French Quarter Festivals, Inc. (FQFI) annually produces three festivals: French Quarter Festival, Satchmo SummerFest, and Holidays New Orleans Style. FQFI is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the Vieux Carré and the City of New Orleans through high quality special events and activities that showcase the culture and heritage of this unique city, contribute to the economic well-being of the community, and instill increased pride in the people of New Orleans.

French Quarter Festival

French Quarter Festival was first produced in 1984 as a way to bring residents back to the Quarter following the World’s Fair and extensive sidewalk repairs in the French Quarter.

40 years later, French Quarter Festival is now the largest free music festival in the South, featuring a 100% local lineup of Louisiana performers in every genre on an average of 20 stages throughout the historic French Quarter. FQF takes place annually over 4 days in April.

  • More than 2,000 community volunteers help make the festival a success each year!
  • Known as “The World’s Largest Jazz Brunch," the FQF culinary and beverage lineup features legendary New Orleans institutions alongside up-and-coming new entrants for over 60 food and beverage vendors each year.
  • French Quarter Festival has been consistently voted “favorite festival”, “favorite food festival”, and “favorite event open to the public” by locals.

Satchmo SummerFest

This two-day celebration is one of the only festivals in the world dedicated to honoring Louis Armstrong and features 2 stages of music, a delicious culinary lineup featuring Louisiana restaurants, and an incredible indoor lecture series poised to educate guests on Armstrong’s history and enduring impact.

Satchmo SummerFest is scheduled annually to coincide with Louis Armstrong’s birthday on August 4th; the first festival took place on what would have been his 100th birthday, the same year the New Orleans airport was renamed Louis Armstrong International Airport. The man known around the world as “Satchmo,” short for Satchelmouth, was widely recognized as a founding father of jazz – a unique American art form. His influence as an artist and cultural icon is universal, unmatched, and very much alive today.