceeds from the festival go towards the Beignet Fest Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides support for children with autism and developmental delays. With the proceeds from last year’s festival went to the New Orleans Children’s Hospital to create Benny’s Sensory Activation Vehicle, a mobile safe space for those overwhelmed by large crowds and noises at different events throughout the community.
The Specs
- More than 10,000 people attend.
- GA tickets are $20. Adult VIP tickets are $50 and VIP tickets for children aged 5-17 are $25. General admission entry for children under 12 is free.
- Check out Fifty Grande’s best things to do in New Orleans.
FAQs
When is Beignet Fest?
Saturday, September 23, 2023.
What is the closest airport to the festival?
The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is 11.4 miles from the New Orleans City Park Festival Grounds.
How did Beignet Fest get started?
Amy and Sherwood Collins created Beignet Fest in 2016 to raise awareness and funds for local programs that serve children with special needs.
It’s my first NOLA Beignet Fest experience. What can I expect from the menus?
You’ll find all the traditional sweet treats and delicacies that you’d expect but also some interesting curveballs, especially if you’re here for the first time. Some dishes you’ll find include praline beignets (of course), seafood stuft pistolette, crabmeat beignets, ice cream beignets, burger beignets, beignet bread pudding and much more.
Is Beignet Fest ADA accessible?
Yes. There is handicap parking, ADA tents and wheelchair accessible food vendor booths at Beignet Fest 2023.
Will Beignet Fest happen rain or shine?
Yes, unless there is an extreme weather event.
What vendors are at Beignet Fest 2023?
The vendor lineup has not been released at the time of this writing.
What artists are on the festival’s 2023 live music lineup?
The Beignet Fest Music lineup includes: Black Magic Drumline, Imagination Movers, New Soul Finders featuring Marilyn Barbarin and Marc Stone, Mia Border, Flow Tribe, Flagboy Giz.
