French Quarter Festival 2027: things to do nearby between sets

8 to 11 April 2027 · ExpectedNew Orleans, United States

At French Quarter Festival the music runs from the afternoon, so mornings and the day after are free. This guide covers the town around the site: boat trips, a real meal, a shower and a day out from New Orleans.

Tours in New Orleans Hotels for these dates

French Quarter Festival in short

When: 8 to 11 April 2027 (expected, not yet confirmed by the organiser)
Where: French Quarter stages, New Orleans, United States
Free time: Music runs from the afternoon, so mornings and the day after are free.
Best base: Warehouse District and CBD: Walk to the Quarter.
Getting there: Louis Armstrong (MSY) is 25 minutes from the French Quarter; flat taxi fare to the CBD.
Weather: In April, New Orleans averages highs of about 24°C and lows of 18°C, with roughly 128 mm of rain in the month. Expect about 12 h 39 min of daylight.
Top things to do: Swamp boat tour; French Quarter food tour; Plantation tour

Know before you go

Free admission across more than 20 stages.

Weather during French Quarter Festival

In April, New Orleans averages highs of about 24°C and lows of 18°C, with roughly 128 mm of rain in the month. Expect about 12 h 39 min of daylight.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rain
April	24°C (75°F)	18°C (64°F)	128 mm

What to pack

A rain jacket or umbrella: it rains often in this month.
Earplugs, a power bank and a small backpack; campers add a head torch.

Monthly averages for 2001 to 2025 from NASA POWER. Check the forecast a few days before you travel.

Airport to French Quarter stages

Louis Armstrong (MSY) is 25 minutes from the French Quarter; flat taxi fare to the CBD.

Walk; streetcars on Canal Street.

Public transport directions to French Quarter stages

Where to stay by budget

Budget	Where	Why
Budget	Mid-City	Streetcar to the Quarter.
Mid-range	Warehouse District and CBD	Walk to the Quarter.
Splurge	French Quarter	Historic hotels.

Three hotels we would book

Budget: The Quisby
Mid-range: Ace Hotel New Orleans
Splurge: Hotel Monteleone

Links search the nights from 7 April to 12 April. Event weekends sell out early and prices rise as the date gets closer: book a cancellable room as soon as you know you are going.

Day plans for the free hours

Built around the usual festival weekend schedule for 8 to 11 April 2027. Session times change: check the official timetable and move the blocks around.

Before the gates open

Thursday 8 April

Music runs from the afternoon. Mornings are free: get out on the water or into town.

Easy outingCooking class Half day · Food · Indoor
Creole dishes.
FreeJackson Square and street musicians.

A day off-site

Friday 9 April

Skip the early acts and take a day trip. Be back for the headliners.

Half-daySwamp boat tour Half day · Family
Alligators and bayous.
EatCommander's Palace Creole jazz brunch

Campers: shower, food and a break

Day passes for pools and spas, and a real meal in town.

Rain or heat backupNew Orleans Museum of Art.
EatCochon Cajun

Recovery day

Monday 12 April

Slow outings only.

Easy outingFrench Quarter food tour Half day · Food
Gumbo, beignets and po-boys.
EatParkway Bakery Po-boys

Family-friendly picks

Half day · Family

Swamp boat tour

Alligators and bayous.

See times and prices

Audubon Aquarium.
Audubon Zoo.

Evening and day-trip tours

Evening · Nightlife

Ghost and voodoo tour

French Quarter stories.

See times and prices

Evening · Low walking · Nightlife · Food

Jazz cruise on the Steamboat Natchez

Mississippi sunset.

See times and prices

Full day

Plantation tour

Whitney or Oak Alley.

See times and prices

After dark

Frenchmen Street.

6 tours worth booking for French Quarter Festival

Tour	Length	Good for
Plantation tour	Full day	Everyone
Cooking class	Half day	Food lovers, Bad weather
Swamp boat tour	Half day	Families
French Quarter food tour	Half day	Food lovers
Ghost and voodoo tour	Evening	Night owls
Jazz cruise on the Steamboat Natchez	Evening	Tired legs, Night owls, Food lovers

Event weeks sell out. Book tours with free cancellation as soon as the session times are published.

Where to eat

Café du Monde Beignets
Commander's Palace Creole jazz brunch
Cochon Cajun
Parkway Bakery Po-boys

Reserve dinner for the nights around the event: restaurants near the venue fill up days ahead.

Rainy-day backups

Half day · Food · Indoor

Cooking class

Creole dishes.

See times and prices

National WWII Museum.
New Orleans Museum of Art.

Getting around on event days

Streetcars and the RTA app; parade days close most of Uptown and the CBD.

Day trips from New Orleans

Swamps: 45 minutes
Baton Rouge: 1.5 hours

Bringing a group?

Corporate hospitality, fan clubs, teams and families travelling together: tell us the dates and group size and we will put together tours, transfers and a group dinner for French Quarter Festival.

Plan a group trip

Organiser of French Quarter Festival? Add this guide to your website.

Questions people ask

When is French Quarter Festival 2027?

The next edition is 8 to 11 April 2027, following the usual pattern. The organiser has not confirmed it yet.

What is the weather like during French Quarter Festival?

In April, New Orleans averages highs of about 24°C and lows of 18°C, with roughly 128 mm of rain in the month. Expect about 12 h 39 min of daylight.

How do I get from the airport to French Quarter stages?

Louis Armstrong (MSY) is 25 minutes from the French Quarter; flat taxi fare to the CBD. Walk; streetcars on Canal Street.

Where should I stay for French Quarter Festival?

For most visitors the best base is Warehouse District and CBD: Walk to the Quarter.

What else can we do around French Quarter Festival?

Good short outings in New Orleans include Swamp boat tour, French Quarter food tour, Cooking class. See the day plans on this page for a full schedule.

What is there for kids and families near French Quarter Festival?

Family-friendly picks: Swamp boat tour. Audubon Aquarium.

How far is French Quarter stages from New Orleans centre?

About 1 km in a straight line. Walk; streetcars on Canal Street.

How we put this guide together: dates come from the organiser's published calendar or, when not yet announced, from the event's usual pattern; weather from NASA POWER monthly averages 2001 to 2025; venue access and city tips from our own research. Last checked 2 November 2026. How we research.

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