Bayou Boogaloo Festival: Dates, Time, Info

Photo credit: Bayou Boogalou festival

The Bayou Boogaloo Festival is one one of New Orleans best festivals — and this will promises to be no difference. The event, which is known for its crawfish-eating contest, has music acts like Big Freedia’s Gospel Revival and Honey Island Swamp Band.

The festival traces its roots to 2006 when it was created as a post-Hurricane Katrina initiative to bring together the Bayou St. John neighborhood and promote recovery through cultural celebration.

In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the Bayou Boogaloo Festival.

When Is the Bayou Boogaloo Festival Taking Place?

The Bayou Boogaloo Festival is set for May 16-18, 2025.

When it comes to food, the Bayou Boogaloo Festival offers a wide array of Creole, Cajun, and Southern dishes from local vendors, including:

Crawfish po’boys, gumbo, jambalaya, beignets, fried oysters, and alligator sausage.
New vendors in recent years, like Joel’s Lobster Roll (lobster rolls, clam chowder) and Nori Guys (sushi tacos).
Returning favorites like Fritai (Haitian crab mac ‘n’ cheese) and Ajun Cajun (soft shell crab po’boys).

Festivalgoers can experience the event from land or water, with many arriving by kayaks, canoes, paddle boats, inflatables, or homemade barges, creating a “floating party” atmosphere.

Who’s Performing at the Bayou Boogaloo Festival?

Big Freedia’s Gospel Revival: High-energy bounce music with a gospel twist. 420 Funk Mob feat. Members of Parliament/Funkadelic: A special 4:20 p.m. set on Sunday. Honey Island Swamp Band’s Dark Side of the Bayou: A Pink Floyd tribute show.

Tribute Acts:
- Jagged Little Pill: Alexis Marceaux performing Alanis Morissette songs.
Other Notable Acts:
- Leo Nocentelli (The Meters), LSD Clownsystem, glbl wrmng (rap collective), Crowe Boys, Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Desert Nudes, Billy Iuso, Bo Dollis Jr. & the Wild Magnolias, James Andrews & The Crescent City Allstars, Ghalia Volt, Alexis & The Sanity.
Variety Stage Performances:
- Music: John “Papa” Gros (solo), Joy Clark, Mikayla Braun, Shawan Rice.
- Comedy/Cabaret: Inferno Burlesque, Happy Time Healing Sheaux (comedy/improv), Roast Battle League New Orleans, Asylum Variety Show, Drag Bingo with Katrina Waters, Banks St. Comedy Brunch, Comedy Gumbeaux, Greetings From Queer Mountain, and interactive shows by Ryan Rogers and Marcus Bond.

Schedule (subject to change; check thebayouboogaloo.com for updates):

Friday, May 16: Typically starts in the afternoon and runs until evening.
Saturday, May 17: Full day of performances, arts market, and food vendors.
Sunday, May 18: Concludes in the evening, often with a headliner at 4:20 p.m

The festival features two stages in 2025 (down from four in previous years):

Orleans Stage: The primary music stage, showcasing traditional New Orleans genres like jazz, funk, brass, zydeco, and Mardi Gras Indian performances.
Variety Stage: Formerly the Comedy and Cabaret Tent, now expanded to include singer-songwriters, comedy, burlesque, and interactive performances

Final Word

Starting as a small, free neighborhood event, the Bayou Boogalou Festival has grown into a major New Orleans festival, attracting over 35,000 attendees annually, rivaling larger events like Jazz Fest in local significance.

Live music is a part of New Orleans’ culture for sure. from jazz clubs to the city’s diverse bar scene, from historic cocktail bars to trendy craft beer spots. listening to lie music is a popular nighttime activity, especially in areas like the French Quarter and the Warehouse District.

James Johnson

James Johnson is a writer originally from New York City. She has lived in the South for the last 15 years and enjoys Creole cooking and shrimp and grits.